The Container Store vs 5C Exchange
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
The Container Store
Shop for storage, organization, and custom closet solutions. Get project inspiration, track store pickup orders, and manage your loyalty account. Scan products in-store for details and reviews.
- Shop storage and organization products
- Custom closet solutions
- Project inspiration and tips
- Track store pickup orders
- Loyalty dashboard and offers
- In-store barcode scanner
- Digital wallet for checkout
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Make organization even simpler with tools to shop storage, organization, and custom closets, check prices, make purchases, and track the status of your store pick-up. Plus, you'll find project inspiration and everything you need to get started. PROJECTS & INSPIRATION We’ve made it easy with Projects & Inspiration – view tips, videos, projects and more to help you get your organization projects done quicker and easier. CHECK YOUR LOYALTY DASHBOARD Check your Organized Insider tier status, review your Benefits, get your personalized offers and see your yearly spend – all in one convenient dashboard. PICKUP ORDER STATUS Enjoy simple tracking of your store pickup orders. See when your order is ready at a glance, and easily notify us when you get to the store. IN-STORE BARCODE SCANNER Scan product barcodes in-store to read reviews, get product details, check pricing and see inspiring images and videos. DIGITAL WALLET Speed through checkout. Use your digital wallet to store preferred credit cards (and check gift card balances). WISH LISTS Keep track of the products you want with our wish lists. View or make wish lists while you’re in-store to help you get everything you need. Plus… Quick, secure account creation Biometric login
5C Exchange
A secure, closed marketplace for students at the five Claremont Colleges to buy, sell, trade, or give away items. Verified accounts ensure a safe, local exchange of goods like textbooks and furniture, promoting sustainability and community.
- Verified student accounts
- Buy, sell, trade, or give away items
- In-app messaging
- Local, in-person exchanges
- Sustainability tracking and eco badges
- Report and moderation tools
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5C Exchange is a closed marketplace built exclusively for students at the five Claremont Colleges: Pomona, Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd, Scripps, and Pitzer. Every account is verified with a Claremont College email. No outside buyers, no strangers, no shipping. Just students trading with students, a short walk across campus. BUY, SELL, TRADE, OR GIVE AWAY List anything you no longer need: textbooks, dorm furniture, electronics, clothing, and kitchen gear. Set a price, accept offers, arrange a trade, or give it away free. BUILT FOR THE 5C's - Browse listings from all five colleges - Message sellers directly in the app - Save listings you're interested in - Meet up in person, no shipping, no waiting COMPLETELY FREE No listing fees. No transaction fees. No ads. Exchanges happen in person, on your terms. SUSTAINABILITY BUILT IN Every item that changes hands instead of going to a landfill keeps carbon out of the atmosphere. 5C Exchange estimates the CO2 impact of each exchange using EPA emissions factors, tracks your personal environmental impact, and awards eco badges as you keep more items in use. Move-out season sends an enormous amount of usable furniture, appliances, and clothing to the dump every year. 5C Exchange exists to keep it circulating within the campus community instead. SAFETY AND TRUST - Campus email verification required for every account - Report tool on every listing and conversation - Active moderation by admins - Must be 18 or older to create an account 5C Exchange is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Claremont Colleges.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: 5C Exchange at none against The Container Store's shown. 5C Exchange also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). The Container Store's advantage is ratings volume (16K vs 1). On price, rating, in-app purchases and device support 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.
5C Exchange holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Container Store has 16K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
| Parameter | The Container Store | 5C Exchange |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (16K ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 40.2% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 16K — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | — |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 — better | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 51 MB | 35 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | The Container Store, INC | Claremont Computer Network LLC |
Customer experience
The Container Store
5C Exchange
Bugs and requests
The Container Store
Reported bugs
4 issues- Cart and checkout issues
- App crashes and freezes
- Login and account problems
- Inconsistent user experience
Requested features
4 requests- Ability to share products
- Improved search and filtering
- Seamless integration with website
- Customizable drawer/closet planning
5C Exchange
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
The Container Store
No in-app purchases
5C Exchange
No in-app purchases









