# INITIAL vs Toby

The clearest difference is review sentiment: INITIAL at 100% against Toby's 48%. INITIAL also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.3) and in-app purchases (none vs 7). Toby's advantage is ratings volume (75 vs 2) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, ads, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Toby sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. INITIAL asks for nothing beyond the download.

INITIAL holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Toby has 75 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of INITIAL's written reviews are positive against 48% of Toby's.

INITIAL ships an update every 2 months, Toby every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | INITIAL | Toby |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/initial/id440625509/reviews)** | [4.3 (75 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/toby-hire-local-service/id1168549802/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **75** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 47.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 45 MB | 107 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [INITIAL FASHION CO., LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/440625512) | [Toby Technology Limited, Hong Kong SAR](https://appshunter.io/developer/1141852145) |

## What reviewers say

### INITIAL

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/initial/id440625509)

Discover a unique shopping journey with this application. It offers an unusual and engaging way to explore products and find what you're looking for.

**Highlights:** Unique shopping experience, Product exploration, Engaging interface, Fashion discovery

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Toby

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/toby-hire-local-service/id1168549802)

Find and book local services in Hong Kong, from home cleaning and elderly care to beauty appointments and home renovation. Connect with professionals, compare quotes, and access exclusive offers.

**Highlights:** Instant service professional matching, Compare quotes and profiles, Book home services directly, Discover beauty and wellness merchants, Decoration inspiration and consultant booking, In-app chat with service pros, Map search for nearby merchants

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 100 | $33.99 | one-time |
| 100 Credits | $33.99 | one-time |
| 300 | $94.99 | one-time |
| 300 Credits | $94.99 | one-time |
| 500 | $149.99 | one-time |
| 1000 | $299.99 | one-time |
| 1000 Credits | $299.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is INITIAL free?

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

### Is Toby free?

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

### Which has better reviews, INITIAL or Toby?

INITIAL is rated higher. INITIAL averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Toby averages 4.3 from 75 ratings.

### Do INITIAL or Toby have ads?

Neither INITIAL nor Toby shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, INITIAL or Toby?

INITIAL ships an update every 2 months, and Toby every 3 weeks. Most recently, INITIAL was updated on September 29, 2026 and Toby on October 14, 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.*