# Bluesky Social vs Threads

The clearest difference is rating: Threads at 4.6 against Bluesky Social's 3.9. Threads also leads on ratings volume (2.2M vs 14K) and review sentiment (52% vs 33%). Bluesky Social's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 31) and ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Threads sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Bluesky Social asks for nothing beyond the download.

Threads holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Threads has 2.2M ratings behind it against 14K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of Bluesky Social's written reviews are positive against 52% of Threads's.

Bluesky Social ships an update every 8 days, Threads weekly. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bluesky Social | Threads |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bluesky-social/id6444370199/reviews) | **[4.6 (2.2M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/threads/id6446901002/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 14K | **2.2M** |
| Positive reviews | 33.4% of reviews | **51.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 8 days | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #88 | **#2** |
| Size | 94 MB | 221 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **16.3** |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Bluesky PBLLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1654243552) | [Instagram, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/389801255) |

## What reviewers say

### Bluesky Social

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bluesky-social/id6444370199)

**Currently charting:** #88 Top Free · Social Networking (US App Store)

This social app prioritizes meaningful conversations and user control. Discover trending topics, explore diverse community-curated feeds, and customize your experience with powerful moderation tools. It offers an ad-free environment and aims for an open, community-driven social internet.

**Highlights:** Ad-free social experience, Community-curated feeds, Customizable content filters, Starter Packs for quick setup, Open, community-driven protocol, Cross-app identity portability

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth and streamlined app
- 🔒 Effective block and moderation tools
- 👍 Customizable feeds and content curation
- 👍 Welcoming and positive community
- 👍 Clean and user-friendly interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional app crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Lacking iPad-specific optimization
- 🤖 Algorithm struggles to filter out unwanted content
- 🔒 Public block lists can be an issue
- 🔍 Limited DM and bookmarking features

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when tapping the retweet button
- Feed not refreshing properly, showing outdated content
- Inconsistent behavior when rotating iPad device
- Inability to edit or delete posted content

**Requested features**

- Add support for direct messages, video uploads, and bookmarking
- Improve iPad app experience with full-screen support
- Enhance algorithm and content filtering capabilities
- Implement private account and block list privacy options


### Threads

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/threads/id6446901002)

**Currently charting:** #2 Top Free · Social Networking, #20 Top Free (US App Store)

Connect and share your thoughts on a platform designed for conversation. Discover trending topics, join communities based on your interests, and engage in discussions through text, images, and polls. You can also control your experience with privacy settings and direct messaging.

**Highlights:** Start conversations with text, images, polls, and more, Join discussions through replies, Stay updated on trending topics, Control content visibility and replies, Discover communities and creators, Private 1:1 and group direct messaging

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| No Ads Multi Tier | $0.99 | per month |
| No Ads Multi Tier | $1.99 | per month |
| No Ads Multi Tier | $2.99 | per month |
| No Ads Multi Tier | $3.99 | per month |
| No ads (1 account) | $7.99 | per month |
| No ads (2 accounts) | $12.99 | per month |
| No ads (3 accounts) | $17.99 | per month |
| No ads (4 accounts) | $21.99 | per month |
| No ads (4 accounts) | $22.99 | per month |
| No ads (5 accounts) | $26.99 | per month |
| No ads (7 accounts) | $37.99 | per month |
| No ads (8 accounts) | $42.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Clean and simple interface
- 🚀 Smooth performance
- 💡 Integrated with Instagram
- 🤝 Sense of community
- 😊 Positive and friendly environment

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🤖 Too many suggested/random posts
- 🔍 Lacking search and discovery features
- 🔀 Difficulty switching between accounts
- 📱 No iPad app

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to post or comment
- Disappearing posts and replies
- Inconsistent account linking with Instagram

**Requested features**

- Chronological feed option
- Hashtag and keyword search
- Trending topics section
- Bookmarking/saving posts
- Direct messaging functionality


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bluesky Social free?

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

### Is Threads free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Bluesky Social or Threads?

Threads is rated higher. Bluesky Social averages 3.9 out of 5 from 14K ratings, while Threads averages 4.6 from 2.2M ratings.

### Do Bluesky Social or Threads have ads?

Threads shows ads; Bluesky Social does not.

### Which is updated more often, Bluesky Social or Threads?

Bluesky Social ships an update every 8 days, and Threads weekly. Most recently, Bluesky Social was updated on September 25, 2026 and Threads on September 25, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Bluesky Social or Threads?

Bluesky Social currently peaks at #88 in the App Store charts, and Threads at #2. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*