The Midst vs Referendum App
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
The Midst
A location-based social network where posts are tied to your current location and visible globally. Share experiences, discover new places through check-ins, and build wish lists of interesting spots. Posts are temporary, ensuring fresh content.
- Location-based posting
- Global map view
- 24-hour post expiration
- Check-in functionality
- Wish list creation
- Anonymous posting option
- Age verification
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The Midst is a location-based social network and life logging app. Posting to The Midst drops a pin at your current location and is visible to anyone in the world. Pan the map to see what's happening around the world. Posts expire after 24 hours, ensuring information remains relevant and up-to-date. Check-in: Have you stumbled upon a fantastic new food truck or a great coffee shop? Check-in by tapping a place on the map. Check-ins can be public by also posting to The Midst, or choose to only save check-ins to your Saved Places list. Wish List: Did someone check in at a place you find interesting? Tap the pin on the map in The Midst and add that location to your Wish List. Saved places and wish list items are saved in the Check In tab. Some regions now require age verification for social apps. The Midst uses Apple’s Declared Age Range verification to meet these regulations while protecting your privacy. Verification is a one-time, on-device check using the age information already stored in your iCloud account. We only receive a yes/no confirmation that you meet the age requirement. The Midst never sees, stores, or transmits your birthday or actual age. The Midst uses Apple's standard end user license agreement (EULA) which can be viewed here: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ View our privacy policy here: https://www.themidstapp.com/privacy-policy.
Referendum App
This platform provides transparency into US government activities, offering real-time updates on legislative changes and access to original source materials. It uses AI to explain complex policies and fosters community discussion through polls and forums, empowering informed civic engagement.
- Real-time timeline of political updates
- Access to original legislative documents
- AI-powered explanations of policies
- Community polls and forums
- Personalized analytics on elected officials
- Decentralized and censorship-resistant platform
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We empower people to engage with the US government with increased clarity and transparency. This platform is a grassroots effort, independently funded and developed by its creators, ensuring our focus remains solely on the user and unbiased information. By providing visibility into legislative activities and enabling productive conversation, we're transforming how individuals interact with their democracy to create a more responsive, effective government that truly serves its people. APP FEATURES • Timeline Updates: Stay informed with a real-time timeline of trusted updates on political decisions, voting processes, and legislative changes. • Decentralized Foundation: Built using the ATProto network for a resilient, censorship-resistant platform. • Source Materials: Access the original text of policies, bills, and legislative documents for true transparency. • AI-Powered Insights: Demystify complex legislation instantly with clear, unbiased explanations of policy implications. • Interactive & Social Features: Engage in community polls and forums to explore diverse perspectives, and easily share key updates on social media. • Personalized Analytics: See how your views align with your elected officials and candidates to make fully informed voting decisions. DATA SOURCES Legislative and government information in this app is drawn from the following official and publicly available sources: Congress.gov — https://www.congress.gov LegiScan — https://legiscan.com Legistar — New York City Council: https://legistar.council.nyc.gov (additional jurisdictions added over time) Open States — https://openstates.org OpenSecrets - https://opensecrets.org FollowTheMoney - https://followthemoney.org Links to original sources are provided so you can verify information directly. DISCLAIMER This app is an independent product and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or representing any government agency or entity. All legislative and government information is provided for informational purposes and is sourced from the publicly available official sources listed above.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Referendum App at none against The Midst's 2. Referendum App also leads on update cadence (every 6 days vs every 4 weeks) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 27.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. The Midst sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Referendum App asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for The Midst against 5.0 for Referendum App. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 4 respectively.
The Midst ships an update every 4 weeks, Referendum App every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | The Midst | Referendum App |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (3 ratings) | 5.0 (4 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 3 | 4 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | Every 6 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 27.0 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 37 MB | 51 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Dan O'Leary | Referendum, LLC |
Customer experience
The Midst
Referendum App
In-app purchases
The Midst
- Monthly$1.991 Month
- Yearly$19.991 Year
Referendum App
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is The Midst free?
Is Referendum App free?
Which has better reviews, The Midst or Referendum App?
Do The Midst or Referendum App have ads?
Which is updated more often, The Midst or Referendum App?
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