# I Prefer vs Sonesta

I Prefer and Sonesta both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 38% of Sonesta's written reviews are positive against 14% of I Prefer's. I Prefer's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.6). 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.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for I Prefer against 4.8 for Sonesta. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4.3K and 3.2K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 14% of I Prefer's written reviews are positive against 38% of Sonesta's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | I Prefer | Sonesta |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (4.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/i-prefer/id1179305554/reviews) | **[4.8 (3.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sonesta/id1605980384/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **4.3K** | 3.2K |
| Positive reviews | 13.6% of reviews | **37.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 52 MB | 71 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Preferred Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1179305553) | [Sonesta International Hotels Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/1628586599) |

## What reviewers say

### I Prefer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/i-prefer/id1179305554)

Explore and book stays at over 650 unique hotels worldwide. Manage your rewards account, access exclusive rates, and earn points on eligible stays. Enjoy benefits like early check-in and complimentary Wi-Fi.

**Highlights:** Discover and book hotels, Manage member account, View reservations and points, Redeem points for rewards, Save favorite destinations, Access exclusive rates and offers

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Beautiful view
- 🚀 Fast and responsive
- 🚀 Searching for hotels is now more intuitive and fast
- 💡 Love the options of nights with points and nights with points + cash

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Difficult to navigate
- 🐛 Not user friendly
- 🐛 Glitchy
- 🐛 Crashes upon opening
- 🐛 Doesn't show points or past stays

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues
- Constant crashes
- Doesn't show upcoming stays
- Doesn't sync with hotel stays

**Requested features**

- Integrate with Apple Wallet
- Add mobile check-in functionality
- Improve points tracking and management


### Sonesta

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sonesta/id1605980384)

Discover a collection of hotels and resorts across the U.S. and globally, offering spacious rooms for business, family vacations, or extended stays. Enjoy health and safety verified accommodations, award-winning properties, and a rewards program for exclusive member benefits and discounts.

**Highlights:** Book hotel rooms and suites, Extended-stay options, Health and safety verified, Tripadvisor award-winning hotels, Guest rewards program, Meetings and events planning, Direct booking discounts

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🤑 Great Prices
- 👍 Clean Hotels
- 👍 Friendly and Helpful Staff
- 👍 Comfortable Rooms
- 👍 Convenient Locations

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy App
- 🐛 Glitches and Crashes
- 🚫 Poor Customer Service
- 🚫 Lack of Functionality
- 🚫 Difficult to Book Rooms

**Reported bugs**

- App Freezes and Crashes
- Blank Screens When Booking
- Issues Accessing Past Reservations
- Problems Redeeming Points

**Requested features**

- Option to Book Adjoining Rooms
- Better Room Photos
- Improved Synchronization Across Devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is I Prefer free?

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

### Is Sonesta free?

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

### Which has better reviews, I Prefer or Sonesta?

Sonesta is rated higher. I Prefer averages 4.7 out of 5 from 4.3K ratings, while Sonesta averages 4.8 from 3.2K ratings.

### Do I Prefer or Sonesta have ads?

Neither I Prefer nor Sonesta shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, I Prefer or Sonesta?

I Prefer ships an update every 2 months, and Sonesta every 2 months. Most recently, I Prefer was updated on October 29, 2026 and Sonesta on October 27, 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.*