# PubPass vs Bourbonator

PubPass and Bourbonator both sit at 4.9 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Bourbonator's written reviews are positive against 52% of PubPass's. Bourbonator also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 3 weeks). PubPass's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ratings volume (1.7K vs 1). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Bourbonator sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. PubPass asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for PubPass against 5.0 for Bourbonator. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PubPass has 1.7K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 52% of PubPass's written reviews are positive against 100% of Bourbonator's.

PubPass ships an update every 3 weeks, Bourbonator daily. Both last shipped on October 12, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | PubPass | Bourbonator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (1.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pubpass/id1260241223/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bourbonator/id6777819389/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.7K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 51.7% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Daily** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 113 MB | 35 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [PubPass](https://appshunter.io/developer/1435618771) | [Ryan Vervack](https://appshunter.io/developer/6777819391) |

## What reviewers say

### PubPass

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pubpass/id1260241223)

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Excellent value with BOGO and 30-day reset
- 👍 Great for socializing and making new friends
- 👍 Wonderful way to explore new neighborhoods and spots
- 👍 Useful for finding cool breweries and bars when traveling

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes and freezes on various iOS versions
- 🐛 App not working or unavailable in certain locations
- 🐛 Login and account issues, unable to access account

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes on map screen
- App crashes on launch or login screen
- Unresponsive buttons and navigation

**Requested features**

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


### Bourbonator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bourbonator/id6777819389)

Log your whiskey experiences, rate your favorite pours, and discover new bottles with personalized recommendations. Connect with a community of fellow enthusiasts, track your collection, and build a wishlist of future tastings. Explore detailed profiles and tasting notes for a wide range of spirits.

**Highlights:** Log tastings with ratings, notes, and photos, Personal cellar and wishlist management, Personalized whiskey recommendations, Explore distillery profiles and expression details, Connect with other whiskey enthusiasts, AI-powered bottle identification (Pro feature), Flavor profile visualization (Pro feature)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Pro Subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| Bourbonator Pro - Annual | $49.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PubPass free?

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

### Is Bourbonator free?

Bourbonator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, PubPass or Bourbonator?

Bourbonator is rated higher. PubPass averages 4.9 out of 5 from 1.7K ratings, while Bourbonator averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do PubPass or Bourbonator have ads?

Neither PubPass nor Bourbonator shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PubPass or Bourbonator?

PubPass ships an update every 3 weeks, and Bourbonator daily. Most recently, PubPass was updated on October 12, 2026 and Bourbonator on October 12, 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.*