# Ascentis vs Haystack

The clearest difference is rating: Haystack at 5.0 against Ascentis's 3.9. Haystack also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 69%) and update cadence (every 11 days vs every 6 weeks). Ascentis's advantage is ratings volume (121 vs 18) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Haystack holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ascentis has 121 ratings behind it against 18, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 69% of Ascentis's written reviews are positive against 100% of Haystack's.

Ascentis ships an update every 6 weeks, Haystack every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ascentis | Haystack |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (121 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ascentis/id1490661795/reviews) | **[5.0 (18 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/haystack-modern-intranet/id1569858813/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **121** | 18 |
| Positive reviews | 69.4% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 11 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 124 MB | 77 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kronos Incorporated](https://appshunter.io/developer/404059116) | [Haystack Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1569858907) |

## What reviewers say

### Ascentis

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ascentis/id1490661795)

This platform offers comprehensive human capital management tools for employees and managers. It allows for time tracking, schedule management, payroll viewing, and employee recognition. Managers can approve requests, send notifications, and manage team information.

**Highlights:** Punch in/out, Access schedules and open shifts, View paychecks and accruals, Request time off, Approve time off requests, Send targeted push notifications, Manage personal and team information

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use interface
- 👍 Access to information on the go
- 👍 Convenient for viewing paystubs
- 👍 Useful for requesting time off
- 👍 Good for managing personal information

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Clock in/out glitches
- 🐛 Cannot see pay tab
- 🐛 App crashes regularly
- 🐛 Pay button issue, kicks out of app
- 🐛 App never works on iPhones

**Reported bugs**

- Clock in/out occasionally glitches
- Pay tab not accessible for some users
- App crashes regularly
- App crashes when clicking 'Pay'
- App kicks user out when hitting pay button

**Requested features**

- Calendar should list number of requests for time off for a specific day
- Remember login or allow Face ID/fingerprint for authentication


### Haystack

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/haystack-modern-intranet/id1569858813)

This platform streamlines internal communication, team collaboration, and knowledge sharing for businesses. It offers features for creating and viewing content, managing employee directories, accessing a centralized knowledge base, and organizing company events.

**Highlights:** Internal communication streamlining, Employee directory and collaboration, Centralized knowledge base, Event creation and management, Content creation and measurement, Secure information hub

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ascentis free?

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

### Is Haystack free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Ascentis or Haystack?

Haystack is rated higher. Ascentis averages 3.9 out of 5 from 121 ratings, while Haystack averages 5.0 from 18 ratings.

### Do Ascentis or Haystack have ads?

Neither Ascentis nor Haystack shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Ascentis or Haystack?

Ascentis ships an update every 6 weeks, and Haystack every 11 days. Most recently, Ascentis was updated on September 21, 2026 and Haystack on September 9, 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.*