Comparison

Orchid vs Acurast

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

Head to head
About

Orchid

This application provides a secure and private internet connection through a decentralized VPN network. It allows users to pay only for the data they use, offering flexibility without monthly fees. The app prioritizes user privacy with an open-source design and no tracking.

Highlights
  • Decentralized VPN network
  • Pay-per-use credits
  • No monthly subscription fees
  • Disguises internet traffic
  • Open Source and privacy-focused
  • Local traffic monitoring
Read full description

Orchid is a VPN client, crypto-powered VPN service and advanced network security tool. Using Orchid, you get access to a network of VPN providers all in one app. While using Orchid, you only pay for what you use. There are no monthly fees. When you turn the app off, you are not charged anything. Orchid is an Open Source project and we respect users privacy. We have no tracking in our application. Advantages over other VPNs: -Disguises Internet traffic using WebRTC for firewall traversal -No subscription! Pay for with credits, only when Orchid is running -Change providers easily -Built in local traffic monitoring Why use Orchid? -Enhance your online privacy so your Internet provider cannot monitor and sell your web browsing history -Protect your connection when using a WiFi hotspot -Protect your real location data from websites -Protect your IP address from websites Why trust Orchid? -Open Source project on GitHub @OrchidTechnologies -Third party audits by Certora and Consensys Diligence on all decentralized smart contracts Our vision is to enable secure access to the internet for everyone, everywhere.

About

Acurast

This app allows you to contribute your phone's unused processing power to a decentralized cloud network. You can earn cryptocurrency by providing compute resources and even deploy NodeJS applications directly on your device.

Highlights
  • Contribute phone compute power
  • Earn cryptocurrency (cACU)
  • Deploy NodeJS applications
  • Tap into decentralized cloud
  • Utilize underutilized phone resources
Read full description

Turn your iPhone into part of a decentralized cloud, and receive ACU rewards for it. Acurast lets your phone run small compute jobs for developers. In return, you receive ACU rewards for the work your phone completes. No technical setup needed: if you have a spare iPhone or one sitting on a charger, you can take part. HOW IT WORKS 1. Install Acurast and create your account. 2. Pair your phone as a Processor. It takes about a minute. 3. Start Acurast. Your phone picks up compute jobs and collects rewards as it works. BEST SETUP A spare iPhone on a charger and Wi-Fi is ideal. Start Acurast, let the screen dim, and your phone contributes compute to the network. YOUR PHONE STAYS YOURS - Jobs run in a sandbox, separate from your photos, messages and other apps. - Acurast doesn't collect data linked to your identity. WHAT IS DEPIN? DePIN stands for decentralized physical infrastructure network: real devices owned by everyday people instead of one company's data center. Acurast is a DePIN for compute. Developers use Acurast to run apps and AI models on thousands of phones, without depending on a single cloud provider. Rewards depend on the jobs your phone completes and are not guaranteed. Join the Acurast Cloud Rebellion and make your phone part of the unstoppable cloud.

Screenshots

Orchid4 screens
Acurast3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Acurast at none against Orchid's 8. Acurast also leads on review sentiment (96% vs 67%) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). Orchid's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.6). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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. Orchid sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Acurast asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Acurast holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 226 and 204 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Orchid's written reviews are positive against 96% of Acurast's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Orchid ships an update every 5 weeks, Acurast every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Orchid versus Acurast: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOrchidAcurast
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (226 ratings)4.8 (204 ratings) — better
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews96.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings226 — better204
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size85 MB158 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperOrchid Labs Inc.Acurast

Customer experience

Orchid

All ratings226 ratings
Positive88.9%
Neutral2.2%
Negative8.8%
Written reviews87 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral6.9%
Negative26.4%

Acurast

All ratings204 ratings
Positive96.1%
Neutral0.5%
Negative3.4%
Written reviews395 reviews
Positive96.5%
Neutral0.3%
Negative3.3%

User reviews

Orchid

From 226 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🔒 Secure and private
  • 💡 Decentralized VPN
  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 🚀 Fast and efficient

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Connectivity issues
  • 🐛 Unreliable performance
  • 🐛 Slow speeds
  • 🔋 High data usage

Acurast

From 204 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Easy to set up and use
  • 🔒 Secure and stable app
  • 💰 Opportunity to earn crypto
  • 🌐 Contributes to decentralized network
  • 🔋 Minimal impact on battery life

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional connection issues
  • 🔒 Requires app to be open, no background mode

Bugs and requests

Orchid

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Disconnects randomly
  • Freezes and crashes
  • Wallet integration problems

Requested features

4 requests
  • Server location selection
  • Improved user interface
  • Better documentation and support
  • Staking functionality

Acurast

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Recent update causing app to crash after extended use
  • Inconsistent earnings reporting

Requested features

2 requests
  • Background mode to continue earning while device is locked
  • More device compatibility (older/Android)

In-app purchases

8 purchases

Orchid

One-time8
  • Orchid Service $0.99$0.99
  • Orchid Service $4.99$4.99
  • Orchid Service $10$9.99
Show 5 more
  • Orchid Service - $19.99$19.99
  • Tier 1 PAC$39.99
  • Tier 2 PAC$79.99
  • Orchid Service - $99.99$99.99
  • Tier 3 PAC$199.99
None

Acurast

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Orchid free?
Orchid is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Acurast free?
Acurast is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Orchid or Acurast?
Acurast is rated higher. Orchid averages 4.6 out of 5 from 226 ratings, while Acurast averages 4.8 from 204 ratings.
Do Orchid or Acurast have ads?
Neither Orchid nor Acurast shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Orchid or Acurast?
Orchid ships an update every 5 weeks, and Acurast every 3 weeks. Most recently, Orchid was updated on September 29, 2026 and Acurast on October 1, 2026.

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