# Kickstarter vs OwlCrate

The clearest difference is ads: OwlCrate at none against Kickstarter's shown. OwlCrate also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and update cadence (weekly vs every 4 weeks). Kickstarter's advantage is ratings volume (59K vs 32) and rating (4.8 vs 4.5). 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.

Kickstarter holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Kickstarter has 59K ratings behind it against 32, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 32% of Kickstarter's written reviews are positive against 43% of OwlCrate's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Kickstarter ships an update every 4 weeks, OwlCrate weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Kickstarter | OwlCrate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (59K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kickstarter-projects-you-love/id596961532/reviews)** | [4.5 (32 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/owlcrate/id6745908989/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **59K** | 32 |
| Positive reviews | 32.4% of reviews | **42.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#210** | — |
| Size | 129 MB | 130 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Kickstarter, PBC](https://appshunter.io/developer/596961535) | [OwlCrate Enterprises Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1646669972) |

## What reviewers say

### Kickstarter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kickstarter-projects-you-love/id596961532)

**Currently charting:** #210 Top Free · Social Networking (US App Store)

Explore and support innovative projects across various creative fields. Discover groundbreaking ideas in games, technology, art, and more. Pledge to projects that inspire you and stay updated on their progress.

**Highlights:** Discover creative projects globally, Pledge to projects, Receive project updates, Track backings, Join a global creative community

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Handy tracker for backed projects
- 👍 Great app and great service
- 🚀 Bypass the traditional economy!
- 👍 Very nice
- 👍 Excellent

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Works well enough unless you support a lot of projects
- 🐛 App is very buggy
- 🔒 Scammers Paradise
- 🔒 Don't fall into the trap
- 🔒 platform setup to scam you

**Reported bugs**

- Explore tab broken in latest update
- Notifications not working correctly
- Activity feed not updating
- Issues with submitting surveys through the app
- Clunky UI, especially when updating pledges

**Requested features**

- Allow filtering backed projects by status (received, active, closed)
- Ability to follow creators directly in the app
- Improve comments section (threading, search, etc.)
- Add an archive/delete function for completed/cancelled projects
- Introduce a read/unread project status


### OwlCrate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/owlcrate/id6745908989)

A free community platform for book lovers to connect, share recommendations, and participate in reading challenges and live events. Discover new reads, join book clubs, and engage with fellow readers and authors in a welcoming, inclusive space.

**Highlights:** Connect with bookish friends, Discover new favorite reads, Participate in monthly book clubs, Join reading challenges, Win giveaways, Watch live author events, Play games and features

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Kickstarter free?

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

### Is OwlCrate free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Kickstarter or OwlCrate?

Kickstarter is rated higher. Kickstarter averages 4.8 out of 5 from 59K ratings, while OwlCrate averages 4.5 from 32 ratings.

### Do Kickstarter or OwlCrate have ads?

Kickstarter shows ads; OwlCrate does not.

### Which is updated more often, Kickstarter or OwlCrate?

Kickstarter ships an update every 4 weeks, and OwlCrate weekly. Most recently, Kickstarter was updated on November 7, 2026 and OwlCrate on November 5, 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.*