# Basic.Space vs Gem

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Gem at 97% against Basic.Space's 67%. Gem also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.6) and ratings volume (977 vs 321). Basic.Space's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

Gem holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 321 and 977 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Basic.Space's written reviews are positive against 97% of Gem's.

Basic.Space ships an update weekly, Gem every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Basic.Space | Gem |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (321 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basicspace/id1163845100/reviews) | **[4.9 (977 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gem-search-vintage/id1459900557/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 321 | **977** |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | **96.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 160 MB | 51 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Basic Space, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1334826103) | [Gem Search, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1459900556) |

## What reviewers say

### Basic.Space

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basicspace/id1163845100)

Discover and purchase exclusive, curated items in design, art, and fashion. Access private online drops and unique member-only events. This marketplace is for those seeking personal, experimental, and true creations.

**Highlights:** Curated marketplace, Exclusive product drops, Access to new and next trends, Members-only events, Global network of creatives

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Community of creatives
- 💡 Innovative shopping experience
- 🤩 Engaging and addicting
- 👍 Easy to find items
- 🌟 Great curation

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App is buggy
- 🤷‍♀️ Complicated seller experience
- 💸 Misleading promotion
- 🚫 Sign in with Apple crashes
- ❌ Can't create account

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on sign in
- Items removed without reason
- Error message on verification
- Keyboard covers input field
- Random video audios play

**Requested features**

- Contact for help
- More videos/creators
- Filter by size/category
- iPad version
- Clearer item wear/damage info


### Gem

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gem-search-vintage/id1459900557)

Discover secondhand and vintage clothing efficiently across numerous online stores and marketplaces. Find specific items or browse by decade and brand, with options to save favorites and receive notifications. Purchase directly from the seller's website without additional fees.

**Highlights:** Unified search for resale sites, Image search functionality, Filter by price, size, location, decade, Browse by decade, brand, gender, Save favorite items, Push/email notifications, Direct purchase from seller

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Must have app
- 🚀 Efficient way to search across platforms
- 💎 Gem of an app for vintage lovers
- 🔍 Comprehensive search for vintage items
- 🛒 Streamlines online vintage shopping

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Limited search filters
- 💾 Limits on saved searches/items
- 🔍 Inaccurate search results at times
- 🤖 Needs better algorithm to surface relevant items

**Reported bugs**

- Inconsistent display of sold items in search results
- Occasional app crashes or freezes

**Requested features**

- Add image search functionality
- Expand search filters (e.g. condition, category)
- Improve saved search/item organization
- Include more platforms (e.g. Mercari, The RealReal)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Basic.Space free?

Basic.Space is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Gem free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Basic.Space or Gem?

Gem is rated higher. Basic.Space averages 4.6 out of 5 from 321 ratings, while Gem averages 4.9 from 977 ratings.

### Do Basic.Space or Gem have ads?

Neither Basic.Space nor Gem shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Basic.Space or Gem?

Basic.Space ships an update weekly, and Gem every 2 months. Most recently, Basic.Space was updated on October 13, 2026 and Gem on October 16, 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.*