# Walgreens vs Michaels Stores

Walgreens and Michaels Stores both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 60% of Walgreens's written reviews are positive against 8% of Michaels Stores's. Walgreens also leads on ratings volume (7.3M vs 271K) and chart position (#20 vs #100). Michaels Stores's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Walgreens against 4.8 for Michaels Stores. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Walgreens has 7.3M ratings behind it against 271K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 60% of Walgreens's written reviews are positive against 8% of Michaels Stores's.

Walgreens ships an update fortnightly, Michaels Stores every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 15, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Walgreens | Michaels Stores |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (7.3M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/walgreens/id335364882/reviews) | [4.8 (271K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/michaels-stores/id445458809/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **7.3M** | 271K |
| Positive reviews | **60.4% of reviews** | 7.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#20** | #100 |
| Size | 205 MB | 455 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Walgreen Co.](https://appshunter.io/developer/335364885) | [Michaels Stores, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/445458812) |

## What reviewers say

### Walgreens

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/walgreens/id335364882)

**Currently charting:** #20 Top Free · Shopping, #136 Top Free (US App Store)

Manage prescriptions, access health services, and create custom photo gifts. Shop for essentials with convenient delivery or pickup, and save with digital coupons and rewards.

**Highlights:** Prescription refills and tracking, Book vaccinations and tests, Virtual healthcare visits, Create custom photo prints and gifts, Shop for essentials with delivery/pickup, Clip digital coupons and earn rewards

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use app
- 👍 Convenient pharmacy features
- 👍 Great photo printing service
- 👍 Helpful and friendly staff

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable app
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate
- ⏱️ Slow performance
- 🤔 Inconsistent user experience
- 📦 Issues with online orders and deliveries

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes frequently
- Coupon and rewards issues
- Prescription refill requests not processed properly
- Inconsistent app behavior across devices

**Requested features**

- Add photo order status tracking
- Improve prescription refill process
- Provide more transparency on prescription availability
- Allow saving of photo projects


### Michaels Stores

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/michaels-stores/id445458809)

**Currently charting:** #100 Top Free · Shopping (US App Store)

Shop for all your arts and crafts needs, find store locations, and access project ideas. Save money with weekly ads and coupons, and earn rewards through the Michaels Rewards program.

**Highlights:** Shop for craft supplies, Locate nearby stores, Voice search for items, Check product availability and prices, Create shopping lists, View weekly ads and coupons, Access project ideas, Join Michaels Rewards program

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💳 Convenient curbside pickup
- 🛒 Wide variety of products
- 💰 Great sales and coupons
- 🎨 Inspiration for crafts

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Inaccurate in-stock information
- 🐛 Buggy and glitchy app
- 🤖 Poor customer service
- 🔙 Frustrating navigation and back button issues
- 🔍 Ineffective search functionality

**Reported bugs**

- App crashing and freezing issues
- Incorrect order fulfillment and shipping
- Rewards program sync problems

**Requested features**

- Ability to check gift card balance
- Option to filter by in-store availability
- Improved order tracking and status updates
- Better integration between app and website


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Walgreens free?

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

### Is Michaels Stores free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Walgreens or Michaels Stores?

Walgreens and Michaels Stores are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 7.3M and 271K ratings respectively.

### Do Walgreens or Michaels Stores have ads?

Walgreens shows ads; Michaels Stores does not.

### Which is updated more often, Walgreens or Michaels Stores?

Walgreens ships an update fortnightly, and Michaels Stores every 2 weeks. Most recently, Walgreens was updated on October 15, 2026 and Michaels Stores on October 15, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Walgreens or Michaels Stores?

Walgreens currently peaks at #20 in the App Store charts, and Michaels Stores at #100. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*