# BrightId vs Towns

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Towns at 80% against BrightId's 20%. Towns also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.6) and update cadence (every 10 days vs every 3 weeks). BrightId's advantage is iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.4). 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.

Towns holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Towns has 94 ratings behind it against 17, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 20% of BrightId's written reviews are positive against 80% of Towns's.

BrightId ships an update every 3 weeks, Towns every 10 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | BrightId | Towns |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.6 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brightid/id1428946820/reviews) | **[4.8 (94 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/towns/id6504000393/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 17 | **94** |
| Positive reviews | 20.0% of reviews | **80.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 14 MB | 119 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 17.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Christopher Stallard](https://appshunter.io/developer/1627399940) | [Here Not There, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1566226558) |

## What reviewers say

### BrightId

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brightid/id1428946820)

This app provides a unique, self-issued personal identifier to prove human uniqueness for rights and benefits. Verification is achieved by connecting with known individuals, ensuring privacy as personal data is not shared centrally. It allows users to prove they are a unique person without revealing sensitive government information.

**Highlights:** Self-issued personal identifier, Prove human uniqueness, Verified by connections, Privacy-focused data handling, Access rights and benefits

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Towns

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/towns/id6504000393)

This app merges group chat functionality with a self-custody cryptocurrency wallet. Users can discuss financial markets, share investment ideas, and securely manage their digital assets directly within the application.

**Highlights:** Group chat for friends, Self-custodied wallet, Secure USDC purchase, Send and receive assets, Manage assets on your terms

**Features:** Siri integration

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BrightId free?

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

### Is Towns free?

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

### Which has better reviews, BrightId or Towns?

Towns is rated higher. BrightId averages 3.6 out of 5 from 17 ratings, while Towns averages 4.8 from 94 ratings.

### Do BrightId or Towns have ads?

Neither BrightId nor Towns shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BrightId or Towns?

BrightId ships an update every 3 weeks, and Towns every 10 days. Most recently, BrightId was updated on October 24, 2026 and Towns on October 24, 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.*