# Cluster vs Platoon

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Platoon at 100% against Cluster's 56%. Platoon also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 6) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). Cluster's advantage is ratings volume (22K vs 1) and device support (4 vs 2). On price, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Cluster sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Platoon asks for nothing beyond the download.

Platoon holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cluster has 22K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 56% of Cluster's written reviews are positive against 100% of Platoon's.

Cluster ships an update every 4 weeks, Platoon every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cluster | Platoon |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (22K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cluster/id596595032/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/platoon-fire-service/id6760314101/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **22K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 56.4% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 37 MB | 38 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Cluster Labs, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/596595035) | [Jacob Hinsenkamp](https://appshunter.io/developer/1883787288) |

## What reviewers say

### Cluster

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cluster/id596595032)

Create private groups to share photos and videos with specific people. Ideal for families, friends, or colleagues to share moments securely without broadcasting to a wider audience. Access your shared memories across mobile devices and the web.

**Highlights:** Create private sharing groups, Share photos and videos, Invite specific members, Web and mobile access, Relevant notifications, Secure and private sharing

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cluster Friend | $4.99 | per month |
| Cluster Family | $9.99 | per month |
| Cluster Pro | $19.99 | per month |
| Cluster Friend | $49.99 | per year |
| Cluster Family | $99.99 | per year |
| Cluster Pro | $199.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Great for sharing photos and videos
- 🔒 Allows private sharing with selected groups
- 💡 Helpful for keeping family connected
- 👍 Simple and effective interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🐛 Issues with photo/video uploads
- 🐛 Unreliable notifications
- 🐛 Glitchy performance after updates
- 🔍 Lack of search and organization features

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch for some users
- Photos and videos fail to upload consistently
- Notification issues - not receiving updates
- Compatibility problems with newer Android devices
- Unexpected errors when trying to access accounts

**Requested features**

- Add ability to edit/delete posts
- Improve photo/video upload reliability
- Implement better notification system
- Add option to create galleries/albums within groups
- Enhance search and filtering capabilities


### Platoon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/platoon-fire-service/id6760314101)

This platform streamlines operations for firefighter crews, unions, and departments. It integrates scheduling, communication, union management, and event coordination into a single mobile-first application for station life.

**Highlights:** Shift trades and coverage coordination, Crew messaging and group chats, Union announcements and voting, Event and reminder management, Document and resource sharing, Targeted communication

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cluster free?

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

### Is Platoon free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Cluster or Platoon?

Platoon is rated higher. Cluster averages 4.8 out of 5 from 22K ratings, while Platoon averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Cluster or Platoon have ads?

Neither Cluster nor Platoon shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Cluster or Platoon?

Cluster ships an update every 4 weeks, and Platoon every 2 weeks. Most recently, Cluster was updated on October 17, 2026 and Platoon on October 10, 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.*