# 5Strands vs HotPaws

The clearest difference is price: 5Strands at Free against HotPaws's $0.99. 5Strands also leads on review sentiment (81% vs 50%) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 21 months). HotPaws's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.4) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

5Strands is free to download; HotPaws costs $0.99 up front. 5Strands sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per month. HotPaws asks for nothing beyond the download.

HotPaws holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: 5Strands has 149 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 81% of 5Strands's written reviews are positive against 50% of HotPaws's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

5Strands ships an update every 5 days, HotPaws every 21 months. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 5Strands | HotPaws |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $0.99 |
| Rating | [4.4 (149 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/5strands/id1453319405/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hotpaws/id1539354452/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **149** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | **81.3% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 21 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 79 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Affordable Allergy Test, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1453319404) | [Jonathan Judelson](https://appshunter.io/developer/813495416) |

## What reviewers say

### 5Strands

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/5strands/id1453319405)

Manage your health test results with this app. Analyze reports, track progress, and gain self-awareness for personal growth. It also supports pet health, focusing on their well-being to strengthen the human-animal bond.

**Highlights:** Manage health test results, Analyze detailed reports, Monitor progress, Self-awareness tools, Pet health management, Enhance human-animal bond

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 5Strands VIP | $4.99 | per month |


### HotPaws

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hotpaws/id1539354452)

This app helps determine if outdoor ground temperatures are safe for walking your dog. It uses your location to estimate ground temperature based on local weather and ground type, providing a clear visual and written indicator. Users can choose between Celsius and Fahrenheit for temperature readings.

**Highlights:** Ground temperature estimation, Visual and written safety indicators, Location-based weather data, Celsius and Fahrenheit support, Ground type estimation

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 5Strands free?

5Strands is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is HotPaws free?

HotPaws costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, 5Strands or HotPaws?

HotPaws is rated higher. 5Strands averages 4.4 out of 5 from 149 ratings, while HotPaws averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do 5Strands or HotPaws have ads?

Neither 5Strands nor HotPaws shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, 5Strands or HotPaws?

5Strands ships an update every 5 days, and HotPaws every 21 months. Most recently, 5Strands was updated on October 20, 2026 and HotPaws on October 13, 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.*