Comparison

Pie VAT vs Synk

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

Head to head
About

Pie VAT

This app simplifies claiming VAT refunds for travelers. It eliminates paper forms and long waits, offering a quick and easy digital solution to shop tax-free. Track your refund requests and receive your money faster through various payout methods.

Highlights
  • Digital VAT refund claims
  • Find partner stores
  • Quick refund requests
  • Track refund status
  • Multiple payout options
  • In-app live help
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Pie VAT is the next generation tax free solution. It is the first digital tax free shopping app that enables travelers to easily claim their VAT refunds when traveling abroad. We have eliminated excessive paper forms, long waits in line, high fees; all that’s left is a quick and easy way to shop tax free. SHOP AT OUR PARTNER STORES Find, browse, and explore our local partner stores in the app. We have 1000+ PIE partner stores. Find yours today! QUICK AND EASY: Request your VAT Refund in a matter of seconds. Clear and concise directions in our app will guide you every step of the way for your VAT refund. STAY ON TOP OF IT ALL Easily track your refund requests and their status. Keep up with the entire process and where your funds are. BIGGER & FASTER PIE works to get you more of your VAT refund back as fast as possible! We support multiple payout methods, including bank transfers, credit cards, and more. YOUR SECURITY IS OUR PRIORITY Pie VAT makes VAT refunds easy and quick, and we take the protection of your account very seriously. We utilize industry standard security measures to help protect your account information. =================== How Pie VAT works: 1. After you checkout in store, ask to do a refund via PIE. The store will send you your claim information to start our VAT refund process. 2. Claim your refund on the PIE app, follow the easy steps and submit your request. 3. Enjoy your VAT refund - maybe buy some pie. Need help? We’re two taps away via live help in-app!

About

Synk

Features
Read full description

Synk helps you plan trips and split costs fairly—without losing track when you’re off the grid. Expenses Create and edit expenses for trips or direct (non-trip) shared costs. Split custom amounts, attach receipts, and use your camera to scan receipts into draft expenses. See who paid and who owes what in each currency. Settle up Suggested transfers and settlement flows help you close balances with friends after a trip or for ongoing shared spending. Trips & collaboration Invite people to trips, share documents, keep a group activity feed, and stay aligned on what changed. Itinerary & places Build your trip plan with places and maps (location is used for map and nearby search while you use the app). Offline-first Add settlements, upload image locally; your data stays on device. Sign in to sync across devices and share with your group. Privacy Account and sync use industry-standard providers; you control notifications and account settings in the app. Subscriptions - Voyager (1 month / 1 year) and Expedition (1 month / 1 year), auto-renewing. - Pricing and per-month equivalent are shown on the paywall and Subscription screen inside the app, in your local currency. - Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel in Settings -> Apple ID -> Subscriptions. Terms of Use (EULA): https://cephasjonsson.no/projects/synk/terms Privacy Policy: https://cephasjonsson.no/projects/synk/privacy

Screenshots

Pie VAT4 screens
Synk3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pie VAT at none against Synk's 4. Pie VAT also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 weeks) and chart position (#183 vs unranked). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Synk sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Pie VAT asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Pie VAT ships an update every 5 days, Synk every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
Pie VAT versus Synk: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPie VATSynk
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (8.9K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews65.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings8.9K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 5 days — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
Best chart rank#183 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.015.5 — better
Further details — not scored
Size118 MB111 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperPieSystemsCephas Jonsson

Bugs and requests

Pie VAT

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • App crashes when loading documents
  • Issues with photo uploads and login

Requested features

2 requests
  • More transparent fee structure
  • Compatibility with more countries and merchants

Synk

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Pie VAT

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

Synk

Subscriptions4
  • Voyager Monthly$7.991 Month
  • Expedition Monthly$19.991 Month
  • Voyager Yearly$64.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Expedition Yearly$169.991 Year

Questions

Is Pie VAT free?
Pie VAT is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Synk free?
Synk is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Pie VAT or Synk have ads?
Neither Pie VAT nor Synk shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Pie VAT or Synk?
Pie VAT ships an update every 5 days, and Synk every 3 weeks. Most recently, Pie VAT was updated on November 1, 2026 and Synk on October 28, 2026.

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