# Sotheby's vs Artifact.id

The clearest difference is ads: Artifact.id at none against Sotheby's's shown. Artifact.id also leads on review sentiment (50% vs 24%) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). Sotheby's's advantage is ratings volume (95 vs 11). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 3.4 for Sotheby's against 3.5 for Artifact.id. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sotheby's has 95 ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 24% of Sotheby's's written reviews are positive against 50% of Artifact.id's.

Sotheby's ships an update every 2 weeks, Artifact.id fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sotheby's | Artifact.id |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.4 (95 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sothebys/id1061156465/reviews) | **[3.5 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/artifactid/id1553933152/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **95** | 11 |
| Positive reviews | 24.3% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 54 MB | 80 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.4 | **15.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sotheby's](https://appshunter.io/developer/393122746) | [Cornerstone Technologies](https://appshunter.io/developer/858506673) |

## What reviewers say

### Sotheby's

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sothebys/id1061156465)

Access extraordinary art, precious objects, wine, and jewelry from auctions worldwide. Track bids, register for auctions, and explore past and upcoming sales with expert insights.

**Highlights:** Bid in live and online auctions, Track bids and registrations, Browse open, upcoming, and past auctions, Search past and present lots, Manage profile and view purchases, Access favorite auctions and lots

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Beautiful photography and content
- 👍 Easy to navigate (for some)
- ✅ Great for browsing and viewing auctions
- 🤩 Interactive and engaging
- 🖼️ Elegant design

**What reviewers complain about**

- ❌ Core functionality missing
- 📉 Poor user experience
- 🚫 App is useless for many
- 😵 Confusing new format
- 📱 Not compatible with older phones

**Reported bugs**

- Cannot sort auction lots
- Cannot follow, view, or bid
- App crashes on launch
- ID verification camera not focusing
- Photo upload issues

**Requested features**

- Allow sorting of auction lots
- Improve search functionality
- Enable calendar integration
- Make app landscape compatible
- Simplify personalization options


### Artifact.id

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/artifactid/id1553933152)

Catalog and track your collectibles with detailed information in a private portfolio. Connect with subject experts for identification and evaluation, and join a community for authentication and education.

**Highlights:** Private collection portfolio, Object detail capture, Access to subject experts, Authentication and education community, Value calculation for insurance, Social sharing with other collectors

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sotheby's free?

Sotheby's is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Artifact.id free?

Artifact.id is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Sotheby's or Artifact.id?

Artifact.id is rated higher. Sotheby's averages 3.4 out of 5 from 95 ratings, while Artifact.id averages 3.5 from 11 ratings.

### Do Sotheby's or Artifact.id have ads?

Sotheby's shows ads; Artifact.id does not.

### Which is updated more often, Sotheby's or Artifact.id?

Sotheby's ships an update every 2 weeks, and Artifact.id fortnightly. Most recently, Sotheby's was updated on October 9, 2026 and Artifact.id on October 5, 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.*