Essentialist vs Belmond
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Essentialist
Discover unique travel experiences curated by a global network of experts. Access exclusive recommendations and insider tips for your next adventure.
- Private travel service
- Global community of tastemakers
- Travel editor recommendations
- Beyond-the-obvious experiences
- Member access
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A private travel service with a global community of tastemakers and travel editors, opening a world of beyond-the-obvious experiences for members.
Belmond
Enhance your luxury travel experience with a personal digital guide. Manage your stay, access property information, and connect with experts for a seamless, non-touch escape.
- Digital pre-arrival information
- Online chat with experts
- Request management
- Menu browsing
- Property information access
- Concierge recommendations
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Download and discover your own pocket concierge — a personal, digital guide to Belmond’s Wonderful World. Whether staying beside the vibrant piazzetta of Portofino or the golden shores of Koh Samui, the Belmond app adds another layer of indulgence to your escape. You can savour a seamless, non-touch stay from the comfort of your room. Features included: Digital pre-arrival information Online chat with our in-house experts Requests and menu browsing Quick access to property information, including restaurant details and concierge recommendations Perhaps you’re following the rails past the snowy Swiss Alps, revelling in the mystic energy of Machu Picchu, or simply unwinding beside the pool in Sicily. Wherever you are, our experts are just one button away.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Belmond at 4.9 against Essentialist's 4.0. Belmond also leads on ratings volume (1.1K vs 12). Essentialist's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases 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.
Belmond holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Belmond has 1.1K ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 83% of Essentialist's written reviews are positive against 80% of Belmond's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Essentialist ships an update fortnightly, Belmond every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 16, 2026 and July 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Essentialist | Belmond |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.0 (12 ratings) | 4.9 (1.1K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 83.3% of reviews — better | 80.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 12 | 1.1K — better |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Every 3 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 83 MB | 73 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | The Bellhop | BELMOND MANAGEMENT LIMITED |
Customer experience
Essentialist
Belmond
Bugs and requests
Essentialist
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Belmond
Reported bugs
1 issue- App not rotating properly on iPad devices
Requested features
2 requests- More account and trip tracking options on the website
- Improved app compatibility and functionality on tablets
In-app purchases
Essentialist
No in-app purchases
Belmond
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Essentialist free?
Is Belmond free?
Which has better reviews, Essentialist or Belmond?
Do Essentialist or Belmond have ads?
Which is updated more often, Essentialist or Belmond?
Other comparisons
