# 51CTO vs 极客时间

The clearest difference is ads: 51CTO at none against 极客时间's shown. 51CTO also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). 极客时间's advantage is review sentiment (59% vs 41%) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 12.0). On price, update cadence, 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 极客时间 sells 13 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

51CTO ships an update fortnightly, 极客时间 every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 51CTO | 极客时间 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[3.9 (324 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/id1280245865/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **324** |
| Positive reviews | 41.0% of reviews | **58.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 4 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 123 MB | 262 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | **10.0** |
| 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) | [The Holding of GeekBang (Beijing) Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1038372718) |

## 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 |


### 极客时间

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/id1280245865)

This platform offers advanced AI learning paths, covering everything from foundational algorithms to large model principles and practical AIGC applications. It also provides a comprehensive technical learning experience for developers with expert-led courses, real-world case studies, and community features.

**Highlights:** AI learning paths, Expert-led technical courses, Real-world enterprise case studies, 18 technical growth routes, Audio and video learning, Learning community, Training camps

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

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 6G币充值 | $0.99 | one-time |
| 10G币充值 | $0.99 | one-time |
| 12G币充值 | $1.99 | one-time |
| 38G币充值 | $4.99 | one-time |
| 68G币充值 | $9.99 | one-time |
| 78G币充值 | $9.99 | one-time |
| 79G币充值 | $9.99 | one-time |
| 108G币充值 | $14.99 | one-time |
| 98G币充值 | $14.99 | one-time |
| 218G币充值 | $29.99 | one-time |
| 308G币充值 | $44.99 | one-time |
| 518G币充值 | $69.99 | one-time |
| 1598G币充值 | $229.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 💡 Great learning content
- 🚀 Productive app
- 🤩 Excellent app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and bugs
- ⏱️ Slow loading times
- 🌙 Lack of dark mode
- 🤯 Frustrating to use

**Reported bugs**

- Purchased courses not accessible
- Inconsistent login behavior
- Playback issues (progress reset, no background play)

**Requested features**

- Page-level search
- Offline mode for content
- Improved navigation and playback controls


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 51CTO free?

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

### Is 极客时间 free?

极客时间 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do 51CTO or 极客时间 have ads?

极客时间 shows ads; 51CTO does not.

### Which is updated more often, 51CTO or 极客时间?

51CTO ships an update fortnightly, and 极客时间 every 4 weeks. Most recently, 51CTO was updated on September 23, 2026 and 极客时间 on September 22, 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.*