# Consumer Reports vs West Elm

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: West Elm at none against Consumer Reports's 2. Consumer Reports's advantage is ratings volume (64K vs 5.7K) and chart position (#9 vs unranked). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Consumer Reports sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $10.00 per month. West Elm asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Consumer Reports against 4.8 for West Elm. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Consumer Reports has 64K ratings behind it against 5.7K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 28% of Consumer Reports's written reviews are positive against 31% of West Elm's.

Consumer Reports ships an update every 2 weeks, West Elm every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Consumer Reports | West Elm |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (64K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/consumer-reports/id606511415/reviews)** | [4.8 (5.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/west-elm/id867468341/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **64K** | 5.7K |
| Positive reviews | 27.7% of reviews | **31.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#9** | — |
| Size | 98 MB | 344 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Consumer Reports](https://appshunter.io/developer/294945193) | [Williams-Sonoma, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/387049654) |

## What reviewers say

### Consumer Reports

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/consumer-reports/id606511415)

**Currently charting:** #9 Top Grossing · Shopping (US App Store)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| CR Monthly Subscription | $10.00 | per month |
| CR Yearly Subscription | $39.00 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helpful product information
- 🚀 Convenient mobile access
- 💡 Unbiased, expert reviews
- 🤑 Potential savings on purchases

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy app performance
- 🔍 Limited product coverage
- 🤔 Outdated or incomplete information
- 🧭 Poor search and navigation
- 📱 Subpar iPad experience

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent crashes and freezes
- Login issues and lost credentials
- Inconsistent or missing product data

**Requested features**

- 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


### West Elm

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/west-elm/id867468341)

Discover the latest home decor arrivals and seasonal inspiration. Create and manage your wedding registry easily, and get expert design advice for your dream space. Shop curated room looks and receive personalized recommendations.

**Highlights:** Discover latest arrivals, Seasonal inspiration, Wedding registry management, Virtual design help, Shop by room, Personalized recommendations

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Excellent customer service
- 🚀 Quality and style of products
- 💡 Free swatch samples
- 🤩 Unique and beautiful designs

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezes
- 🔍 Poor search and navigation functionality
- 🛒 Issues with cart and saved items
- ⏰ Long delivery times and order delays
- 🔌 Buggy and unresponsive app performance

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when trying to return items
- Inability to link rewards account
- Saved items disappearing from cart
- Shipping and delivery information not accurate

**Requested features**

- Add AR view in room feature
- Improve product reviews and ratings
- Allow opting out of promotional emails
- Fix login and account management issues


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Consumer Reports free?

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

### Is West Elm free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Consumer Reports or West Elm?

Consumer Reports is rated higher. Consumer Reports averages 4.8 out of 5 from 64K ratings, while West Elm averages 4.8 from 5.7K ratings.

### Do Consumer Reports or West Elm have ads?

Neither Consumer Reports nor West Elm shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Consumer Reports or West Elm?

Consumer Reports ships an update every 2 weeks, and West Elm every 3 weeks. Most recently, Consumer Reports was updated on October 23, 2026 and West Elm on October 22, 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.*