# Gmail vs LifeTime

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: LifeTime at none against Gmail's 14. LifeTime also leads on ads (none vs shown). Gmail's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs monthly) and chart position (#3 vs unranked). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Gmail sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. LifeTime asks for nothing beyond the download.

Gmail ships an update weekly, LifeTime monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Gmail | LifeTime |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (2.4M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gmail-email-by-google/id422689480/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **2.4M** | — |
| Positive reviews | 28.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Best chart rank | **#3** | — |
| Size | 725 MB | 60 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Google](https://appshunter.io/developer/281956209) | [Ali Almansaf](https://appshunter.io/developer/1856862032) |

## What reviewers say

### Gmail

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gmail-email-by-google/id422689480)

**Currently charting:** #3 Top Grossing · Productivity, #5 Top Free · Productivity, #14 Top Free, #19 Top Grossing (US App Store)

This application provides a secure and efficient email experience with advanced features like spam blocking, smart replies, and multi-account support. It integrates with other Google services for enhanced productivity and collaboration.

**Highlights:** Robust security & spam blocking, Real-time notifications, Multiple account support, Smart Reply & Compose, Undo send, Google Chat & Meet integration, Threaded conversations

**Features:** Family Sharing, Siri integration, Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 100 GB | $1.99 | per month |
| 100 GB | $1.99 | per month |
| 200 GB | $2.99 | per month |
| 200 GB | $2.99 | per month |
| 2 TB | $9.99 | per month |
| Google AI Plus (2 TB) | $9.99 | per month |
| 100 GB | $19.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Efficient email management
- 👍 Easy to use interface
- 🔒 Secure and reliable
- 😊 Positive user experience overall

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 💡 Lacking advanced features
- 🔒 Security concerns
- 🔋 Drains battery quickly

**Reported bugs**

- Notifications not working properly
- Emails disappearing from inbox
- Inability to remove accounts
- Conversation view issues

**Requested features**

- Swipe to delete/snooze emails
- Ability to mark all emails as read
- Customizable notification settings
- Improved file attachment functionality


### LifeTime

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lifetime/id6755877980)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Gmail free?

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

### Is LifeTime free?

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

### Do Gmail or LifeTime have ads?

Gmail shows ads; LifeTime does not.

### Which is updated more often, Gmail or LifeTime?

Gmail ships an update weekly, and LifeTime monthly. Most recently, Gmail was updated on October 16, 2026 and LifeTime on October 2, 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.*