# Costco vs Ralphs

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Costco at 39% against Ralphs's 13%. Costco also leads on ratings volume (1.3M vs 62K) and rating (4.9 vs 4.7). 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.

Costco holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Costco has 1.3M ratings behind it against 62K, 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 13% of Ralphs's.

Costco ships an update every 5 days, Ralphs weekly. Both last shipped on October 17, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Costco | Ralphs |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (1.3M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/costco/id535509415/reviews)** | [4.7 (62K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ralphs/id584459861/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.3M** | 62K |
| Positive reviews | **39.1% of reviews** | 13.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Weekly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#13** | #202 |
| Size | 216 MB | 244 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Costco Wholesale Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/535509418) | [The Kroger Co.](https://appshunter.io/developer/403901189) |

## What reviewers say

### Costco

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

**Currently charting:** #13 Top Free · Shopping, #71 Top Free (US App Store)

Access your membership card, shop online for exclusive items, and find warehouse savings.  Discover gas prices, order photo prints, and manage prescriptions. Plan your next trip with event listings and travel deals.

**Highlights:** Digital membership card, Online shopping and delivery, Warehouse savings and gas prices, Photo printing services, Prescription 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- 🤖 Outdated and unintuitive app design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


### Ralphs

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ralphs/id584459861)

**Currently charting:** #202 Top Free · Shopping (US App Store)

Easily manage your grocery shopping with delivery, pickup, and in-store options. Access digital coupons, weekly ads, and personalized savings to make shopping simple and affordable. Track rewards and manage prescriptions for a convenient experience.

**Highlights:** Grocery delivery and pickup, Digital coupons and weekly ads, Personalized savings and rewards, Fuel points tracking, Pharmacy prescription management, In-store payment with Kroger Pay

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Convenient delivery service
- 💡 Helpful shopping list and purchase history features
- 🚀 Flexible ordering and modification options

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy app with frequent crashes and glitches
- 🔍 Poor search and navigation functionality
- 🤔 Inconsistent coupon application and pricing
- 🤷‍♀️ Frustrating substitution and communication issues with shoppers

**Reported bugs**

- Items disappearing from cart
- Login issues and account access problems
- Unreliable delivery scheduling and notifications

**Requested features**

- Improved search and filtering capabilities
- Better integration of coupons and rewards
- Enhanced communication with shoppers during order fulfillment
- Ability to easily modify orders after placement


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Costco free?

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

### Is Ralphs free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Costco or Ralphs?

Costco is rated higher. Costco averages 4.9 out of 5 from 1.3M ratings, while Ralphs averages 4.7 from 62K ratings.

### Do Costco or Ralphs have ads?

Both Costco and Ralphs show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Costco or Ralphs?

Costco ships an update every 5 days, and Ralphs weekly. Most recently, Costco was updated on October 17, 2026 and Ralphs on October 17, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Costco or Ralphs?

Costco currently peaks at #13 in the App Store charts, and Ralphs at #202. 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.*