Comparison

Past Chicago vs Keymagine

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

Keymagine

Master new languages faster with a visual mnemonic method. This app uses over 5000 words with memorable images and bite-sized lessons to boost vocabulary retention and make learning engaging.

Highlights
  • 5000+ words with memorable images
  • Bite-sized learning modules
  • Interactive quizzes for progress tracking
  • Save favorite words for review
  • Detailed word information (gender, meaning, examples)
  • Visual mnemonic learning approach
Features
Read full description

Learn Vocabulary 3x Faster with Keymagine – Your Ultimate Vocabulary Builder! Ready to master a new language effortlessly? Keymagine combines the power of a proven memory method with images to supercharge your memory, making language learning fun, effective, and faster than ever before. Our visual mnemonic method boosts recall and keeps learning fun. Why Keymagine? • 5000+ Words with Memorable Images: Retain vocabulary longer with vivid, research-backed images tailored for memory retention. • Bite-Sized Learning: Tackle manageable wordlists that fit into your busy schedule. • Interactive Quizzes: Test your knowledge and track your progress with engaging activities. • Favorites: Save words you want to revisit or focus on later. • Detailed Word Info: See gender, meaning, and example sentences for every word. What Makes Us Different? With Keymagine, you’re not just memorizing words; you’re creating lasting connections using scientifically proven techniques. • Unlock 3x better retention through our innovative visual learning approach. • Stay consistent with daily practice, progress insights, and fun challenges. • Build real vocabulary skills you’ll actually remember and use in real-life conversations. Download Keymagine Today! Join thousands of learners transforming their language skills with ease. Start building your vocabulary faster, smarter, and with unforgettable ease. Your journey to language mastery starts now! Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Past Chicago4 screens
Keymagine4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Past Chicago at 100% against Keymagine's 55%. Past Chicago also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 7). Keymagine's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.5) and ratings volume (295 vs 10). On price, ads 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. Keymagine sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Past Chicago asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Keymagine holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Keymagine has 295 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 55% of Keymagine'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, Keymagine every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Past Chicago versus Keymagine: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPast ChicagoKeymagine
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (10 ratings)4.8 (295 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better54.5% of reviews
Number of ratings10295 — better
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB60 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperBoxcue Technologies LLCKeymagine

Customer experience

Past Chicago

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

Keymagine

All ratings170 ratings
Positive95.3%
Neutral1.2%
Negative3.5%
Written reviews11 reviews
Positive54.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative45.5%

In-app purchases

None

Past Chicago

No in-app purchases

7 purchases

Keymagine

Subscriptions7
  • Keymagine Premium (Weekly)7 Days trial$4.997 Days
  • Keymagine Premium (Weekly)7 Days trial$8.997 Days
  • Keymagine Premium (Monthly)7 Days trial$8.991 Month
Show 4 more
  • Keymagine Premium (Yearly)$24.991 Year
  • Keymagine Premium (Yearly)7 Days trial$34.991 Year
  • Keymagine Premium (Yearly)7 Days trial$44.991 Year
  • Keymagine Premium (Yearly)7 Days trial$59.991 Year

Questions

Is Past Chicago free?
Past Chicago is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Keymagine free?
Keymagine is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Past Chicago or Keymagine?
Keymagine is rated higher. Past Chicago averages 4.5 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while Keymagine averages 4.8 from 295 ratings.
Do Past Chicago or Keymagine have ads?
Neither Past Chicago nor Keymagine shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Past Chicago or Keymagine?
Past Chicago ships an update monthly, and Keymagine every 2 weeks. Most recently, Past Chicago was updated on November 1, 2026 and Keymagine on November 8, 2026.

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