# Essentialist vs Mandarin Oriental Hotels

Essentialist and Mandarin Oriental Hotels both sit at 4.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 83% of Essentialist's written reviews are positive against 33% of Mandarin Oriental Hotels's. Essentialist also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.6). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

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

Essentialist holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 12 and 11 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 83% of Essentialist's written reviews are positive against 33% of Mandarin Oriental Hotels's.

Essentialist ships an update fortnightly, Mandarin Oriental Hotels every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Essentialist | Mandarin Oriental Hotels |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.0 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essentialist/id1176133286/reviews)** | [3.8 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mandarin-oriental-hotels/id1664530260/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **12** | 11 |
| Positive reviews | **83.3% of reviews** | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 87 MB | 112 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [The Bellhop](https://appshunter.io/developer/1166864351) | [Mandarin Oriental](https://appshunter.io/developer/719725536) |

## What reviewers say

### Essentialist

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essentialist/id1176133286)

Discover unique travel experiences curated by a global network of experts. Access exclusive recommendations and insider tips for your next adventure.

**Highlights:** Private travel service, Global community of tastemakers, Travel editor recommendations, Beyond-the-obvious experiences, Member access

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Mandarin Oriental Hotels

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mandarin-oriental-hotels/id1664530260)

This luxury travel companion app allows discerning travelers to seamlessly book stays at world-renowned hotels. Personalize your experience and manage in-stay services with an elegant and intuitive interface.

**Highlights:** Book hotel stays, Personalize guest experience, Manage in-stay services, Intuitive interface, Luxury travel companion

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Essentialist free?

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

### Is Mandarin Oriental Hotels free?

Mandarin Oriental Hotels is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Essentialist or Mandarin Oriental Hotels?

Essentialist is rated higher. Essentialist averages 4.0 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while Mandarin Oriental Hotels averages 3.8 from 11 ratings.

### Do Essentialist or Mandarin Oriental Hotels have ads?

Neither Essentialist nor Mandarin Oriental Hotels shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Essentialist or Mandarin Oriental Hotels?

Essentialist ships an update fortnightly, and Mandarin Oriental Hotels every 2 weeks. Most recently, Essentialist was updated on October 24, 2026 and Mandarin Oriental Hotels on October 25, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*