Comparison

Kesto vs Abol

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Kesto

This app connects Ethiopians and Eritreans worldwide, enabling them to share and discover information. It features a business directory, event listings, and user-generated content like articles and videos. Users can engage through comments, sharing, and bookmarking.

Highlights
  • Ethiopian & Eritrean community platform
  • Local business & professional guide
  • User-generated content sharing (articles, events, videos)
  • Content discovery and categorization
  • Search, share, bookmark, and comment functions
  • User verification for privacy
Features
Read full description

Kesto, Social+ app for Ethiopians & Eritreans world-wide. Kesto creates a platform for the Ethiopian & Eritrean communities to find, share and consume information. The app makes everyone both a content provider and consumer, complimenting the word-of-mouth nature of information exchange practiced today between this tightly knit community across the globe. Our easy to use content publishing, sharing and discovery platform includes: Local business & professional guide Most businesses owned by Ethiopians and Eritreans worldwide are brick and mortar, thus without much Internet footprint except perhaps a social media page. With Kesto, businesses and professionals can create their profiles with their detailed info, address, events they host, deals they have, etc., quickly. You can think of a Kesto business & professional profile page as their digital business card discoverable and usable by anyone, anywhere. Relevant Information, Events & Videos Kesto users can share Articles, Blogs, Events and Youtube videos they find worthy for the community to see. We organize and categorize these user-generated content to be easily found and used. Being a community-focused app, Kesto includes functions like searching, sharing, bookmarking, and commenting, increasing content engagement. YOUR PRIVACY We verify our users with their social credentials or email addresses, followed by their phone numbers. We neither sell nor share your information with third parties at any time. Connect with us: https://www.facebook.com/kestoapp https://twitter.com/kestoapp https://instagram.com/kestoapp https://t.me/kestoapp Continued use of Location Service running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life. Kesto doesn't run Location Service in the background unless you permit us by turning on optional features that require it. Download the app to discover, share and engage with content shared by Ethiopians & Eritreans all over the world.

About

Abol

A dating and community platform for the Ethiopian and Eritrean diaspora. It uses unique cultural experiences inspired by the coffee ceremony to foster meaningful connections and shared traditions. Find matches that understand your background with deep Habesha filtering and culturally relevant prompts.

Highlights
  • Virtual coffee ceremony inspired interactions
  • Bereka and Abol messaging features
  • Deep Habesha cultural filtering
  • Language, religion, and education filters
  • Culturally tailored profile prompts
  • Focus on serious relationships and cultural connection
Features
Read full description

Welcome to Abol—the premier dating platform built exclusively for the Ethiopian, Eritrean, and broader Habesha diaspora. Abol isn’t just a dating app; it's a digital extension of our rich cultural heritage designed to help you find your perfect match. In our culture, the coffee ceremony is the ultimate expression of community. Abol honors this tradition by replacing generic dating with deeply meaningful cultural experiences: • Abol, Tona, & Bereka: Inspired by the three sacred stages of the Ethiopian coffee ceremony. Send a "Bereka" (Blessing) or "Abol" (First Pour) to stand out and spark meaningful conversations. • Deep Habesha Filtering: Find matches who truly understand your background. Filter your Discovery feed by specific Ethnic Subgroups (Ethiopian, Eritrean, or both) and Religious traditions to find someone who aligns with your core values. • Cultural Prompts: Break the ice with profile prompts tailored to our diaspora experience, food, and family values. Whether you are looking for a serious relationship or someone who truly understands what it means to be Habesha, Abol is where culture and love meet. Swipe with purpose, connect over tradition, and find your perfect match. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/appstore/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.abolapp.com/privacy

Screenshots

Kesto4 screens
Abol4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Kesto at none against Abol's 6. Kesto also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.5) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.1). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Abol sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Kesto asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Kesto holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 15 and 6 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Kesto ships an update every 9 days, Abol fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Kesto versus Abol: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKestoAbol
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (15 ratings) — better4.5 (6 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings15 — better6
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size60 MB46 MB
Age rating12+17+
DeveloperJotika LLC.ANDUALEM DERBE TESHOME

Customer experience

Kesto

All ratings15 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Abol

All ratings6 ratings
Positive83.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative16.7%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Kesto

No in-app purchases

6 purchases

Abol

Subscriptions3
  • Abol Premium$9.991 Month
  • Abol Premium$19.993 Months
  • Abol Premium$34.996 Months
One-time3
  • Abol - 5 Hearts$3.99
  • Tona - 12 Hearts$6.99
  • Bereka - 45 Hearts$14.99

Questions

Is Kesto free?
Kesto is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Abol free?
Abol is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Kesto or Abol?
Kesto is rated higher. Kesto averages 4.9 out of 5 from 15 ratings, while Abol averages 4.5 from 6 ratings.
Do Kesto or Abol have ads?
Neither Kesto nor Abol shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Kesto or Abol?
Kesto ships an update every 9 days, and Abol fortnightly. Most recently, Kesto was updated on October 2, 2026 and Abol on October 24, 2026.

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