# The Essential vs BDDW Auctions

The clearest difference is review sentiment: BDDW Auctions at 100% against The Essential's 24%. BDDW Auctions also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.0) and ads (none vs shown). The Essential's advantage is ratings volume (100 vs 11). 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.

BDDW Auctions holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Essential has 100 ratings behind it against 11, 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 100% of BDDW Auctions's.

The Essential ships an update every 4 weeks, BDDW Auctions weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Essential | BDDW Auctions |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (100 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-essential/id1522395728/reviews) | **[5.0 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bddw-auctions/id6451191502/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **100** | 11 |
| Positive reviews | 24.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 78 MB | 40 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.4** | 16.6 |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Inhabit.io, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1522395730) | [IronDirect, a Liquidity Services, Inc. business.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1103141202) |

## 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


### BDDW Auctions

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bddw-auctions/id6451191502)

Access exclusive auctions for unique furniture, art, and design objects. Find one-offs, prototypes, and brand-new pieces directly from the designer. Receive notifications and streamline your bidding process on this user-friendly platform.

**Highlights:** Exclusive auction access, Unique one-off pieces, Prototypes and floor models, Brand-new designer items, Streamlined bidding, Direct notifications

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Essential free?

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

### Is BDDW Auctions free?

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

### Which has better reviews, The Essential or BDDW Auctions?

BDDW Auctions is rated higher. The Essential averages 4.0 out of 5 from 100 ratings, while BDDW Auctions averages 5.0 from 11 ratings.

### Do The Essential or BDDW Auctions have ads?

The Essential shows ads; BDDW Auctions does not.

### Which is updated more often, The Essential or BDDW Auctions?

The Essential ships an update every 4 weeks, and BDDW Auctions weekly. Most recently, The Essential was updated on October 20, 2026 and BDDW Auctions on October 4, 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.*