# CDC vs FluStar

The clearest difference is rating: CDC at 2.9 against FluStar's 2.3. CDC also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (22% vs 0%). FluStar's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs monthly) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.6). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

CDC holds the better App Store score, 2.9 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CDC has 413 ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 22% of CDC's written reviews are positive against 0% of FluStar's.

CDC ships an update monthly, FluStar fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 15, 2026 and July 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CDC | FluStar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[2.9 (413 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cdc/id487847188/reviews)** | [2.3 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flustar-flu-tracker/id1483474643/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **413** | 13 |
| Positive reviews | **22.5% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 38 MB | 22 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Centers For Disease Control and Prevention](https://appshunter.io/developer/439259253) | [IQVIA Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/376388241) |

## What reviewers say

### CDC

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cdc/id487847188)

Access the latest health information and news directly from the official source. Organize your home screen to prioritize what matters most and receive real-time updates. Explore a variety of content including disease data, videos, podcasts, and journal articles.

**Highlights:** Up-to-date health information, Customizable home screen, Disease case counts, Videos and podcasts, Journal articles, Searchable web content

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Informative and reliable health information
- 🚀 Easy to navigate and access data
- 👍 Useful for public health professionals and students

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- ⚠️ Outdated or inaccurate information, especially regarding COVID-19
- 🔒 Privacy and security concerns
- 👎 Lack of trust in the CDC due to political influence

**Reported bugs**

- Links within articles not working
- App freezing or not loading past the splash screen
- Symptom checker and other features not functioning properly

**Requested features**

- Improved contact tracing tools
- More up-to-date and comprehensive disease data
- Better integration with other health apps and platforms
- Landscape mode support for tablets


### FluStar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flustar-flu-tracker/id1483474643)

Track current cold and flu activity by ZIP code across the US. Get information on influenza symptoms, past epidemics, and how to differentiate between a cold and the flu.

**Highlights:** Real-time flu activity by ZIP code, Cold and flu symptom information, Educational content on influenza, Data on past flu epidemics, Distinguish between cold and flu

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CDC free?

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

### Is FluStar free?

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

### Which has better reviews, CDC or FluStar?

CDC is rated higher. CDC averages 2.9 out of 5 from 413 ratings, while FluStar averages 2.3 from 13 ratings.

### Do CDC or FluStar have ads?

FluStar shows ads; CDC does not.

### Which is updated more often, CDC or FluStar?

CDC ships an update monthly, and FluStar fortnightly. Most recently, CDC was updated on September 15, 2026 and FluStar on July 21, 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.*