OpenRoaming vs Purple
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
OpenRoaming
This app enables free, seamless, and secure Wi-Fi access using your Google or Apple ID. Once activated, your device automatically connects to supported Wi-Fi networks globally without further action.
- Free Wi-Fi access
- Seamless connection
- Secure Wi-Fi
- Google/Apple ID login
- Automatic network attachment
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The OpenRoaming App configures your device with Free, Seamless and Secure Wi-Fi using your Google or Apple ID. This service can be leveraged in many Wi-Fi networks around the world. After activating the service on your device through the app, there is nothing more for you to do, your device will automatically attach to Wi-Fi where supported. Support: openroaming-app@external.cisco.com
Purple
Discover and connect to Wi-Fi hotspots worldwide with this app. It offers a map of available networks and allows users to add new locations, contributing to a community-driven platform for seamless connectivity.
- Map of Wi-Fi hotspots
- Automatic connection with WiFi Passes
- Add public Wi-Fi locations
- Community-driven platform
- Secure Wi-Fi connection
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- Free WiFi wherever you go, and the deals worth walking to. Purple maps thousands of WiFi hotspots so you're never stuck without signal, and now maps the offers around you too. Food, drink and days out from venues across the city, in one place. - Deals, already mapped for you We've done the looking. Offers from venues near you, plotted on a map so you can see what's on right now. No codes to remember, no sign-ups, no coupons to wave at anyone. Walk in and it's there. - Set it up once, then forget it Add a WiFi Pass and you're done for good. In participating venues you're connected the moment you arrive, with nothing to tap, no login screen and no password to find. - Keep your data for when you need it Every venue you connect to is data you don't spend. Automatic WiFi means your data plan goes on the ride home, not the two hours you spent in a café. Know what's around you - Bars, coffee, somewhere to eat before the thing you're late for. Purple shows you what's nearby and what's worth going to.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Purple at 4.9 against OpenRoaming's 3.0. Purple also leads on review sentiment (97% vs 67%) and update cadence (every 10 days vs every 27 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Purple holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5 and 14 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of OpenRoaming's written reviews are positive against 97% of Purple's.
OpenRoaming ships an update every 27 months, Purple every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | OpenRoaming | Purple |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.0 (5 ratings) | 4.9 (14 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | 97.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 5 | 14 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 27 months | Every 10 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 — better | 16.2 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 4 MB | 164 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Cisco | Purple WiFi Ltd |
Customer experience
OpenRoaming
Purple
In-app purchases
OpenRoaming
No in-app purchases
Purple
No in-app purchases
