The Salty Donut vs Carrot Express
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
The Salty Donut
Easily order ahead for pickup or delivery from a gourmet donut shop. Pay in-store with the app to earn exclusive rewards and manage your account credit. Discover nearby locations and enjoy unique baked goods.
- Order ahead for pickup
- Order for delivery
- Scan to pay in-store
- Earn exclusive rewards
- Manage Salty Credit
- Store locator
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Here at The Salty, we serve the highest quality, chef-made donuts + baked goods and devote ourselves to being ‘more than a donut shop’, using donuts and coffee as a blank slate for storytelling and creating unforgettable experiences. The Salty app is the most convenient way to order ahead for pickup + delivery, scan to pay in-store, and unlock exclusive perks + rewards. Order for Pickup + Delivery: Preorder for pickup and skip the line or order for delivery straight to your door. Pay in Store: Save time and earn rewards when you pay with our app in-store. Exclusive Perks + Rewards: Unlock app-exclusive offers and deals from any type of purchase. Manage ‘Salty Credit’: Pre-load your account with money, check your balance, and earn additional rewards. Store Locator: See the stores closest to you, get directions, and contact our team.
Carrot Express
Order healthy and delicious food for pickup or delivery. Earn rewards and points with every purchase. Easily reorder your favorite meals with a single click.
- Order for pickup or delivery
- Earn rewards points
- Schedule orders
- Easy reordering
- Signup and birthday rewards
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Order ahead, receive surprise perks, and earn rewards on your fresh, healthy favorites. Download it today for free and you'll be able to: • Join our rewards program and begin earning rewards today. • Find a Carrot that's closest to your location. • Check out our menu. • View your member account balance and your rewards. • Add stored value to your account at any time with the recharge feature. • Check in to let us know you've arrived - and get points for visits. • Get notifications from us announcing new menu items, special events, and more!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: The Salty Donut at 4.9 against Carrot Express's 3.1. The Salty Donut also leads on review sentiment (59% vs 19%) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). Carrot Express's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (ad-supported vs free with in-app purchases). On price, in-app purchases and iOS requirement 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
The Salty Donut holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Salty Donut has 4K ratings behind it against 176, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 59% of The Salty Donut's written reviews are positive against 19% of Carrot Express's.
The Salty Donut ships an update every 2 weeks, Carrot Express every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.
| Parameter | The Salty Donut | Carrot Express |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (4K ratings) — better | 3.1 (176 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 58.8% of reviews — better | 19.1% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 4K — better | 176 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Ad-supported — better |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 58 MB | 37 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Lunchbox Technologies Inc. | Carrot Express |
Customer experience
The Salty Donut
Carrot Express
User reviews
The Salty Donut
From 4K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Great app
- 👍 Great doughnuts
- 👍 Friendly staff
- 👍 Delicious doughnuts
- 👍 Intuitive app
Room to improve
- 🐛 App issues since new update
- 🐛 Glitches and bugs in app
- 🐛 Text overflow in app
- 🐛 Buggy app
- 🤔 Can't see menu without starting order
Carrot Express
From 176 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🍎 High-quality, healthy food
- ⭐ Excellent rewards program
- 👍 Easy to use interface
- 🚀 Efficient ordering process
- 💰 Good discounts and promotions
Room to improve
- 🐛 Constant glitching and crashes
- 💳 Automatic tip added without consent
- ❌ No Apple Pay support
- 🚫 Cannot customize or add special instructions
- ⏱️ Long wait times despite app ordering
Bugs and requests
The Salty Donut
Reported bugs
3 issues- Checkout glitches
- Back button freezes app
- Compatibility issues with older devices
Requested features
2 requests- Add search function for menu
- Improve app stability and performance
Carrot Express
Reported bugs
11 issues- App glitches when placing orders
- Promo codes fail to apply
- Order status updates not functioning
- Cannot cancel or change orders
- Delivery option automatically reverts to pickup
Show 6 moreShow fewer
- Rewards redemption shows 'Invalid Authentication Token' error
- Orders not sent to restaurant
- Delivery tracking unavailable despite confirmation
- Navigation buttons don't always respond
- Automatic tip re-adds after removal
- Menu customization options missing
Requested features
9 requests- Apple Pay integration
- Ability to add special instructions and customizations
- Improved order tracking and delivery status updates
- Order cancellation and modification in app
- Direct contact with delivery drivers
Show 4 moreShow fewer
- Better app navigation and modernized UI
- Toast app integration or migration
- Add extra protein and customization options
- Loyalty points migration from previous system
In-app purchases
The Salty Donut
No in-app purchases
Carrot Express
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is The Salty Donut free?
Is Carrot Express free?
Which has better reviews, The Salty Donut or Carrot Express?
Do The Salty Donut or Carrot Express have ads?
Which is updated more often, The Salty Donut or Carrot Express?
Other comparisons
