Comparison

Past Chicago vs PolyChat

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Past Chicago

Explore Chicago's past through thousands of historic photographs overlaid on an interactive map. Discover street scenes and buildings from different eras, search for specific locations, and view original archive details. This app offers a free, ad-free way to virtually wander through the city's history.

Highlights
  • Historic photos on an interactive map
  • Search by place or address
  • Filter by year
  • View full-screen photos
  • Save favorite places
  • Includes archive source and date information
Features
Read full description

You know the street. You might not recognize the photograph. Past Chicago puts thousands of historic photographs on a map of the city. Start with your neighborhood, follow the lakefront, or wander through the Loop. Tap a place to see its buildings and street scenes from years gone by. Stop by Riverview Park or explore the 1893 World's Fair. Some places are instantly recognizable; others might have you checking the street signs. Find your own way through the collection: - Search for places and addresses, or use Locate Me to see what's nearby. - Filter by year to explore a different era, then browse the available photographs at each location. - Open a photograph full screen, swipe through the gallery, and zoom in for a closer look. - Save places you'd like to revisit. There's a little motion, too: watch a silent 1897 street scene filmed at State and Madison, right on the map where it happened. Every photograph includes its archive source, credit and available date information. Open the original archive record to keep looking. Approximate locations are labeled, with notes to help make sense of streets and addresses that have changed. The entire collection is free. No ads, subscriptions or in-app purchases. Made for iPhone and iPad. Location permission is optional, so you can explore Chicago from anywhere. TERMS OF USE (EULA) https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy https://pastchicago.com/privacy

About

PolyChat

Master new languages with interactive lessons, engaging games, and an AI chat tutor. Practice vocabulary, grammar, and conversation with a powerful translator and conjugation tools. Learn at your own pace, anytime, anywhere.

Highlights
  • Interactive lessons
  • Gamified vocabulary challenges
  • AI chat tutor
  • Real-time translator
  • Verb conjugator
  • Progress tracking
Features
Read full description

PolyChat is the leading language learning app for iOS, designed to take you from beginner to fluency with interactive lessons, games, AI chat and video call tools, vocabulary exercises, study lists, translation tools, and conversation practice. Learn English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, Dutch, Portuguese, Polish, Romanian, Croatian, Catalan, Czech, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Vietnamese, and Albanian with over 5,000 lessons per language. PolyChat is the only app that combines structured lessons with custom lessons, giving you the power to learn exactly what you want, anytime you want. Whether you are learning for travel, work, school, ESL study, or personal growth, PolyChat helps you speak confidently faster than traditional apps. Why PolyChat? • 5,000+ lessons per language from beginner to mastery (CEFR A1–C2) • Placement test to match you with lessons for your level • Unlimited custom lessons • AI chat tutor with interactive video calls • Custom study lists for words and phrases • Vocabulary games and roleplay challenges • Built-in translator and conjugation challenges • Progress tracking for words, phrases, and verbs • Designed for beginners through advanced speakers • Free to start learning today Master Languages With Structured Lessons PolyChat includes thousands of lessons covering vocabulary, grammar, verbs, conjugation, pronunciation, listening, reading, and speaking skills. Practice beginner lessons, verb drills, grammar exercises, translation practice, listening activities, and roleplay conversations designed to build fluency naturally. Vocabulary modules, phrase matching games, timed challenges, and custom study lists help reinforce what you learn. Our lesson map makes it easy to stay motivated and track your progress. Unlimited Custom Lessons Generate fully customized language lessons instantly with AI. Create lessons for: • Business English conversation • German travel phrases • Portuguese vocabulary for soccer • Dutch grammar exercises • French slang • Spanish roleplay scenarios • ESL speaking practice • And almost anything else you can imagine Create your own lesson in seconds and make language learning limitless. AI Chat Tutor and Video Calls Practice naturally with your personal AI tutor through chat or interactive video calls. PolyChat's AI tutor helps you: • Improve conversation and speaking skills • Learn useful phrases and vocabulary • Get corrections instantly • Practice realistic situations through roleplay From beginner conversation to advanced discussion, PolyChat adapts to your level. PolyChat also includes an instant translator with examples and alternatives, custom study lists, vocabulary and conjugation challenges, and spaced repetition review. Everything works together in one app to help you learn faster and remember more. LEARN THROUGH GAMES AND CHALLENGES PolyChat includes: • Vocabulary games • Speaking challenges • Timed word games • XP rewards • Streaks • Leaderboards • Achievements • Daily challenges • Social learning features These features keep you motivated while building real language skills. Download PolyChat today and discover why thousands of learners are choosing the most complete language learning app for iPhone and iPad. Learn faster. Speak confidently. Master languages with PolyChat. Privacy Policy: polychatapp.com/privacy Terms of Service: polychatapp.com/terms

Screenshots

Past Chicago4 screens
PolyChat4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Past Chicago at none against PolyChat's 9. Past Chicago also leads on ads (none vs shown). PolyChat's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 4.5) and ratings volume (224 vs 10). On price, review sentiment and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. PolyChat sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per month. Past Chicago asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

PolyChat holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PolyChat has 224 ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of Past Chicago's written reviews are positive against 96% of PolyChat's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Past Chicago ships an update monthly, PolyChat every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Past Chicago versus PolyChat: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPast ChicagoPolyChat
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (10 ratings)4.9 (224 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better95.6% of reviews
Number of ratings10224 — better
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.016.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB99 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperBoxcue Technologies LLCApplied AI

Customer experience

Past Chicago

All ratings10 ratings
Positive90.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative10.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

PolyChat

All ratings219 ratings
Positive97.3%
Neutral2.3%
Negative0.5%
Written reviews68 reviews
Positive95.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative4.4%

Bugs and requests

Past Chicago

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

PolyChat

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • ChatGPT not functioning (Pro subscription issue)
  • Pro subscription not working

Requested features

3 requests
  • Add writing exercises
  • Ability to open a lesson at any level
  • More lessons for total beginners

In-app purchases

None

Past Chicago

No in-app purchases

9 purchases

PolyChat

Subscriptions2
  • Polychat Plus Monthly7 Days trial$12.991 Month
  • Polychat Plus7 Days trial$89.991 Year
One-time7
  • Weekend Getaway$0.99
  • Regional Excursion$4.99
  • Road Trip$9.99
Show 4 more
  • Cross Country Adventure$19.99
  • Globetrotter Grand Tour$49.99
  • Space Odyssey$99.99
  • PolyChat Plus — Lifetime$199.99

Questions

Is Past Chicago free?
Past Chicago is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is PolyChat free?
PolyChat is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Past Chicago or PolyChat?
PolyChat is rated higher. Past Chicago averages 4.5 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while PolyChat averages 4.9 from 224 ratings.
Do Past Chicago or PolyChat have ads?
PolyChat shows ads; Past Chicago does not.
Which is updated more often, Past Chicago or PolyChat?
Past Chicago ships an update monthly, and PolyChat every 2 weeks. Most recently, Past Chicago was updated on October 15, 2026 and PolyChat on October 21, 2026.

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