# Instagram vs Girlscam

Instagram and Girlscam both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 85% of Girlscam's written reviews are positive against 31% of Instagram's. Girlscam also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.3). Instagram's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (30M vs 808). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Instagram sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month and Girlscam sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Instagram against 4.7 for Girlscam. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Instagram has 30M ratings behind it against 808, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 31% of Instagram's written reviews are positive against 85% of Girlscam's.

Instagram ships an update weekly, Girlscam every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Instagram | Girlscam |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (30M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/instagram/id389801252/reviews) | **[4.7 (808 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/girlscam-plog/id936718677/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **30M** | 808 |
| Positive reviews | 31.5% of reviews | **84.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#2** | — |
| Size | 668 MB | 34 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.3 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | +12 | 4+ |
| Developer | [Instagram, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/389801255) | [思远 林](https://appshunter.io/developer/1438711695) |

## What reviewers say

### Instagram

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/instagram/id389801252)

**Currently charting:** #2 Top Free · Photo & Video, #2 Top Grossing · Photo & Video, #5 Top Grossing, #31 Top Free (US App Store)

Share your life's moments and connect with friends through photos, videos, and short-form content. Discover new creators, brands, and products tailored to your interests. Customize your posts with creative tools and templates.

**Highlights:** Share photos and videos in Feed, Create short videos with Reels, Post disappearing content with Stories, Connect with friends via chat, Discover new content in Explore, Shop for products from brands

**Features:** Apple Wallet, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Meta Verified Standard | $14.99 | per month |
| Instagram Badge | $0.99 | one-time |
| Instagram Badge | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💕 Excellent way to connect with friends and family
- 🌍 Ability to discover new content and accounts
- 🎨 Great platform for artists and creators to showcase their work
- 🤝 Helps small businesses promote their products

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent bugs and glitches
- 🤖 Overly aggressive AI moderation leading to unfair account suspensions
- 🔒 Poor customer support and lack of transparency around account issues
- 📊 Declining organic reach and push towards paid advertising
- 🔀 Confusing layout changes that make the app less user-friendly

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to post or view videos due to app crashing
- Saved posts and drafts randomly disappearing
- Notifications not working or showing outdated information
- Inability to log in or switch between multiple accounts

**Requested features**

- Ability to edit/delete individual photos from a multi-photo post
- Option to view posts in chronological order instead of algorithmic feed
- Better tools for small businesses to manage and grow their presence
- Improved accessibility features for users with disabilities


### Girlscam

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/girlscam-plog/id936718677)

Enhance your photos with a variety of charming filters designed to give them a sweet, Japanese-inspired aesthetic. Easily adjust filter intensity and save your creations in high quality. Share your beautifully edited images with friends and family.

**Highlights:** 20 high-quality lovely filters, Filter intensity adjustment, Save as high-quality photos, Simple to use interface, Exclusive PRO filters, tools, stickers & templates

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| GirlsCam PRO | $1.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 💕 Cute and fun filters
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🎨 Variety of editing options
- 🌟 Beautiful and aesthetic results

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Most features locked behind paywall
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and network errors
- ⚠️ App no longer functioning for some users
- 🕰️ Outdated with last update 2 years ago

**Reported bugs**

- Login/subscription issues
- Filters and features not working
- Blank screens and unresponsive app

**Requested features**

- More free filters and editing tools
- Ability to restore purchases on new devices
- Bug fixes and regular updates


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Instagram free?

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

### Is Girlscam free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Instagram or Girlscam?

Girlscam is rated higher. Instagram averages 4.7 out of 5 from 30M ratings, while Girlscam averages 4.7 from 808 ratings.

### Do Instagram or Girlscam have ads?

Instagram shows ads; Girlscam does not.

### Which is updated more often, Instagram or Girlscam?

Instagram ships an update weekly, and Girlscam every 2 months. Most recently, Instagram was updated on November 3, 2026 and Girlscam on October 22, 2026.

---

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