# Polestar vs CHARSHINE

The clearest difference is update cadence: Polestar at every 3 weeks against CHARSHINE's every 2 months. CHARSHINE's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Polestar ships an update every 3 weeks, CHARSHINE every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Polestar | CHARSHINE |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (3.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/polestar/id1451196635/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **3.4K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 32.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 207 MB | 58 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Polestar](https://appshunter.io/developer/1403371934) | [ShenZhen Yongchuangcheng Technology Co.,Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1699704378) |

## What reviewers say

### Polestar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/polestar/id1451196635)

Manage your vehicle remotely, controlling climate, locks, and charging status. Access your owner's manual, book service, and stay updated on car software and news. Get support through live chat and FAQs.

**Highlights:** Remote climate control, Door lock management, Car location tracking, Battery and charging status, Software update notifications, Owner's manual access, Service booking

**Features:** Siri integration, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Basic functionality works
- 🚀 Improvements over time
- 💡 Dark mode addition

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent disconnects and sign-outs
- 🔍 Limited functionality compared to competitors
- ⏱️ Slow response times
- 🔒 Unreliable digital key

**Reported bugs**

- Location data issues
- Charging status not updating correctly
- Compatibility problems with new iOS versions
- Frequent errors and crashes

**Requested features**

- Remote trunk/frunk access
- Adjustable climate control settings
- Charging status notifications
- Apple Watch app
- Integrations with iOS features (widgets, Siri)


### CHARSHINE

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/charshine/id6744131829)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Polestar free?

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

### Is CHARSHINE free?

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

### Do Polestar or CHARSHINE have ads?

Neither Polestar nor CHARSHINE shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Polestar or CHARSHINE?

Polestar ships an update every 3 weeks, and CHARSHINE every 2 months. Most recently, Polestar was updated on September 25, 2026 and CHARSHINE on September 8, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*