Comparison

PubPass vs Craft Notes

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

PubPass

Discover and explore local and national craft beer bars and breweries. Access exclusive deals on beer, such as discounted prices and buy-one-get-one offers, at participating locations. Simply show the app to redeem your savings and digitally stamp your progress.

Highlights
  • Discover bars and breweries
  • Exclusive beer deals
  • Digital passport stamping
  • Nationwide participating locations
  • Save on craft beer
Features
Read full description

PubPass is America's favorite craft beer passport. It’s the best way to explore great bars & breweries around town and across the country. As a member you’ll have access to beer deals such as $1 beers and 'buy one get one' (BOGO) beers not just in your home city, but at all participating PubPass locations. Simply show the app to your bartender or server to redeem. The best part? The deal will be available again in 30 days. Here's how it works: VISIT A BAR OR BREWERY: Great bars and breweries will appear on your map. SHOW THE APP: Show the app to your bartender or server and they’ll digitally stamp the page. SCORE DEALS ON BEER: Each spot will have a great selection of craft beers available with a special deal for PubPassers. *Deals may vary by city due to state regulations. Click app support for details.

About

Craft Notes

Discover and explore local craft breweries, distilleries, and wineries. Enjoy exclusive 2-for-1 drink offers and connect with a community of fellow craft enthusiasts. Expand your appreciation for local culture and unique flavors.

Highlights
  • Explore local breweries, distilleries, wineries
  • Get 2-for-1 drink offers
  • Connect with craft lovers
  • Discover curated local businesses
  • Learn about product creation
  • Attend special events and tours
Read full description

CRAFT DRINKS FOR ALL. Breweries, Distilleries, Wineries, Cideries, Culture... Craft Notes Social & Adventure Club connects you to the most influential and best Drink Craftsmen Minnesota has to offer and invites you to enjoy a complimentary drink from each. For people that want to explore, discover, and support the best of local craft culture. With the Craft Notes App, you'll always have something new to try, something fun to explore and people to meet. We curate a list of essential local businesses that are making the biggest contributions to craft culture. We help you expand your tastes and build a greater appreciation for quality and craft. Social Club members enjoy private tours, giveaways, craft beers, craft cocktails, networking, and other social adventures. --- APP FEATURES --- EXPLORE LOCAL CRAFT Find local breweries, distilleries, wineries, and craft drinks near you. Get recommendations from head brewers/distillers and learn more about how the products are made. GET 2-FOR-1 DRINKS Try something new! Enjoy three 2-for-1 drinks when you visit. ENGAGE WITH A COMMUNITY Share photos and connect with a community of fellow craft lovers at specially curated events. (currently done with Instagram @craft_notes) --- CRAFT NOTES CLUB ETHOS --- A city defines itself by its industries, art, architecture, and Food & Drink. At the center of local culture are the creative artisans and craftsmen that combine their skills with local ingredients, local knowledge, and local art to create something wholly unique and special. To us, this is the definition of “craft.” What goes into the products we consume? Where are they from? What makes something better than another? How and by whom is it made….? Our focus is on the most unique, important, and essential purveyors (makers) of local craft. We curate an experience designed to encourage exploration, learning, and friendships, and a better appreciation of local culture. The Craft Notes Club is a community of curious craft lovers that seek to learn more about local culture by exploring local tastes and flavors. --- WHAT YOU GET --- Curated Discovery. A Guide to the most essential local craftsmen, chosen for their impact on local culture and dedication to their craft; the places you will absolutely love. Safe. Know enough to feel comfortable. Sometimes it’s hard to try the unknown. We hope our guide will give you enough to feel safe going. Recommendations. Know what to order, the head brewers and distillers recommend their favorites. Events. Special events, tours, and give-a-ways.

Screenshots

PubPass4 screens
Craft Notes4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: PubPass at 4.9 against Craft Notes's 4.4. PubPass also leads on ratings volume (1.7K vs 23) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 6 weeks). Craft Notes's advantage is review sentiment (60% vs 52%) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

PubPass holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PubPass has 1.7K ratings behind it against 23, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 52% of PubPass's written reviews are positive against 60% of Craft Notes's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PubPass ships an update every 3 weeks, Craft Notes every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
PubPass versus Craft Notes: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPubPassCraft Notes
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (1.7K ratings) — better4.4 (23 ratings)
Positive reviews51.7% of reviews60.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1.7K — better23
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 6 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size113 MB75 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperPubPassThe Thrifty Hipster, LLC

Customer experience

PubPass

All ratings1,737 ratings
Positive98.2%
Neutral0.7%
Negative1.1%
Written reviews29 reviews
Positive51.7%
Neutral3.4%
Negative44.8%

Craft Notes

All ratings23 ratings
Positive82.6%
Neutral4.3%
Negative13.0%
Written reviews15 reviews
Positive60.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative20.0%

Bugs and requests

PubPass

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App freezes on map screen
  • App crashes on launch or login screen
  • Unresponsive buttons and navigation

Requested features

2 requests
  • Expand to more locations, especially in Illinois and the Pacific Northwest
  • Fix compatibility issues with newer iOS versions

Craft Notes

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

PubPass

No in-app purchases

None

Craft Notes

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is PubPass free?
PubPass is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Craft Notes free?
Craft Notes is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, PubPass or Craft Notes?
PubPass is rated higher. PubPass averages 4.9 out of 5 from 1.7K ratings, while Craft Notes averages 4.4 from 23 ratings.
Do PubPass or Craft Notes have ads?
Neither PubPass nor Craft Notes shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PubPass or Craft Notes?
PubPass ships an update every 3 weeks, and Craft Notes every 6 weeks. Most recently, PubPass was updated on October 12, 2026 and Craft Notes on October 2, 2026.

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