# Shadow vs Buffet

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Shadow at none against Buffet's 3. Shadow also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Buffet sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month. Shadow asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Shadow against 4.7 for Buffet. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 44 and 47 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of Shadow's written reviews are positive against 94% of Buffet's.

Shadow ships an update fortnightly, Buffet weekly. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shadow | Buffet |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (44 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadow/id1586018038/reviews)** | [4.7 (47 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buffet-all-you-can-meet/id6451276445/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 44 | **47** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 94.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 74 MB | 90 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Shadow Tech Incorporated](https://appshunter.io/developer/1574753183) | [Buffet Co, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1697413445) |

## What reviewers say

### Shadow

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadow/id1586018038)

A community-based social platform for real-time geolocated networking. Discover exclusive events and opportunities in major cities worldwide. Connect with a highly engaged member base.

**Highlights:** Community-based social platform, Geolocated networking, Exclusive event discovery, Real-time opportunities, Major city coverage

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Buffet

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buffet-all-you-can-meet/id6451276445)

This social connection app helps users meet new people through curated experiences. It simplifies first encounters by suggesting pre-selected destinations and allowing users to propose times and dates. Find friends, dates, or activity partners.

**Highlights:** Meet new people, Curated experiences, Pre-selected destinations, Propose time and date, Find friends, dates, workout buddies

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Buffet+ | $14.99 | per month |
| Buffet+ Annual | $99.99 | per year |
| 20 More People | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shadow free?

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

### Is Buffet free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Shadow or Buffet?

Shadow is rated higher. Shadow averages 4.9 out of 5 from 44 ratings, while Buffet averages 4.7 from 47 ratings.

### Do Shadow or Buffet have ads?

Neither Shadow nor Buffet shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Shadow or Buffet?

Shadow ships an update fortnightly, and Buffet weekly. Most recently, Shadow was updated on November 3, 2026 and Buffet 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.*