# Mainland Auctions vs DirectBids

The clearest difference is ads: Mainland Auctions at none against DirectBids's shown. Mainland Auctions also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 6 months) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). DirectBids's advantage is ratings volume (6 vs 1). On price, rating, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Mainland Auctions against 5.0 for DirectBids. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: DirectBids has 6 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Mainland Auctions ships an update every 2 months, DirectBids every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mainland Auctions | DirectBids |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mainland-auctions/id1513864549/reviews) | [5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/directbids-surplus-auctions/id1636338853/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **6** |
| Positive reviews | 60.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 135 MB | 89 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 9+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Mainland Auctions Christchurch Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1513864548) | [Direct Bids, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1636338855) |

## What reviewers say

### Mainland Auctions

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mainland-auctions/id1513864549)

Participate in live auctions for construction, machinery, farm equipment, and more directly from your mobile device. Preview items, track your bids, and receive notifications for upcoming lots of interest. The app offers a streamlined registration process and allows you to engage in sales from anywhere.

**Highlights:** Live auction bidding, Preview upcoming lots, Push notifications for items, Track bidding history, Quick registration, On-the-go participation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none


### DirectBids

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/directbids-surplus-auctions/id1636338853)

This app provides a mobile platform for participating in online auctions of used medical, laboratory, and business assets. Users can conveniently bid, make payments, and arrange for local pickups or shipping directly from their phones.

**Highlights:** Bid on auctions, Pay for won items, Schedule pickups, Arrange shipping, Browse surplus assets

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mainland Auctions free?

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

### Is DirectBids free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Mainland Auctions or DirectBids?

Mainland Auctions and DirectBids are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 6 ratings respectively.

### Do Mainland Auctions or DirectBids have ads?

DirectBids shows ads; Mainland Auctions does not.

### Which is updated more often, Mainland Auctions or DirectBids?

Mainland Auctions ships an update every 2 months, and DirectBids every 6 months. Most recently, Mainland Auctions was updated on October 24, 2026 and DirectBids on October 7, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*