# IEEE vs Y Combinator

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Y Combinator at 50% against IEEE's 7%. Y Combinator also leads on update cadence (every 8 days vs every 5 weeks) and rating (4.3 vs 4.1). IEEE's advantage is ratings volume (123 vs 26). 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.

Y Combinator holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 123 and 26 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 7% of IEEE's written reviews are positive against 50% of Y Combinator's.

IEEE ships an update every 5 weeks, Y Combinator every 8 days. Both last shipped on October 6, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | IEEE | Y Combinator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (123 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ieee/id1259370915/reviews) | **[4.3 (26 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/y-combinator/id6464718392/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **123** | 26 |
| Positive reviews | 6.5% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 105 MB | 84 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **16.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Institute of Electrical & Electronic Engineers Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/410304757) | [Y Combinator](https://appshunter.io/developer/1706164044) |

## What reviewers say

### IEEE

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ieee/id1259370915)

Access the latest technology news and innovations. Read and download IEEE magazines, manage virtual meetups, and connect with members. Discover conferences and stay informed about the world of technology.

**Highlights:** Personalized experience and recommendations, Latest technology and innovation news, Read and download IEEE magazines, Schedule and join virtual meetups, Locate IEEE members, Discover conferences and meetings

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good start with potential
- 👍 Membership card at a glance
- 👍 Useful for students learning about membership

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- 🐛 Login issues persist
- 🐛 Magazine reading experience poor
- 🐛 UI not user-friendly
- 🐛 No iPad-specific version

**Reported bugs**

- Cannot download magazines
- Cannot read magazines in PDF format
- Membership card to Apple Wallet does not work
- Email address input format validation error
- App sticks on a loop when adding card to wallet

**Requested features**

- Add membership card to Apple Wallet
- Improve magazine zoom and panning
- Consistent online reader experience
- Allow saving reading progress
- Improve UI for better readability


### Y Combinator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/y-combinator/id6464718392)

Access Y Combinator's extensive library of startup content, including YouTube videos, podcasts, and essays. It also serves as a mobile client for Hacker News, offering the latest startup news for founders and programmers. Additional features are available for YC-funded founders.

**Highlights:** Organized YC YouTube videos, Startup School content, On-the-go podcast listening, Hacker News mobile client, YC founder-only knowledge base, Access Bookface feed and messages

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is IEEE free?

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

### Is Y Combinator free?

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

### Which has better reviews, IEEE or Y Combinator?

Y Combinator is rated higher. IEEE averages 4.1 out of 5 from 123 ratings, while Y Combinator averages 4.3 from 26 ratings.

### Do IEEE or Y Combinator have ads?

Neither IEEE nor Y Combinator shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, IEEE or Y Combinator?

IEEE ships an update every 5 weeks, and Y Combinator every 8 days. Most recently, IEEE was updated on October 6, 2026 and Y Combinator on October 6, 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.*