# Starchive vs FileLu

The clearest difference is rating: FileLu at 5.0 against Starchive's 4.5. FileLu also leads on review sentiment (91% vs 59%) and update cadence (every 11 days vs monthly). Starchive's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 20) and ads (none vs shown). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. FileLu sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Starchive asks for nothing beyond the download.

FileLu holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Starchive has 167 ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 59% of Starchive's written reviews are positive against 91% of FileLu's.

Starchive ships an update monthly, FileLu every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and August 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Starchive | FileLu |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (167 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starchive/id1480291489/reviews) | **[5.0 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/filelu-cloud-storage-backup/id1662685931/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **167** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | 59.1% of reviews | **90.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 11 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 21 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Digital Relab LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1143270787) | [FileLu, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1662685933) |

## What reviewers say

### Starchive

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starchive/id1480291489)

This cloud-based digital asset management solution helps businesses and creators preserve, organize, and access their files. It offers instant organization with auto-tags, curated collections, and secure cloud storage.

**Highlights:** Cloud digital asset management, Auto-tagging for organization, Curated collections, Easy file sharing, Fast browser uploads, Secure cloud storage

**In-app purchases:** none


### FileLu

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/filelu-cloud-storage-backup/id1662685931)

Securely store, back up, and share large files online with this cloud storage service. Offers automatic photo and video backup, robust security features, and flexible storage plans. Easily share links with anyone worldwide.

**Highlights:** Automatic photo and video backup, Large file upload and transfer, Secure E2EE & SSCE Encryption, Easy link sharing, File and folder management tools, Flexible storage plans, File Drop for external uploads

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 51 GB | $0.99 | per month |
| 128 GB | $1.99 | per month |
| 256 GB | $2.99 | per month |
| 2 TB | $7.99 | per month |
| 51 GB | $9.99 | per year |
| 128 GB | $19.99 | per year |
| 10 TB | $39.99 | per month |
| 16 TB | $69.99 | per month |
| 20 TB | $79.99 | per month |
| 16 TB | $319.99 | per year |
| 20 TB | $400.00 | per year |
| 1 TB - Dev | $0.99 | one-time |
| 512 GB | $199.00 | one-time |
| 1 TB | $250.00 | one-time |
| 2 TB | $350.00 | one-time |
| 10 TB | $999.00 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Starchive free?

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

### Is FileLu free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Starchive or FileLu?

FileLu is rated higher. Starchive averages 4.5 out of 5 from 167 ratings, while FileLu averages 5.0 from 7 ratings.

### Do Starchive or FileLu have ads?

FileLu shows ads; Starchive does not.

### Which is updated more often, Starchive or FileLu?

Starchive ships an update monthly, and FileLu every 11 days. Most recently, Starchive was updated on September 25, 2026 and FileLu on August 16, 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.*