# The Thinking Machine vs A Common Ground

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: The Thinking Machine at none against A Common Ground's 6. The Thinking Machine also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.6). A Common Ground's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs monthly). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. A Common Ground sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. The Thinking Machine asks for nothing beyond the download.

The Thinking Machine ships an update monthly, A Common Ground every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Thinking Machine | A Common Ground |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-common-ground/id6797114998/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **4** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | — | Freemium |
| Size | 66 MB | 91 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Rahul Raghuwanshi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1753228195) | [Joseph Hogan](https://appshunter.io/developer/6797115000) |

## What reviewers say

### The Thinking Machine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-thinking-machine/id6593685673)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### A Common Ground

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-common-ground/id6797114998)

Connect with others who share similar life experiences for peer support. Find communities, engage in meaningful conversations, and access wellness tools. This platform is designed for understanding and connection, offering a space for real stories and real support.

**Highlights:** Connect with shared experiences, Support groups for various challenges, Private one-on-one messaging, Community feed for sharing, Mood check-ins and wellness tracking, Private journaling with voice features, Access to wellness tools

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plus Access | $7.99 | per month |
| Premium Access | $12.99 | per month |
| Family Access | $24.99 | per month |
| Plus Access | $69.99 | per year |
| Premium Access | $119.99 | per year |
| Family Access | $219.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Thinking Machine free?

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

### Is A Common Ground free?

A Common Ground is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do The Thinking Machine or A Common Ground have ads?

Neither The Thinking Machine nor A Common Ground shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Thinking Machine or A Common Ground?

The Thinking Machine ships an update monthly, and A Common Ground every 9 days. Most recently, The Thinking Machine was updated on November 8, 2026 and A Common Ground on October 31, 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.*