# The Essential vs ZeroWasteStore

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ZeroWasteStore at 50% against The Essential's 24%. ZeroWasteStore also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.4 vs 16.4). The Essential's advantage is rating (4.0 vs 3.6) and ratings volume (100 vs 20). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

The Essential holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Essential has 100 ratings behind it against 20, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 24% of The Essential's written reviews are positive against 50% of ZeroWasteStore's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

The Essential ships an update every 4 weeks, ZeroWasteStore every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Essential | ZeroWasteStore |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.0 (100 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-essential/id1522395728/reviews)** | [3.6 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zerowastestore/id1573020820/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **100** | 20 |
| Positive reviews | 24.1% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Ad-supported |
| Size | 78 MB | 36 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **13.4** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Inhabit.io, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1522395730) | [Monarch Agency LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1573020822) |

## What reviewers say

### The Essential

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-essential/id1522395728)

Discover and purchase furniture directly from the factories that produce for designer brands. Enjoy high-quality pieces without the traditional retail markups. Access factory-direct pricing for stylish home furnishings.

**Highlights:** Factory-direct furniture, Designer-quality at lower prices, Avoid retail markups, Access to original factory sources

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good quality furniture
- 👍 Good customer support
- 👍 Simple yet powerful app
- 👍 Fantastic products
- 👍 Love the app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 😞 Login issues with Shopify
- 😞 No contact info on app
- 😞 Delayed shipments
- 😞 No refunds, only credit
- 😞 Shipping option pending

**Reported bugs**

- Won't let me log in without paid account
- Shipping option keeps pending
- App loads website
- Cannot maintain session token
- App is buggy

**Requested features**

- Contact information on the app
- Ability to get refunds
- Better shipping reliability
- More product availability
- Clearer pricing information


### ZeroWasteStore

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zerowastestore/id1573020820)

Discover and shop for sustainable brands and low-waste products on the go. Enjoy plastic-free, carbon-neutral shipping and exclusive app-only offers. Track orders and explore ways to live a more eco-conscious lifestyle.

**Highlights:** Browse sustainable brands and products, Plastic-free and carbon-neutral shipping, App-exclusive offers and discounts, Create wishlists and gift registries, Track order history, Discover trending eco-friendly items

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Essential free?

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

### Is ZeroWasteStore free?

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

### Which has better reviews, The Essential or ZeroWasteStore?

The Essential is rated higher. The Essential averages 4.0 out of 5 from 100 ratings, while ZeroWasteStore averages 3.6 from 20 ratings.

### Do The Essential or ZeroWasteStore have ads?

Both The Essential and ZeroWasteStore show ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Essential or ZeroWasteStore?

The Essential ships an update every 4 weeks, and ZeroWasteStore every 3 weeks. Most recently, The Essential was updated on November 3, 2026 and ZeroWasteStore on November 3, 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.*