# DingTalk vs AST

The clearest difference is price: DingTalk at Free against AST's $289.00. DingTalk also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 4 months) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). AST's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

DingTalk is free to download; AST costs $289.00 up front. DingTalk sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $14.90 per month. AST asks for nothing beyond the download.

DingTalk ships an update weekly, AST every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | DingTalk | AST |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $289.00 |
| Rating | **[2.4 (363 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dingtalk/id1502941291/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **363** | — |
| Positive reviews | 32.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 647 MB | 41 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [DingTalk Singapore Private Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1539891899) | [AST Technology SA](https://appshunter.io/developer/1527859551) |

## What reviewers say

### DingTalk

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dingtalk/id1502941291)

This AI-powered platform enhances team collaboration by integrating communication, creation, and execution for smarter work. It offers AI assistants for meetings, data management, visitor handling, and smart meeting devices to boost productivity.

**Highlights:** AI Meeting Assistant, AI Table for no-code databases, AI Reception for visitor management, AI Smart Meeting Devices, Real-time transcription and summarization, Automated minutes and action lists

**Features:** Siri integration, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AI Minutes Pro Monthly | $14.90 | per month |
| AI Minutes Unlimited Monthly | $26.90 | per month |
| AI Minutes Pro Annual | $99.00 | per year |
| AI Minutes Unlimited Annual | $239.00 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Works perfectly
- 👍 Great functionalities
- 👍 Useful for small/mid-sized organizations
- 👍 Easy to manage all functions

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes frequently
- 🐛 Laggy playback
- 🐛 Incompatible with older devices
- 🐛 Freezes on login screen
- 🐛 Unreliable verification codes

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues
- Verification code problems
- Inability to join groups
- Disappearing scroll bars
- Incompatibility with non-Chinese phone numbers

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- More sign-in options
- Better integration with other apps
- Improved video conferencing features
- Ability to edit team files


### AST

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ast-arc/id1523688092)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is DingTalk free?

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

### Is AST free?

AST costs $289.00, with no in-app purchases.

### Do DingTalk or AST have ads?

Neither DingTalk nor AST shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, DingTalk or AST?

DingTalk ships an update weekly, and AST every 4 months. Most recently, DingTalk was updated on September 25, 2026 and AST on September 18, 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.*