# SpareRoom US vs Roomster

The clearest difference is rating: SpareRoom US at 4.6 against Roomster's 4.0. SpareRoom US also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (34% vs 22%). Roomster's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 3 weeks) and chart position (#81 vs unranked). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SpareRoom US sells 7 one-off in-app purchases and Roomster sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

SpareRoom US holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5.9K and 22K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 34% of SpareRoom US's written reviews are positive against 22% of Roomster's.

SpareRoom US ships an update every 3 weeks, Roomster every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SpareRoom US | Roomster |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (5.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spareroom-us/id427956675/reviews)** | [4.0 (22K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/roomster/id1045548013/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 5.9K | **22K** |
| Positive reviews | **33.6% of reviews** | 22.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#81** |
| Size | 60 MB | 99 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Flatshare Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/397979250) | [Roomster Corp.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1045548007) |

## What reviewers say

### SpareRoom US

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spareroom-us/id427956675)

Find your ideal room or roommate across the US. Filter by lifestyle preferences like profession, student status, dietary choices, and pet ownership. Connect with thousands of listings nationwide to discover your perfect living situation.

**Highlights:** Roommate filtering by profession and student status, Filter by dietary preferences and pet ownership, Thousands of room-sharing opportunities nationwide, On-the-go searching and management, Award-winning customer support

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 7-Day Upgrade | $12.99 | one-time |
| 1-Week Upgrade | $15.00 | one-time |
| Verification | $15.00 | one-time |
| 14-Day Upgrade | $23.99 | one-time |
| 30-Day Upgrade | $25.99 | one-time |
| 30 days Bold Advertising | $25.99 | one-time |
| 4-Week Upgrade | $30.00 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 🤑 Helped find a roommate quickly
- 💰 Affordable
- 👍 Convenient features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Paid features required to fully utilize
- 🤖 Fake/bot accounts
- 🤷‍♀️ Lack of user engagement
- 🔒 Lack of security/verification
- 🤬 Poor customer service

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent app crashes
- Login/account issues
- Inability to upload photos
- Glitchy location search

**Requested features**

- Background checks for users
- Better filtering and search options
- Improved verification process
- Easier profile customization


### Roomster

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/roomster/id1045548013)

**Currently charting:** #81 Top Grossing · Lifestyle (US App Store)

Find a room to rent or a compatible roommate globally. Connect with verified individuals and browse thousands of listings with photos and detailed descriptions. Securely message potential matches and receive real-time alerts for new opportunities.

**Highlights:** Browse rooms and apartments for rent, Connect with validated roommates, Global listings in 18 languages, Private in-app messaging, Easy profile setup with social validation, Real-time alerts

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

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full access | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Full access | $11.99 | per 7 days |
| Full access | $19.99 | per month |
| Full access | $29.99 | per month |
| Full access | $49.99 | per 2 months |
| Id Verification | $2.99 | one-time |
| Id Verification | $5.99 | one-time |
| Background Check | $9.99 | one-time |
| Id Verification | $14.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 💡 Lots of options
- 🚀 Convenient for travelers

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🔒 Privacy concerns
- 🐛 Buggy and glitchy
- 🗣️ Fake/spam messages
- 💰 Misleading pricing

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues
- Frequent crashes
- Listings not updating
- Verification problems

**Requested features**

- Better search filters
- Ability to delete account
- More transparent pricing
- Improved user experience


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SpareRoom US free?

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

### Is Roomster free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SpareRoom US or Roomster?

SpareRoom US is rated higher. SpareRoom US averages 4.6 out of 5 from 5.9K ratings, while Roomster averages 4.0 from 22K ratings.

### Do SpareRoom US or Roomster have ads?

Roomster shows ads; SpareRoom US does not.

### Which is updated more often, SpareRoom US or Roomster?

SpareRoom US ships an update every 3 weeks, and Roomster every 3 days. Most recently, SpareRoom US was updated on November 6, 2026 and Roomster on November 9, 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.*