# Past Chicago vs PlusPortals

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Past Chicago at 100% against PlusPortals's 9%. Past Chicago also leads on rating (4.5 vs 1.5). PlusPortals's advantage is ratings volume (153 vs 10) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

Past Chicago holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 1.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PlusPortals has 153 ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Past Chicago's written reviews are positive against 9% of PlusPortals's.

Past Chicago ships an update monthly, PlusPortals every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Past Chicago | PlusPortals |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/past-chicago/id511023472/reviews)** | [1.5 (153 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plusportals/id6743200395/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 10 | **153** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 9.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 9 MB | 93 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Boxcue Technologies LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/511023475) | [Rediker Software, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/543969038) |

## 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


### PlusPortals

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plusportals/id6743200395)

Access school information securely on your mobile device. View combined feeds, calendars, scores, assignments, and more. Stay connected with your school for enhanced learning and success.

**Highlights:** Secure mobile access, Combined Feeds, Calendar view, Recent Scores, Missing Work, Assignments, Attendance tracking

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Faster than old version
- 💡 Good for students

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Login issues
- 🐛 Crashes at login
- 🐛 Doesn't work
- 🐛 Difficult to navigate
- 🐛 Outdated interface

**Reported bugs**

- Login screen not working
- Unexpected errors
- Can't send messages to support

**Requested features**

- Bring back lesson plans
- Allow filtering by student
- Improve calendar view


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Past Chicago free?

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

### Is PlusPortals free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Past Chicago or PlusPortals?

Past Chicago is rated higher. Past Chicago averages 4.5 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while PlusPortals averages 1.5 from 153 ratings.

### Do Past Chicago or PlusPortals have ads?

Neither Past Chicago nor PlusPortals shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Past Chicago or PlusPortals?

Past Chicago ships an update monthly, and PlusPortals every 2 months. Most recently, Past Chicago was updated on November 1, 2026 and PlusPortals on November 7, 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.*
