# theCHIVE vs Alpha Crux

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Alpha Crux at 100% against theCHIVE's 51%. Alpha Crux also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ads (none vs shown). theCHIVE's advantage is price (Free vs $0.99) and ratings volume (168K vs 2). On device support there is nothing between them.

theCHIVE is free to download; Alpha Crux costs $0.99 up front. theCHIVE sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Alpha Crux asks for nothing beyond the download.

Alpha Crux holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: theCHIVE has 168K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 51% of theCHIVE's written reviews are positive against 100% of Alpha Crux's.

theCHIVE ships an update every 4 weeks, Alpha Crux every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | theCHIVE | Alpha Crux |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $0.99 |
| Rating | [4.6 (168K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thechive/id448999087/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alpha-crux/id6641026804/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **168K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 50.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 45 MB | 18 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chive Media Group, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/448999090) | [Rhys Smoker](https://appshunter.io/developer/1763289389) |

## What reviewers say

### theCHIVE

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thechive/id448999087)

Discover a daily stream of amusing photos and videos curated for lighthearted entertainment. This app offers a unique blend of humor, visually appealing content, and heartwarming stories, providing a happy escape from daily life without politics or news.

**Highlights:** Daily dose of amusing photos and videos, Mix of humor, hotness, and humanity, Happy escape content, No politics or snarky humor, No news, purely entertainment

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Support | $4.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $6.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $69.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast content loading
- 👍 Great community and charity work
- 🚀 Smooth user experience (before recent updates)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 💸 Excessive and intrusive ads
- 🔍 Declining content quality and curation

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes and freezes
- Redirects to App Store or other sites
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Reduce ads or offer ad-free option
- Improve app stability and performance
- Restore previous app functionality


### Alpha Crux

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alpha-crux/id6641026804)

A unique crossword game that challenges your visual perception. Players identify common elements across picture clues to solve puzzles. It's a mentally stimulating experience for those who enjoy brain teasers.

**Highlights:** Picture clue analysis, Common element identification, Brain teaser gameplay, Visual puzzle solving, Neuro-spicy challenges

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is theCHIVE free?

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

### Is Alpha Crux free?

Alpha Crux costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, theCHIVE or Alpha Crux?

Alpha Crux is rated higher. theCHIVE averages 4.6 out of 5 from 168K ratings, while Alpha Crux averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do theCHIVE or Alpha Crux have ads?

theCHIVE shows ads; Alpha Crux does not.

### Which is updated more often, theCHIVE or Alpha Crux?

theCHIVE ships an update every 4 weeks, and Alpha Crux every 2 days. Most recently, theCHIVE was updated on November 7, 2026 and Alpha Crux on October 30, 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.*