# Microsoft Loop vs XL Sidekick

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: XL Sidekick at none against Microsoft Loop's 4. XL Sidekick also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and iOS requirement (16.4 vs 18.0). Microsoft Loop's advantage is ratings volume (5.1K vs 4) and update cadence (monthly vs every 4 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Microsoft Loop sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. XL Sidekick asks for nothing beyond the download.

XL Sidekick holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Microsoft Loop has 5.1K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Microsoft Loop ships an update monthly, XL Sidekick every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Microsoft Loop | XL Sidekick |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (5.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microsoft-loop/id1637682491/reviews) | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xl-sidekick/id6751604755/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **5.1K** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 21.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 167 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Microsoft Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/298856275) | [Vorne Industries](https://appshunter.io/developer/1835995344) |

## What reviewers say

### Microsoft Loop

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microsoft-loop/id1637682491)

This app facilitates collaborative thinking, planning, and creation across devices. It brings together teams, content, and tasks, allowing users to capture ideas, manage projects, and communicate in real-time. Seamlessly integrate with existing tools for a unified workflow.

**Highlights:** Co-creation experience, Content and task management, Idea capture and task lists, Project workspace, Real-time commenting and reactions, Customizable notifications, Cross-Microsoft 365 component editing

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Microsoft 365 Personal | $9.99 | per month |
| Microsoft 365 Family | $12.99 | per month |
| Microsoft 365 Personal | $99.99 | per year |
| Microsoft 365 Family | $129.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Efficient and useful
- 👍 Clean and simple UI
- 💡 Great integration with Microsoft 365
- 🚀 Powerful collaboration features
- 👍 Promising app with potential

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unstable
- 🔍 Limited functionality on mobile
- 🔍 Missing key features compared to desktop
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and sync issues
- 🔍 Unintuitive navigation and user experience

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on certain workspaces
- Inability to save new content
- Formatting issues with code blocks
- Keyboard issues and cursor jumping
- Inconsistent theme and UI behavior

**Requested features**

- Ability to duplicate pages
- Improved handwriting and whiteboard support
- Export/copy to Word or PDF
- Offline functionality
- Better access management and guest collaboration


### XL Sidekick

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xl-sidekick/id6751604755)

Enhance manufacturing productivity with a companion app for XL devices. Enter data, view real-time production insights, and mirror operator displays on your mobile device. Securely access information from anywhere on your plant floor.

**Highlights:** Data entry via action screens, Real-time production data visualization, Operator display mirroring (scoreboard), Secure local network access, Free to use and support

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Microsoft Loop free?

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

### Is XL Sidekick free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Microsoft Loop or XL Sidekick?

XL Sidekick is rated higher. Microsoft Loop averages 4.6 out of 5 from 5.1K ratings, while XL Sidekick averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do Microsoft Loop or XL Sidekick have ads?

Neither Microsoft Loop nor XL Sidekick shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Microsoft Loop or XL Sidekick?

Microsoft Loop ships an update monthly, and XL Sidekick every 4 months. Most recently, Microsoft Loop was updated on November 1, 2026 and XL Sidekick on October 24, 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.*