Basic.Space vs The Essential
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Basic.Space
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.
- Curated marketplace
- Exclusive product drops
- Access to new and next trends
- Members-only events
- Global network of creatives
Read full descriptionHide full description
Basic.Space is an obsessively curated marketplace. Shop timeless classics and what’s new and next. This space is not for everyone. This space is not mass produced. Conventional. Or influenced. This space is personal. Experimental. True. Our members are part of a global network of creatives and designers with access to: - Preview and purchase private, curated online drops featuring the most coveted products in design, art, and fashion. - Unique members-only events and experiences during major design, art, and fashion weeks. Own The Future.
The Essential
Discover and purchase furniture directly from the factories that produce for designer brands. Enjoy high-quality pieces without the traditional retail markups. Access factory-direct pricing for stylish home furnishings.
- Factory-direct furniture
- Designer-quality at lower prices
- Avoid retail markups
- Access to original factory sources
Read full descriptionHide full description
Furniture from the same factories as designer brands. Without the markups.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Basic.Space at 67% against The Essential's 24%. Basic.Space also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.0) and ads (none vs shown). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Basic.Space holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 321 and 100 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Basic.Space's written reviews are positive against 24% of The Essential's.
Basic.Space ships an update weekly, The Essential every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Basic.Space | The Essential |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (321 ratings) — better | 4.0 (100 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews — better | 24.1% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 321 — better | 100 |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 4 weeks |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Ad-supported |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 16.4 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 160 MB | 78 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Basic Space, Inc | Inhabit.io, Inc |
Customer experience
Basic.Space
The Essential
User reviews
Basic.Space
From 321 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- ✨ Community of creatives
- 💡 Innovative shopping experience
- 🤩 Engaging and addicting
- 👍 Easy to find items
- 🌟 Great curation
Room to improve
- 🐛 App is buggy
- 🤷♀️ Complicated seller experience
- 💸 Misleading promotion
- 🚫 Sign in with Apple crashes
- ❌ Can't create account
The Essential
From 100 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Good quality furniture
- 👍 Good customer support
- 👍 Simple yet powerful app
- 👍 Fantastic products
- 👍 Love the app
Room to improve
- 😞 Login issues with Shopify
- 😞 No contact info on app
- 😞 Delayed shipments
- 😞 No refunds, only credit
- 😞 Shipping option pending
Bugs and requests
Basic.Space
Reported bugs
13 issues- App crashes on sign in
- Items removed without reason
- Error message on verification
- Keyboard covers input field
- Random video audios play
Show 8 moreShow fewer
- Hard to search/filter
- Phone registration code issue
- App glitches, won't search
- No search filter
- Can't post items
- Feed forced scrolling
- Algorithm glitches
- Phone not verified error
Requested features
5 requests- Contact for help
- More videos/creators
- Filter by size/category
- iPad version
- Clearer item wear/damage info
The Essential
Reported bugs
7 issues- Won't let me log in without paid account
- Shipping option keeps pending
- App loads website
- Cannot maintain session token
- App is buggy
Show 2 moreShow fewer
- Cannot see order details in the app
- Login screen freezes
Requested features
18 requests- Contact information on the app
- Ability to get refunds
- Better shipping reliability
- More product availability
- Clearer pricing information
Show 13 moreShow fewer
- Improved customer service response times
- Ability to maintain login sessions
- Fix app bugs
- Display order details in the app
- Improve shipping quality for delicate items
- Focus on fulfilling existing orders
- Improve supply chain management
- Improve app usability
- Improve shipping process
- Make cancellations easier
- Ensure inventory availability
- Provide product expiration dates
- Improve communication about shipping delays
In-app purchases
Basic.Space
No in-app purchases
The Essential
No in-app purchases
