# Area vs Crate.

The clearest difference is rating: Area at 4.9 against Crate.'s 3.4. Area also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (40 vs 8). Crate.'s advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Area sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Crate. asks for nothing beyond the download.

Area holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Area has 40 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 95% of Area's written reviews are positive against 92% of Crate.'s.

Area ships an update every 8 days, Crate. every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 7, 2026 and September 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Area | Crate. |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (40 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/area-messenger-for-creators/id1580244544/reviews)** | [3.4 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crate/id6752948934/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **40** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | **94.7% of reviews** | 92.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 67 MB | 58 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Holograph](https://appshunter.io/developer/1531040795) | [Mustafa Kaan Baaran](https://appshunter.io/developer/1841877298) |

## What reviewers say

### Area

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/area-messenger-for-creators/id1580244544)

This messaging app is designed for musicians to collaborate by organizing music files directly within group chats. It offers features like timestamped comments on audio, song version tracking, and continuous listening to streamline the creative process.

**Highlights:** Organize music files within group chats, Timestamped comments on audio, Track song versions, Dedicated song notes, Continuous listening as a playlist, Listen with phone locked

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Area Pro | $9.99 | per month |
| Area Pro | $9.99 | per month |


### Crate.

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crate/id6752948934)

Organize your music collection by creating digital record shelves. Review albums, track your listening habits, and discover new music through friends, focusing on personal taste over algorithms.

**Highlights:** Build and share curated album collections, Write album reviews and star ratings, Log daily music listening history, Discover music through friends' tastes, Follow and collaborate with other users

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Area free?

Area is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Crate. free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Area or Crate.?

Area is rated higher. Area averages 4.9 out of 5 from 40 ratings, while Crate. averages 3.4 from 8 ratings.

### Do Area or Crate. have ads?

Crate. shows ads; Area does not.

### Which is updated more often, Area or Crate.?

Area ships an update every 8 days, and Crate. every 2 weeks. Most recently, Area was updated on September 7, 2026 and Crate. on September 11, 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.*