# CaptionMate vs Aira Explorer

The clearest difference is monetization model: CaptionMate at free against Aira Explorer's free with in-app purchases. Aira Explorer's advantage is ratings volume (799 vs 263). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence 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 — 4.8 for CaptionMate against 4.8 for Aira Explorer. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 263 and 799 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 75% of CaptionMate's written reviews are positive against 82% of Aira Explorer's.

CaptionMate ships an update every 5 weeks, Aira Explorer every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CaptionMate | Aira Explorer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (263 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/captionmate/id1465233104/reviews) | [4.8 (799 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aira-explorer/id1590186766/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 263 | **799** |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews | **82.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 71 MB | 257 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mezmo Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/579808323) | [Aira Tech Corp](https://appshunter.io/developer/971437498) |

## What reviewers say

### CaptionMate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/captionmate/id1465233104)

This app offers free, real-time captions for phone calls, benefiting individuals with hearing loss. It supports multiple devices and languages, ensuring private and accessible communication. Users can retain their existing phone numbers and access past transcripts.

**Highlights:** Real-time call captioning, FCC-certified and free for eligible users, Captions both sides of calls, AI-powered private captioning, Customizable font sizes and colors, Supports over 100 languages, Access past call transcripts

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Life-changing for hearing loss
- 👍 Excellent transcription accuracy
- 👍 Saves conversations for review
- 👍 Great for understanding phone calls
- 👍 Helpful for those who are deaf or hard of hearing

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Calls not ringing/going through
- 🐛 Calls showing as 'scam likely'
- 🐛 App crashes sometimes
- 🐛 No incoming call vibration
- 🐛 Different caller ID than expected

**Reported bugs**

- Missed calls and voicemails
- Calls bouncing back and not ringing
- No voicemail alerts
- App crashes during incoming calls
- Calls appearing as 'scam likely'

**Requested features**

- Fix calls showing as 'scam likely'
- Implement incoming call vibration
- Allow registration without referral code
- Address issues for autistic users
- Improve call routing/ringing reliability


### Aira Explorer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aira-explorer/id1590186766)

Connect with professional visual interpreters on demand to navigate your surroundings, read text, and accomplish tasks. An AI-powered image chat feature provides instant descriptions, with an option to verify with a human interpreter. Offers free minutes through partners and promotions.

**Highlights:** On-demand visual interpreting, Remote connection with professional interpreters, Live video streaming and GPS integration, AI-powered image descriptions, Human verification of AI descriptions, Access to web-based data and rideshare integration, Free minutes through partner offers and promotions

**Features:** Siri integration

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Life-changing visual access
- 👍 Helpful and polite agents
- 👍 Convenient and effective
- 👍 Accessible and easy to use
- 👍 Empowering and confidence-building

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Concerns about pricing and minutes
- 🔋 Battery drain issues
- 🐛 Connectivity and reliability problems

**Reported bugs**

- Connectivity issues
- Unreliable app performance

**Requested features**

- Video upload feature
- Ability to carry over unused minutes


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CaptionMate free?

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

### Is Aira Explorer free?

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

### Which has better reviews, CaptionMate or Aira Explorer?

CaptionMate and Aira Explorer are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 263 and 799 ratings respectively.

### Do CaptionMate or Aira Explorer have ads?

Neither CaptionMate nor Aira Explorer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, CaptionMate or Aira Explorer?

CaptionMate ships an update every 5 weeks, and Aira Explorer every 3 weeks. Most recently, CaptionMate was updated on September 26, 2026 and Aira Explorer on September 25, 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.*