# PortalHQ vs DESIGNerd

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PortalHQ at none against DESIGNerd's 1. On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. DESIGNerd sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $0.99 per month. PortalHQ asks for nothing beyond the download.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PortalHQ | DESIGNerd |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Size | 42 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Team HQ Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1724904029) | [Kevin Finn](https://appshunter.io/developer/1826538132) |

## What reviewers say

### PortalHQ

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/portalhq/id1660504369)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### DESIGNerd

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/designerd/id6748607691)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $0.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PortalHQ free?

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

### Is DESIGNerd free?

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

### Do PortalHQ or DESIGNerd have ads?

Neither PortalHQ nor DESIGNerd shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PortalHQ or DESIGNerd?

PortalHQ ships an update every 2 months, and DESIGNerd every 2 months. Most recently, PortalHQ was updated on October 25, 2026 and DESIGNerd on October 3, 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.*