# Pokémon HOME vs MasterDex

The clearest difference is review sentiment: MasterDex at 87% against Pokémon HOME's 37%. MasterDex also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.8) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). Pokémon HOME's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (16K vs 1.7K). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pokémon HOME sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and MasterDex sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

MasterDex holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pokémon HOME has 16K ratings behind it against 1.7K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 37% of Pokémon HOME's written reviews are positive against 87% of MasterDex's.

Pokémon HOME ships an update every 2 months, MasterDex every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pokémon HOME | MasterDex |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.8 (16K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pokemon-home/id1485352913/reviews) | **[4.8 (1.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/masterdex-complete-guide/id1621464261/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **16K** | 1.7K |
| Positive reviews | 37.3% of reviews | **87.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#62** | — |
| Size | 254 MB | 196 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [The Pokemon Company](https://appshunter.io/developer/446737235) | [Lorenzo Greco](https://appshunter.io/developer/480768196) |

## What reviewers say

### Pokémon HOME

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pokemon-home/id1485352913)

**Currently charting:** #62 Top Grossing · Utilities, #185 Top Free · Utilities (US App Store)

This app serves as a cloud-based hub for all your Pokémon, allowing you to manage, trade, and organize your collection. You can bring Pokémon from various core games and trade them globally, complete your Pokédex, and receive special gifts.

**Highlights:** Cloud-based Pokémon storage, Cross-game Pokémon transfer, Global Pokémon trading, National Pokédex completion, Mystery Gift reception

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Plan for 1 month | $2.99 | per month |
| Premium Plan for 3 months | $4.99 | per 3 months |
| Premium Plan for 12 months | $15.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great way to transfer Pokémon
- 👍 Useful for completing Pokédex
- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Allows access to Pokémon on the go

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and glitchy
- 🔒 Cannot log in on multiple devices
- 💰 Premium plan is overpriced
- 🐛 Slow and laggy performance
- 🐛 Frequent communication errors

**Reported bugs**

- GTS flooded with impossible trade requests
- Room trades frequently kick users out
- Pokémon disappearing after transfer
- Unable to log in or restore premium subscription

**Requested features**

- Allow trading of mythical Pokémon
- Add filters to GTS to prevent impossible trades
- Implement reverse GTS search
- Enable Pokémon evolution during trades
- Sync Pokédex data between mobile and Switch versions


### MasterDex

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/masterdex-complete-guide/id1621464261)

This app serves as a comprehensive guide for fans and trainers, offering detailed information on creatures, team building, and the trading card game. It features offline access, advanced search, and tracking for favorite creatures and shinies, updated for the latest generation.

**Highlights:** Updated creature information, Team builder tool, Trading Card Game details, Offline functionality, Shiny creature tracker, Advanced search filters

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Masteredex - Sale | $1.99 | one-time |
| Masterdex PRO | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fantastic app
- 👍 Great Pokédex
- 🔒 No ads
- 💡 One-time purchase
- 👍 Aesthetically pleasing

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashing and slow loading
- 🐛 Bugs with team builder
- 🐛 Missing Pokémon forms and gender differences
- 🐛 Incorrect or outdated information
- 💡 Lack of Pokémon location filters

**Reported bugs**

- Shiny toggle not working in team builder
- Pokémon 3D models and artwork not displaying
- Johto region locations missing
- Crashes when adding Pokémon to teams
- Incorrect information for some Pokémon (e.g., Necrozma's ability, Pikachu's classification)

**Requested features**

- Add Pokémon location filters
- Implement ability to mark Pokémon as caught/seen
- Add damage calculator
- Allow reorganizing of teams
- Include Pokémon cries and Dynamax/Gigantamax forms


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pokémon HOME free?

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

### Is MasterDex free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Pokémon HOME or MasterDex?

MasterDex is rated higher. Pokémon HOME averages 3.8 out of 5 from 16K ratings, while MasterDex averages 4.8 from 1.7K ratings.

### Do Pokémon HOME or MasterDex have ads?

MasterDex shows ads; Pokémon HOME does not.

### Which is updated more often, Pokémon HOME or MasterDex?

Pokémon HOME ships an update every 2 months, and MasterDex every 3 weeks. Most recently, Pokémon HOME was updated on September 24, 2026 and MasterDex on September 24, 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.*