# SpareRoom vs Freecycle

The clearest difference is review sentiment: SpareRoom at 49% against Freecycle's 0%. SpareRoom also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (4.2K vs 2). Freecycle's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 13) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SpareRoom sells 9 one-off in-app purchases. Freecycle asks for nothing beyond the download.

Freecycle holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SpareRoom has 4.2K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 49% of SpareRoom's written reviews are positive against 0% of Freecycle's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

SpareRoom ships an update fortnightly, Freecycle every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SpareRoom | Freecycle |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (4.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spareroom/id400181250/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/freecycle/id6444136692/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **4.2K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | **48.7% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 60 MB | 111 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | [Flatshare Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/397979250) | [Freecycle Network](https://appshunter.io/developer/1652571818) |

## What reviewers say

### SpareRoom

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spareroom/id400181250)

Find your ideal room or flatmate with the UK's leading platform. Browse thousands of listings across the UK, connect with potential housemates, and secure your perfect living situation on the go.

**Highlights:** Room and roommate search, Thousands of UK listings, On-the-go access, User support, Connect with housemates

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Boost | $9.99 | one-time |
| 7-Day Upgrade | $12.99 | one-time |
| 1-Week Upgrade | $15.00 | one-time |
| Verification | $15.00 | one-time |
| 30-Day Upgrade | $15.49 | one-time |
| 14-Day Upgrade | $23.99 | one-time |
| 2-Week Upgrade | $25.00 | one-time |
| 30-Day Upgrade | $25.99 | one-time |
| 4-Week Upgrade | $30.00 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Great for finding rooms/flatmates
- 💡 Useful features like filters
- 🌟 Positive overall experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 💰 Expensive paid features
- 🤖 Fake/unresponsive listings
- 🚫 Discrimination in listings

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes and sign-outs
- Inconsistent behavior between app and website
- Issues with updating and editing listings

**Requested features**

- Better messaging/communication tools
- More advanced search and filtering options
- Improved verification of listings and users
- Feedback/review system for landlords/tenants


### Freecycle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/freecycle/id6444136692)

Connect with your local community to give away and receive unwanted items for free. This app provides access to posts from Freecycle.org, promoting reuse and reducing landfill waste.

**Highlights:** Access Freecycle.org posts, Give away items for free, Receive free items locally, Largest gifting and reuse community, Moderated local communities, Keep items out of landfills

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SpareRoom free?

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

### Is Freecycle free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SpareRoom or Freecycle?

Freecycle is rated higher. SpareRoom averages 4.7 out of 5 from 4.2K ratings, while Freecycle averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do SpareRoom or Freecycle have ads?

Freecycle shows ads; SpareRoom does not.

### Which is updated more often, SpareRoom or Freecycle?

SpareRoom ships an update fortnightly, and Freecycle every 5 weeks. Most recently, SpareRoom was updated on October 26, 2026 and Freecycle 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.*