# CTBIDS vs ThriftBrain

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ThriftBrain at 100% against CTBIDS's 6%. ThriftBrain also leads on rating (5.0 vs 2.4) and chart position (#192 vs unranked). CTBIDS's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ratings volume (248 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ThriftBrain sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. CTBIDS asks for nothing beyond the download.

ThriftBrain holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CTBIDS has 248 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 6% of CTBIDS's written reviews are positive against 100% of ThriftBrain's.

CTBIDS ships an update every 3 weeks, ThriftBrain every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CTBIDS | ThriftBrain |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.4 (248 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ctbids/id6467594552/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thriftbrain-ai-thrift-scanner/id6779963063/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **248** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 6.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | — | **#192** |
| Size | 49 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Caring Transitions, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1208018507) | [Jeffrey Karst](https://appshunter.io/developer/6779963065) |

## What reviewers say

### CTBIDS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ctbids/id6467594552)

Participate in online estate sale auctions with bidding starting at just $1. Discover unique items and everyday treasures from the comfort of your home. The app offers easy navigation, bid tracking, and favorite lists for a seamless auction experience.

**Highlights:** Bidding starts at $1, Bid from anywhere, Set maximum bids, Filter items by category and location, Track bidding status, Create favorites lists

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth and efficient app
- 👍 Useful features like marking favorites
- 🔒 Secure login options

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches
- 🔍 Poor search functionality
- 💤 Sluggish performance
- 🤖 Unintuitive and confusing UI
- 🔋 High battery consumption

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues with Google/Apple accounts
- Inconsistent app behavior and crashes
- Incorrect or missing auction information
- Inability to access account and bidding history

**Requested features**

- Ability to view item photos without opening listing
- Improved navigation and back button functionality
- Real-time bid updates and notifications
- Filtering and sorting options for search
- Seamless integration with website and account management


### ThriftBrain

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thriftbrain-ai-thrift-scanner/id6779963063)

**Currently charting:** #192 Top Grossing · Shopping (US App Store)

Instantly determine the resale value of items by snapping a photo. This tool calculates net profit after fees and generates optimized listing titles and descriptions for platforms like eBay and Poshmark.

**Highlights:** AI Visual Scanner & Tag Identifier, Real eBay Sold Comps, True Net Profit Calculator, Instant SEO Listing Generator, Vintage BOLO & Tag Guides

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ThriftBrain Pro | $9.99 | per month |
| Dealer Pro | $24.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CTBIDS free?

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

### Is ThriftBrain free?

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

### Which has better reviews, CTBIDS or ThriftBrain?

ThriftBrain is rated higher. CTBIDS averages 2.4 out of 5 from 248 ratings, while ThriftBrain averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do CTBIDS or ThriftBrain have ads?

Neither CTBIDS nor ThriftBrain shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, CTBIDS or ThriftBrain?

CTBIDS ships an update every 3 weeks, and ThriftBrain every 2 weeks. Most recently, CTBIDS was updated on November 3, 2026 and ThriftBrain on November 1, 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.*