# The Essential vs Croissant

The clearest difference is rating: Croissant at 4.7 against The Essential's 4.0. Croissant also leads on review sentiment (62% vs 24%) and ads (none vs shown). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

Croissant holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Croissant has 559 ratings behind it against 100, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 24% of The Essential's written reviews are positive against 62% of Croissant's.

The Essential ships an update every 4 weeks, Croissant every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Essential | Croissant |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (100 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-essential/id1522395728/reviews) | **[4.7 (559 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/croissant/id1662287582/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 100 | **559** |
| Positive reviews | 24.1% of reviews | **62.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 78 MB | 158 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | 16.4 |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Inhabit.io, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1522395730) | [Croissant](https://appshunter.io/developer/1662287584) |

## 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


### Croissant

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/croissant/id1662287582)

Earn rewards and get more from your purchases with this shopping app. It offers cashback in store credit and integrates resale functionality, allowing you to see an item's resale value and sell it easily. Connect with brands and friends to discover new items and trends.

**Highlights:** Earn 10% back in Croissant Credit, Integrated resale value tracking, Resell items in one click, Shop with 100+ fashion brands, Track rewards and manage collection, Follow friends and explore purchases

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Safari Extension, Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💰 Substantial earnings potential
- 🚀 Fast and easy resale process
- 📈 Useful resale value insights
- 👍 User-friendly app and extension
- 🤑 Affordable shopping with resale option

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤔 Privacy concerns with email access
- 🤯 Confusing and convoluted setup
- 🙅‍♀️ Strict item acceptance standards
- 🤔 Unclear resale process and status
- 🤬 Items allegedly damaged or lost

**Reported bugs**

- Inconsistent loading screens
- Inability to select multiple items to sell

**Requested features**

- Ability to view past sales and returned items
- Less invasive browser extension
- Option to redeem gift cards without extension
- Improved app stability and bug fixes


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Essential free?

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

### Is Croissant free?

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

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

Croissant is rated higher. The Essential averages 4.0 out of 5 from 100 ratings, while Croissant averages 4.7 from 559 ratings.

### Do The Essential or Croissant have ads?

The Essential shows ads; Croissant does not.

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

The Essential ships an update every 4 weeks, and Croissant every 9 days. Most recently, The Essential was updated on October 20, 2026 and Croissant on October 27, 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.*