# Past Chicago vs PolyChat

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.

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.

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.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | Past Chicago | PolyChat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/past-chicago/id511023472/reviews) | **[4.9 (224 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/polychat-language-learning/id6449936635/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 10 | **224** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 95.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 9 MB | 99 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Boxcue Technologies LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/511023475) | [Applied AI](https://appshunter.io/developer/1691066680) |

## What reviewers say

### Past Chicago

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/past-chicago/id511023472)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### PolyChat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/polychat-language-learning/id6449936635)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Polychat Plus Monthly | $12.99 | per month |
| Polychat Plus | $89.99 | per year |
| Weekend Getaway | $0.99 | one-time |
| Regional Excursion | $4.99 | one-time |
| Road Trip | $9.99 | one-time |
| Cross Country Adventure | $19.99 | one-time |
| Globetrotter Grand Tour | $49.99 | one-time |
| Space Odyssey | $99.99 | one-time |
| PolyChat Plus — Lifetime | $199.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Innovative learning path feature
- 💡 Custom vocabulary quizzes
- 👍 Easy to understand lessons
- 💡 Build your own character
- 👍 Great user interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 No writing exercises
- 🐛 AI chat is too hard (for some)
- 🐛 Lack of level adjustment for experienced speakers
- 🐛 Lessons are a bit fast for some

**Reported bugs**

- ChatGPT not functioning (Pro subscription issue)
- Pro subscription not working

**Requested features**

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


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*