# Pulse vs The Hug

The clearest difference is ads: Pulse at none against The Hug's shown. On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Pulse ships an update every 6 days, The Hug every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pulse | The Hug |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 days | **Every 4 days** |
| Size | 57 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Salim Alkaabi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1671532407) | [LuAnn Buechler](https://appshunter.io/developer/1772666012) |

## What reviewers say

### Pulse

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pulse-location-chat/id6446295648)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### The Hug

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-hug-o-meter/id6736952072)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pulse free?

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

### Is The Hug free?

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

### Do Pulse or The Hug have ads?

The Hug shows ads; Pulse does not.

### Which is updated more often, Pulse or The Hug?

Pulse ships an update every 6 days, and The Hug every 4 days. Most recently, Pulse was updated on October 13, 2026 and The Hug on October 30, 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.*