# Backstage Competition vs Swift Alert

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Backstage Competition at none against Swift Alert's 10. Swift Alert's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (81% vs 50%). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Swift Alert sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Backstage Competition asks for nothing beyond the download.

Swift Alert holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Swift Alert has 40K ratings behind it against 20, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of Backstage Competition's written reviews are positive against 81% of Swift Alert's.

Backstage Competition ships an update every 12 months, Swift Alert every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Backstage Competition | Swift Alert |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backstage-competition/id1501149539/reviews) | **[4.9 (40K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swift-alert/id6462791583/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 20 | **40K** |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | **81.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 12 months | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 60 MB | 118 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Backstage Competition LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1501149538) | [Swift Alert LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1703393319) |

## What reviewers say

### Backstage Competition

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backstage-competition/id1501149539)

Stay updated with real-time event statuses, including routines, award presentations, and breaks. Access social media links, judge bios, and provide feedback to ensure a VIP experience. Location services are optional for receiving relevant messages.

**Highlights:** Real-time event status tracking, Award presentation updates, Break time notifications, Judge biographies, Event feedback submission, Social media and website links

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Swift Alert

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swift-alert/id6462791583)

Stay updated with all things related to a popular artist's tour and music. Get news, concert dates, real-time alerts for livestreams, track surprise songs, and test your knowledge with trivia.

**Highlights:** Fan newsfeed, Concert dates, Real-time livestream alerts, Surprise Song Tracker, Trivia quizzes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Swift Alert Games Subscription | $0.99 | per month |
| Swift Alert Games Subscription | $1.99 | per month |
| Swift Alert Games Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| Swift Alert Games Subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| Swift Alert Games Subscription | $9.99 | per year |
| Swift Alert Games Subscription | $12.99 | per year |
| Swift Alert Games Subscription | $14.99 | per year |
| Swift Alert Games Subscription | $17.99 | per year |
| Become a Swiftie | $0.99 | one-time |
| Become a Swiftie | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💗 Amazing app for Swifties
- 🤩 Incredibly fun and engaging
- 🎉 Excellent way to stay updated on Eras Tour
- 🎮 Enjoyable games and quizzes
- 🔔 Helpful notifications and alerts

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Some features locked behind paywall
- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 📱 Layout issues on certain devices
- 🔔 Inconsistent notification reliability

**Reported bugs**

- Mastermind scores not tracking correctly
- Trivia questions not loading properly
- Calendar events not clearing after shows

**Requested features**

- More interactive features (outfit history, song rankings, etc.)
- Ability to edit Mastermind submissions
- Merch/announcement notifications
- Syncing progress across devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Backstage Competition free?

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

### Is Swift Alert free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Backstage Competition or Swift Alert?

Swift Alert is rated higher. Backstage Competition averages 4.7 out of 5 from 20 ratings, while Swift Alert averages 4.9 from 40K ratings.

### Do Backstage Competition or Swift Alert have ads?

Backstage Competition shows ads; Swift Alert does not.

### Which is updated more often, Backstage Competition or Swift Alert?

Backstage Competition ships an update every 12 months, and Swift Alert every 10 days. Most recently, Backstage Competition was updated on November 3, 2026 and Swift Alert on November 11, 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.*