# giffgaff vs Bark

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Bark at 98% against giffgaff's 28%. Bark also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.5). giffgaff's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ratings volume (1K vs 111). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Bark sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.69 per year. giffgaff asks for nothing beyond the download.

Bark holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: giffgaff has 1K ratings behind it against 111, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 28% of giffgaff's written reviews are positive against 98% of Bark's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | giffgaff | Bark |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/giffgaff/id571246020/reviews) | **[4.9 (111 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bark-custom-notifications/id1403753865/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1K** | 111 |
| Positive reviews | 28.3% of reviews | **98.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 99 MB | 32 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [giffgaff](https://appshunter.io/developer/571246023) | [丰 黄](https://appshunter.io/developer/1090589311) |

## What reviewers say

### giffgaff

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/giffgaff/id571246020)

Manage your mobile account effortlessly. Track data usage, renew plans, and access WiFi hotspots across the UK. This app provides a comprehensive overview of your mobile services and allows for easy top-ups and account management.

**Highlights:** Check data usage, Buy or renew plans, Plan expiry notifications, Add credit/auto top-up, WiFi Extra access, Community access

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and easy to use
- 💰 Affordable pricing
- 👍 Straightforward app
- 🔒 Secure login process

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes
- ⚠️ Poor network coverage
- 🔍 Lack of customer support
- 🔧 Technical issues with SIM activation

**Reported bugs**

- Login screen freezes
- Inability to update payment methods
- Inconsistent app behavior across devices
- Unreliable app performance after updates

**Requested features**

- Detailed data usage tracking
- Ability to manage family accounts
- Landscape mode support for tablets
- Seamless SIM card switching


### Bark

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bark-custom-notifications/id1403753865)

Send custom push notifications to your iPhone via an HTTP API. Supports advanced features like custom icons, grouping, and critical alerts. Offers privacy-protected, end-to-end encrypted pushes with self-deployable server options.

**Highlights:** HTTP API for push notifications, Custom icons and grouping, Continuous and critical alerts, End-to-end push encryption, Self-deployable server options, Privacy-protected notifications

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Continuous support | $2.69 | per year |
| One-time donation | $2.69 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is giffgaff free?

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

### Is Bark free?

Bark is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, giffgaff or Bark?

Bark is rated higher. giffgaff averages 4.5 out of 5 from 1K ratings, while Bark averages 4.9 from 111 ratings.

### Do giffgaff or Bark have ads?

Neither giffgaff nor Bark shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, giffgaff or Bark?

giffgaff ships an update every 3 weeks, and Bark every 3 weeks. Most recently, giffgaff was updated on November 1, 2026 and Bark on November 2, 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.*