# Side App vs Unlock MLS

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Unlock MLS at 488 against Side App's 34. Unlock MLS also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). Side App's advantage is review sentiment (75% vs 67%) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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 Side App against 4.8 for Unlock MLS. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Unlock MLS has 488 ratings behind it against 34, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 75% of Side App's written reviews are positive against 67% of Unlock MLS's.

Side App ships an update every 2 months, Unlock MLS every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Side App | Unlock MLS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (34 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/side-app/id1286853901/reviews) | **[4.8 (488 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/unlock-mls/id6448801108/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 34 | **488** |
| Positive reviews | **75.0% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 4 MB | 165 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Side Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1286853900) | [Austin Board of Realtors](https://appshunter.io/developer/1499416684) |

## What reviewers say

### Side App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/side-app/id1286853901)

Streamline real estate transactions from contract to close with this mobile platform. Automate deal management, create and send documents, and store them securely in the cloud. Stay connected with a community and access exclusive listings on the go.

**Highlights:** Automated transaction management, Create listing agreements and offers, Prepare and send documents for signature, Cloud document storage, Connect with the Side Community, View exclusive listings, Generate reports

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Unlock MLS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/unlock-mls/id6448801108)

This advanced mobile app provides real estate agents with direct access to the Unlock multiple listing service in Central Texas. Manage your business on the go with features like property search, hotsheet activity, and client tracking.

**Highlights:** Search properties by address, map, and criteria, View hotsheet activity and market stats, Access agent-only listing details and tax data, Send listings and contact agents, Post listings to social media, Track client activity and communications

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 🚀 Powerful map search functionality
- 💡 Clever 'Saved Searches' feature
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 🚀 Great access to MLS data

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Horrible for searching
- 🐛 App is not user-friendly
- 🐛 Filters don't filter search results
- 🐛 App doesn't load well on iPhone
- 🐛 App takes forever to launch

**Reported bugs**

- App does not load properties
- App crashes or takes forever to launch
- Search by address not always working
- Filters not applied correctly

**Requested features**

- Functionality to schedule showings through ShowingTime


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Side App free?

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

### Is Unlock MLS free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Side App or Unlock MLS?

Unlock MLS is rated higher. Side App averages 4.7 out of 5 from 34 ratings, while Unlock MLS averages 4.8 from 488 ratings.

### Do Side App or Unlock MLS have ads?

Neither Side App nor Unlock MLS shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Side App or Unlock MLS?

Side App ships an update every 2 months, and Unlock MLS every 3 weeks. Most recently, Side App was updated on October 20, 2026 and Unlock MLS on October 23, 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.*