# 极客时间 vs 马士兵

The clearest difference is ads: 马士兵 at none against 极客时间's shown. 极客时间's advantage is iOS requirement (10.0 vs 12.0). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. 极客时间 sells 13 one-off in-app purchases and 马士兵 sells 9 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 极客时间 | 马士兵 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.9 (324 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/id1280245865/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **324** | — |
| Positive reviews | 58.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | Every 4 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 262 MB | 77 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [The Holding of GeekBang (Beijing) Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1038372718) | [Ma Shibing  Education Technology Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1576154153) |

## What reviewers say

### 极客时间

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/id1280245865)

This platform offers advanced AI learning paths, covering everything from foundational algorithms to large model principles and practical AIGC applications. It also provides a comprehensive technical learning experience for developers with expert-led courses, real-world case studies, and community features.

**Highlights:** AI learning paths, Expert-led technical courses, Real-world enterprise case studies, 18 technical growth routes, Audio and video learning, Learning community, Training camps

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

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 6G币充值 | $0.99 | one-time |
| 10G币充值 | $0.99 | one-time |
| 12G币充值 | $1.99 | one-time |
| 38G币充值 | $4.99 | one-time |
| 68G币充值 | $9.99 | one-time |
| 78G币充值 | $9.99 | one-time |
| 79G币充值 | $9.99 | one-time |
| 108G币充值 | $14.99 | one-time |
| 98G币充值 | $14.99 | one-time |
| 218G币充值 | $29.99 | one-time |
| 308G币充值 | $44.99 | one-time |
| 518G币充值 | $69.99 | one-time |
| 1598G币充值 | $229.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 💡 Great learning content
- 🚀 Productive app
- 🤩 Excellent app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and bugs
- ⏱️ Slow loading times
- 🌙 Lack of dark mode
- 🤯 Frustrating to use

**Reported bugs**

- Purchased courses not accessible
- Inconsistent login behavior
- Playback issues (progress reset, no background play)

**Requested features**

- Page-level search
- Offline mode for content
- Improved navigation and playback controls


### 马士兵

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/id1576154151)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 6马士币 | $0.99 | one-time |
| 1马士币 | $0.99 | one-time |
| 50马士币 | $6.99 | one-time |
| 98马士币 | $14.99 | one-time |
| 198马士币 | $29.99 | one-time |
| 298马士币 | $39.99 | one-time |
| 698马士币 | $99.99 | one-time |
| 998马士币 | $149.99 | one-time |
| 马士币 | $299.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 极客时间 free?

极客时间 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is 马士兵 free?

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

### Do 极客时间 or 马士兵 have ads?

极客时间 shows ads; 马士兵 does not.

### Which is updated more often, 极客时间 or 马士兵?

极客时间 ships an update every 4 weeks, and 马士兵 every 4 weeks. Most recently, 极客时间 was updated on September 22, 2026 and 马士兵 on September 8, 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.*