# Hydra vs Loop

The clearest difference is price: Hydra at Free against Loop's $4.99. Hydra also leads on ratings volume (807 vs 2) and rating (4.8 vs 4.5). Loop's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and chart position (#68 vs unranked). On update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Hydra is free to download; Loop costs $4.99 up front. Hydra sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Loop asks for nothing beyond the download.

Hydra holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hydra has 807 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of Hydra's written reviews are positive against 67% of Loop's.

Hydra ships an update every 3 weeks, Loop fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hydra | Loop |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $4.99 |
| Rating | **[4.8 (807 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hydra-read-upvote-comment/id6478089063/reviews)** | [4.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/loop-podcast-player/id6736364779/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **807** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | **74.8% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#68** |
| Size | 75 MB | 74 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.4** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | +17 | 4+ |
| Developer | [Dimitrie Milinovich](https://appshunter.io/developer/1637204263) | [Augusto Simionato](https://appshunter.io/developer/1734532605) |

## What reviewers say

### Hydra

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hydra-read-upvote-comment/id6478089063)

Experience Reddit browsing with a fast, fluid, and native iOS client. Organize topics, enjoy an immersive media viewer, and utilize quick gestures for seamless interaction. Customize themes and modes for a personalized experience.

**Highlights:** Lightning-fast loading, Multireddit support, Favorite subreddits, Native iOS design, Image and video viewer, Multiple account support, Quick access gestures

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hydra Pro | $2.99 | per month |
| Nice Tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| Generous Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Amazing Tip | $9.99 | one-time |
| Incredible Tip | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Massive potential
- 👍 Closest thing to Apollo
- 👍 Best option for 2025
- 👍 Better in almost every way
- 👍 Superior Reddit Client++

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Sketchy security

**Reported bugs**

- Expect some bumps

**Requested features**

- Customizing the gestures and hiding the username on the tab bar
- Content blocking, comment images, startup feed, and others


### Loop

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/loop-podcast-player/id6736364779)

**Currently charting:** #68 Top Paid · News (US App Store)

An independent podcast player designed for a superior audio experience on Apple devices. It offers features like sleep timers, chapter support, and automatic backups, all within a minimalist and privacy-focused interface.

**Highlights:** Sleep Mode with auto-pause timer, Episode chapter support, Podcast collections for sequential playback, Automatic iCloud backup, Privacy-first, no user tracking, Offline episode downloads, Podcast description translation

**Features:** Siri integration, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hydra free?

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

### Is Loop free?

Loop costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Hydra or Loop?

Hydra is rated higher. Hydra averages 4.8 out of 5 from 807 ratings, while Loop averages 4.5 from 2 ratings.

### Do Hydra or Loop have ads?

Neither Hydra nor Loop shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Hydra or Loop?

Hydra ships an update every 3 weeks, and Loop fortnightly. Most recently, Hydra was updated on October 30, 2026 and Loop 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.*