# 51CTO vs Programming Hub

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Programming Hub at 72% against 51CTO's 41%. 51CTO's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. 51CTO sells 23 one-off in-app purchases and Programming Hub sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

51CTO ships an update fortnightly, Programming Hub every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 51CTO | Programming Hub |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.8 (9.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/programming-hub-learn-coding/id1049691226/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **9.8K** |
| Positive reviews | 41.0% of reviews | **72.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 123 MB | 122 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [北京无忧创想信息技术有限公司](https://appshunter.io/developer/525383066) | [Rightsol Private Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1635771188) |

## What reviewers say

### 51CTO

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/51cto/id1038062672)

This platform offers a vast library of free, practical video courses for IT professionals and students. Learn programming, certifications, AI, and more from industry experts to advance your career.

**Highlights:** 80,000+ free practical video courses, Covers 22 IT categories, Taught by 800+ industry experts, Focus on practical skills and career advancement, Suitable for students to experienced IT professionals, Offline learning support

**In-app purchases (23)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1金币 | $0.99 | one-time |
| 6金币 | $0.99 | one-time |
| 3金币 | $0.99 | one-time |
| 12金币 | $1.99 | one-time |
| 18金币 | $2.99 | one-time |
| 30金币 | $3.99 | one-time |
| 25金币 | $3.99 | one-time |
| 40金币 | $5.99 | one-time |
| 45金币 | $5.99 | one-time |
| 50金币 | $6.99 | one-time |
| 93金币 | $12.99 | one-time |
| 88金币 | $12.99 | one-time |
| 98金币 | $14.99 | one-time |
| 138金币 | $19.99 | one-time |
| 158金币 | $22.99 | one-time |
| 178金币 | $24.99 | one-time |
| 208金币 | $29.99 | one-time |
| 248金币 | $34.99 | one-time |
| 298金币 | $39.99 | one-time |
| 348金币 | $49.99 | one-time |
| 448金币 | $59.99 | one-time |
| 488金币 | $69.99 | one-time |
| 998金币 | $149.99 | one-time |


### Programming Hub

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/programming-hub-learn-coding/id1049691226)

Learn to code through interactive, game-like lessons. Access over 5000 code examples and 35+ courses in various programming languages, all within a single app. Practice and build your skills with the world's fastest compiler.

**Highlights:** Interactive coding lessons, 5000+ code examples, 35+ programming courses, Fastest compiler on iOS, Concept-based illustrations, Categorized program view

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PRO for 1 year with discount | $1.49 | per year |
| PRO access for 1 year Display | $1.99 | per month |
| VIP Access | $5.99 | per 3 months |
| 1 Month Coding Pass | $9.99 | per month |
| PRO membership for 3 months | $14.49 | per 3 months |
| Pro access for 1 year | $18.99 | per year |
| PRO access for 1 year + Trial | $29.49 | per year |
| PRO membership 1 year 75% OFF | $31.99 | per year |
| 365 Days of Unlimited Coding | $44.95 | per year |
| Lifetime Upgrade | $19.99 | one-time |
| Unlock PRO: Lifetime Access | $39.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to understand lessons
- 🚀 Bite-sized learning content
- 💡 Wide variety of courses
- 🎓 Provides certificates upon completion
- 👍 Good for beginners

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy app with crashes and glitches
- 🔒 Issues with pro access and purchases
- 🤔 Lack of depth in some courses
- 🔍 Unclear free vs. paid content separation
- 🔧 Poor customer support responsiveness

**Reported bugs**

- Courses not loading or crashing
- Certificates not being awarded properly
- Inconsistent behavior with pro access
- Bugs in test/quiz functionality

**Requested features**

- Add more advanced programming courses
- Improve progress tracking and syncing across devices
- Implement a dark mode option
- Allow skipping of lessons and more flexibility in navigation


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 51CTO free?

51CTO is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Programming Hub free?

Programming Hub is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do 51CTO or Programming Hub have ads?

Neither 51CTO nor Programming Hub shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, 51CTO or Programming Hub?

51CTO ships an update fortnightly, and Programming Hub every 2 months. Most recently, 51CTO was updated on September 23, 2026 and Programming Hub on September 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*