Consumer Reports vs SmartCustomer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Consumer Reports
Access unbiased product reviews, ratings, and shopping guides to make informed purchasing decisions. Features include a smart advisor for product questions, tools for savings, and exclusive member deals.
- Product ratings and reviews
- Buying guides
- Bill Negotiator tool
- Smart advisor for product questions
- Image Scan for product comparison
- Best Time to Buy tool
- Exclusive member deals
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Shop smarter with Consumer Reports by your side. Discover products worth buying, compare your options, find deals, and get trusted answers backed by CR's independent testing, research, and expertise. Whether you're looking for your next car, replacing an appliance, searching for the best products for your home, or just curious about what's worth buying, the Consumer Reports app makes it easier to shop confidently. Discover what's worth buying Explore Product Collections Discover trending products and expert-curated collections designed to help you find your next great buy. Watch the latest from CR Get useful shopping advice and consumer insights right in your feed, with videos covering products, CR testing, important consumer issues, and more. Find deals and ways to save Discover deals and discounts on products worth considering, plus tools like Best Time to Buy that can help you decide when it's worth making a purchase. Research, compare, and shop AskCR Ask questions and get answers backed by Consumer Reports' trusted expertise. Use AskCR to research products and cars, compare your options, narrow down your choices, and find the right product for your needs. Ratings & Reviews Access CR ratings and reviews for thousands of products, cars, and services based on independent testing, research, and consumer surveys. Image Scan Shopping in a store? Scan a barcode or take a photo of a product to quickly find CR ratings and information, compare your options, and make a more informed decision on the spot. Product Comparisons Compare products and cars side by side to see how your options stack up, and find the best choice for you. Buying Guides Get expert guidance on what to consider before you buy, from major appliances and electronics to cars and everyday products. Save Your Favorites Save products and comparisons so you can easily come back to them when you're ready to make a decision. Get even more from Membership Consumer Reports members get full access to features including: • Unlimited AskCR conversations • Ratings and reviews for thousands of products and services • CR Recommended products • Image Scan • Exclusive member deals and discounts • Best Time to Buy • Additional member benefits and exclusive partnerships • Extra savings with Bill Negotiator Not a member yet? Consumer Reports is free to download, with access to select features including Buying Guides, Bill Negotiator, Product Collections, videos, and limited access to AskCR. You can join Consumer Reports directly through the app to unlock the full experience. Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR buys the products it tests and does not accept advertising, helping you make informed decisions with independent insights you can trust. From discovering your next purchase to making the final decision, keep Consumer Reports with you and shop with confidence.
SmartCustomer
Discover and research businesses worldwide. Read millions of user reviews, share your own experiences, and connect with a community of buyers and businesses. Plan your shopping by bookmarking favorites and joining discussions.
- Discover businesses in any category
- Read millions of user reviews
- Post your own feedback
- Ask questions and get advice
- Bookmark favorite brands
- Join community discussions
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SmartCustomer is the customer reviews platform where millions of buyers and businesses worldwide come together. Discover reputable companies, hear what millions of users have to say, and post feedback on your own experience with a product or business. With SmartCustomer, you can: Discover up-and-coming businesses in any category Research businesses you don't have experience with Ask questions and get advice Share your own experience with a product or brand Plan out your shopping by bookmarking your favorites Join in on community discussions DISCOVER BUSINESSES Find great brands you can trust for anything you need to purchase online Shop smart with real advice from other reviewers Browse modern alternatives to industry classics Uncover new businesses that better suit your specific needs RATE AND REVIEW Share your experience, expertise, recommendations, and suggestions Support great businesses while helping your fellow customers Bookmark your favorite brands so you can easily find them later JOIN THE COMMUNITY Interact with millions of reviewers Ask for specific advice about any business Help the community by answering questions Join in on discussions around your favorite topics WHAT OUR USERS HAVE TO SAY Reviews from the BBB: “SmartCustomer is definitely my go-to site for brand and product reviews. They have literally every brand you can think of on their website, even those brands you typically have a hard time finding reviews for. Reviews are clearly authentic and unbiased, which is very hard to find in review sites these days. Reviewers often leave helpful tips, pictures, and videos as well. I highly recommend this site!” - Melissa M. “SmartCustomer reviews have been extremely helpful to me in finding online websites/businesses that are worth me spending my money with, as well as those that I may be better off staying away from due to other customers' experiences…It has a really great setup to make it easy to find a website by combining through subject (ex., Clothing) or alphabetically. It's a useful but also fun platform that helps find legit reviews, photos/videos of products people have purchased, and connects people with common interests.” - Heather H. “I love SmartCustomer because I can read reviews about other websites and make informed decisions regarding where to purchase an item, for example…It's easy to use and find what you're looking for. I like that I can build my own profile, write reviews, and help other consumers.” - Nafia T. “I love being able to read reviews from other consumers about companies that I’ve never heard of before and learning about new products from companies that I love buying products from!” - Samantha B. “What I grew to enjoy was being able to connect with others on the website and sharing my own thoughts and opinions. Overall, I could not recommend this website more if you want an unbiased review on any brand or service.” - Samira R.
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Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Consumer Reports at 4.8 against SmartCustomer's 4.0. Consumer Reports also leads on ratings volume (64K vs 5) and update cadence (fortnightly vs monthly). SmartCustomer's advantage is review sentiment (67% vs 28%) and in-app purchases (none vs 2). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Consumer Reports sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $10.00 per month. SmartCustomer asks for nothing beyond the download.
Consumer Reports holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Consumer Reports has 64K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 28% of Consumer Reports's written reviews are positive against 67% of SmartCustomer's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Consumer Reports ships an update fortnightly, SmartCustomer monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Consumer Reports | SmartCustomer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (64K ratings) — better | 4.0 (5 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 28.0% of reviews | 66.7% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 64K — better | 5 |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Monthly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #11 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 109 MB | 28 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Consumer Reports | GGL Projects, Inc. |
Customer experience
Consumer Reports
SmartCustomer
Bugs and requests
Consumer Reports
Reported bugs
3 issues- Frequent crashes and freezes
- Login issues and lost credentials
- Inconsistent or missing product data
Requested features
4 requests- Ability to access all website content in the app
- Improved search functionality with better filtering options
- Native iPad app with optimized layout
- Integration with subscription management and account features
SmartCustomer
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Consumer Reports
- CR Monthly Subscription$10.001 Month
- CR Yearly Subscription$39.001 Year
SmartCustomer
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Consumer Reports free?
Is SmartCustomer free?
Which has better reviews, Consumer Reports or SmartCustomer?
Do Consumer Reports or SmartCustomer have ads?
Which is updated more often, Consumer Reports or SmartCustomer?
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