# Costco vs Hobby Lobby

The clearest difference is rating: Costco at 4.9 against Hobby Lobby's 2.9. Costco also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 6 months) and review sentiment (39% vs 9%). Hobby Lobby's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

Costco holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Costco has 1.3M ratings behind it against 2K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 39% of Costco's written reviews are positive against 9% of Hobby Lobby's.

Costco ships an update every 5 days, Hobby Lobby every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Costco | Hobby Lobby |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (1.3M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/costco/id535509415/reviews)** | [2.9 (2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hobby-lobby/id535562583/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.3M** | 2K |
| Positive reviews | **39.1% of reviews** | 9.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#13** | #59 |
| Size | 225 MB | 47 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Costco Wholesale Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/535509418) | [Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/534544354) |

## What reviewers say

### Costco

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/costco/id535509415)

**Currently charting:** #13 Top Free · Shopping, #82 Top Free (US App Store)

Access your membership card, shop online for exclusive items, and find warehouse savings. Order photos, manage prescriptions, and plan travel. Locate warehouses and check gas prices.

**Highlights:** Digital membership card, Online shopping and delivery, Warehouse savings and gas prices, Photo ordering, Pharmacy management, Travel deals, Shopping list

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🤑 Great rewards and rebates
- 🏪 Excellent in-store experience
- 🛒 Convenient bulk shopping
- 🧠 Organized and easy to navigate warehouses

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤖 Outdated and unintuitive app design
- 🔍 Inability to check in-store inventory and pricing
- 🧭 Frustrating navigation and search functionality
- 🤷‍♀️ Lack of integration between app and in-store experience
- 🔒 Concerns about personal information required for app access

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent app crashes and login issues
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between online and in-store modes
- Incorrect or outdated product information

**Requested features**

- Apple Wallet support for digital membership card
- In-store product availability and pricing information
- Scan and go checkout option
- Customizable quick access buttons
- Improved search capabilities and product filtering


### Hobby Lobby

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hobby-lobby/id535562583)

**Currently charting:** #59 Top Free · Shopping (US App Store)

Discover a vast selection of over 75,000 products for crafts, home decor, and hobbies. Browse weekly ads for savings and easily locate nearby stores for an enriched shopping experience.

**Highlights:** Browse weekly ad, Locate nearby stores, Vast product selection, Craft supplies, Home accents, Custom framing

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🤗 Helpful customer service
- 💕 Great selection of products
- 🌟 Enjoyable in-store experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitchy and unstable app
- 🔍 Poor search functionality
- 🔒 Frustrating login issues
- 🤯 Confusing navigation and user experience
- ⏱️ Slow and unresponsive app

**Reported bugs**

- Constant app crashes and freezes
- Items disappearing from cart
- Inability to complete purchases

**Requested features**

- Ability to check in-store inventory
- Option to order online for in-store pickup
- Improved search with filters and sorting
- Seamless login and account management


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Costco free?

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

### Is Hobby Lobby free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Costco or Hobby Lobby?

Costco is rated higher. Costco averages 4.9 out of 5 from 1.3M ratings, while Hobby Lobby averages 2.9 from 2K ratings.

### Do Costco or Hobby Lobby have ads?

Costco shows ads; Hobby Lobby does not.

### Which is updated more often, Costco or Hobby Lobby?

Costco ships an update every 5 days, and Hobby Lobby every 6 months. Most recently, Costco was updated on November 5, 2026 and Hobby Lobby on November 1, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Costco or Hobby Lobby?

Costco currently peaks at #13 in the App Store charts, and Hobby Lobby at #59. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*