# Essentialist vs Leading Hotels

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Essentialist at 83% against Leading Hotels's 9%. Essentialist also leads on rating (4.0 vs 3.1) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). Leading Hotels's advantage is ratings volume (44 vs 12). 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.

Essentialist holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 12 and 44 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 83% of Essentialist's written reviews are positive against 9% of Leading Hotels's.

Essentialist ships an update every 2 weeks, Leading Hotels every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Essentialist | Leading Hotels |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.0 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essentialist/id1176133286/reviews)** | [3.1 (44 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/leading-hotels/id6443493096/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 12 | **44** |
| Positive reviews | **83.3% of reviews** | 8.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 87 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [The Bellhop](https://appshunter.io/developer/1166864351) | [The Leading Hotels of the World, Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/744920035) |

## 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 a more authentic journey.

**Highlights:** Private travel service, Global community of tastemakers, Beyond-the-obvious experiences, Exclusive recommendations, Insider travel tips

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Leading Hotels

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/leading-hotels/id6443493096)

Discover and book stays at over 400 independent luxury hotels worldwide. Enhance your travel experience with seamless service, exclusive rewards, and insider access to amenities. Explore curated collections and itineraries for unique journeys.

**Highlights:** Book your next stay, Manage and plan trips, Make on-property requests, Access loyalty program, Explore curated collections, View points balance and status

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Essentialist free?

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

### Is Leading Hotels free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Essentialist or Leading Hotels?

Essentialist is rated higher. Essentialist averages 4.0 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while Leading Hotels averages 3.1 from 44 ratings.

### Do Essentialist or Leading Hotels have ads?

Neither Essentialist nor Leading Hotels shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Essentialist or Leading Hotels?

Essentialist ships an update every 2 weeks, and Leading Hotels every 2 months. Most recently, Essentialist was updated on November 6, 2026 and Leading Hotels on November 3, 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.*