# NorthStarVIP vs BucketDrop

The clearest difference is rating: BucketDrop at 5.0 against NorthStarVIP's 4.3. NorthStarVIP's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (11 vs 1). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

BucketDrop holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NorthStarVIP has 11 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

NorthStarVIP ships an update monthly, BucketDrop every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NorthStarVIP | BucketDrop |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/northstarvip/id1612692983/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bucketdrop/id6747601764/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **11** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 80.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 50 MB | 22 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [John L Merriweather](https://appshunter.io/developer/1129846578) | [Tyler Henderson](https://appshunter.io/developer/1821977952) |

## What reviewers say

### NorthStarVIP

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/northstarvip/id1612692983)

This app provides comprehensive guides for new residents, covering city overviews, local news, weather, real estate markets, schools, and attractions. It aims to help people quickly settle into their new surroundings by offering essential local information.

**Highlights:** Area guides, Local news and weather, Real estate market info, School information, Things to do, Restaurant listings

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### BucketDrop

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bucketdrop/id6747601764)

This app helps you remember and organize places you want to visit. Save restaurants, beaches, or bars, and get notified when you're nearby. Organize your saved spots into trips and even collaborate with friends.

**Highlights:** Save places with notes and photos, Organize saved spots into trips, Proximity notifications, Interactive map view, Collaborate on trips with friends, Discover community trips

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NorthStarVIP free?

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

### Is BucketDrop free?

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

### Which has better reviews, NorthStarVIP or BucketDrop?

BucketDrop is rated higher. NorthStarVIP averages 4.3 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while BucketDrop averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do NorthStarVIP or BucketDrop have ads?

BucketDrop shows ads; NorthStarVIP does not.

### Which is updated more often, NorthStarVIP or BucketDrop?

NorthStarVIP ships an update monthly, and BucketDrop every 2 months. Most recently, NorthStarVIP was updated on October 21, 2026 and BucketDrop on October 18, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*