# Smart Badge vs ESL

The clearest difference is update cadence: ESL at every 3 weeks against Smart Badge's every 14 months. ESL also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.6). On price, ads, 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.

Smart Badge ships an update every 14 months, ESL every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Smart Badge | ESL |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 14 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Size | 45 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [杭州美思特智能科技股份有限公司](https://appshunter.io/developer/1308126213) | [晶 董](https://appshunter.io/developer/1812668111) |

## What reviewers say

### Smart Badge

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-badge/id6475957029)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### ESL

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/esl-link/id6745804641)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Smart Badge free?

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

### Is ESL free?

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

### Do Smart Badge or ESL have ads?

Neither Smart Badge nor ESL shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Smart Badge or ESL?

Smart Badge ships an update every 14 months, and ESL every 3 weeks. Most recently, Smart Badge was updated on October 16, 2026 and ESL on October 5, 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.*