# base vs Essences

The clearest difference is update cadence: base at monthly against Essences's every 5 months. base also leads on ratings volume (8 vs 2). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for base against 5.0 for Essences. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 2 respectively.

base ships an update monthly, Essences every 5 months. Both last shipped on October 8, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | base | Essences |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/base-intelligent-communities/id6444385260/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essences/id6720711081/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **8** | 2 |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 111 MB | 50 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [IssakaAI](https://appshunter.io/developer/1654373729) | [Caridad Rivera](https://appshunter.io/developer/1770665112) |

## What reviewers say

### base

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/base-intelligent-communities/id6444385260)

This app offers a private, ad-free social networking experience focused on community and inspiration. It features secure communication, AI integration, and tools for creative collaboration, moving away from manipulative social media tactics.

**Highlights:** Ad-free and tracker-free community spaces, Secure encrypted audio and video calls, AI technologies to amplify voices, Focus on inspiration over manipulation, Community-centric design, Privacy controls and data erasure, Multilingual support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none


### Essences

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essences/id6720711081)

Share personal stories and messages within curated topics based on real-life experiences. Connect with others by highlighting resonant parts of their stories, symbolizing shared life experiences.

**Highlights:** Curated topic-based sharing, Personal story and message submission, Highlighting resonant story fragments, Symbolic connection acknowledgment, Focus on real-life experiences

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is base free?

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

### Is Essences free?

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

### Which has better reviews, base or Essences?

Essences is rated higher. base averages 4.9 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Essences averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do base or Essences have ads?

Neither base nor Essences shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, base or Essences?

base ships an update monthly, and Essences every 5 months. Most recently, base was updated on October 8, 2026 and Essences on October 8, 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.*