# ESS vs barq

The clearest difference is rating: barq at 4.5 against ESS's 1.0. barq also leads on ratings volume (14K vs 1) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 weeks). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

barq holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: barq has 14K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

ESS ships an update every 5 weeks, barq fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ESS | barq |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ess-d365/id1635180835/reviews) | **[4.5 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barq/id6463204586/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **14K** |
| Positive reviews | — | 39.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 53 MB | 536 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Salman Bin Naeem](https://appshunter.io/developer/1635180837) | [Barraq Finance Company](https://appshunter.io/developer/1661513071) |

## What reviewers say

### ESS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ess-d365/id1635180835)

Manage payroll, leave requests, and various reporting tasks on the go. This app securely handles employee data and integrates with HR and payroll modules for seamless access to personal information and work-related tasks.

**Highlights:** Payroll management, Leave requests, Loan and travel requests, Work schedule access, Salary certificate generation, Expense claim submission, Training and feedback

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### barq

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barq/id6463204586)

Manage your finances with unparalleled convenience and flexibility. This app empowers you to send money internationally, optimize card transactions with dynamic exchange rates, and transfer funds instantly between wallets. Upgrade your financial prowess and live life on your own terms.

**Highlights:** International money transfers, Optimized card foreign exchange rates, Instant wallet-to-wallet transfers, Secure cross-border payments, Seamless money management

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 💳 No fees for international transactions
- 💰 Instant cashback
- 💼 Great for international students and travelers
- 👍 Simple and user-friendly interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Technical issues with login and account creation
- ⏱️ Slow customer support response times
- 💸 Inconsistent cashback rewards
- 🔒 Security concerns
- 🤔 Confusing policies and limitations

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent app crashes
- Issues with international transactions and withdrawals
- Delayed or missing fund transfers
- Unreliable cashback system

**Requested features**

- Expand to more countries
- Add stock trading and investment options
- Improve customer support channels
- Increase cashback rates and consistency


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ESS free?

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

### Is barq free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ESS or barq?

barq is rated higher. ESS averages 1.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while barq averages 4.5 from 14K ratings.

### Do ESS or barq have ads?

Neither ESS nor barq shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ESS or barq?

ESS ships an update every 5 weeks, and barq fortnightly. Most recently, ESS was updated on October 11, 2026 and barq on October 25, 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.*