# Rugged Roots vs Alternative Essence

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Alternative Essence at 100% against Rugged Roots's 0%. Alternative Essence also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.0) and ads (none vs shown). Rugged Roots's advantage is iOS requirement (16.4 vs 18.6). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model 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.

Alternative Essence holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 12 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of Rugged Roots's written reviews are positive against 100% of Alternative Essence's.

Rugged Roots ships an update every 11 months, Alternative Essence fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Rugged Roots | Alternative Essence |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rugged-roots/id6698313105/reviews) | **[5.0 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alternative-essence/id6757491976/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **12** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 11 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Ad-supported |
| Size | 42 MB | 72 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.4** | 18.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Rugged Roots West LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1769258698) | [Oxford Provisions](https://appshunter.io/developer/1867256205) |

## What reviewers say

### Rugged Roots

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rugged-roots/id6698313105)

This app allows users to earn and track points for purchases, redeem rewards and discounts, and order products for pickup or delivery. Stay updated on exclusive deals and refer friends to earn more points.

**Highlights:** Earn and track purchase points, Redeem rewards and personalized discounts, Mobile ordering for pickup or delivery, Real-time updates on deals and restocks, Refer friends for bonus points, In-app messaging center

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Alternative Essence

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alternative-essence/id6757491976)

Connect with two Maine dispensaries for the latest deals, new product drops, and full inventory. Access menus for both recreational and medical locations in one convenient app.

**Highlights:** Real-time deals, New product notifications, Full in-stock menus, Two location support, Recreational and medical access

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Rugged Roots free?

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

### Is Alternative Essence free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Rugged Roots or Alternative Essence?

Alternative Essence is rated higher. Rugged Roots averages 3.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Alternative Essence averages 5.0 from 12 ratings.

### Do Rugged Roots or Alternative Essence have ads?

Rugged Roots shows ads; Alternative Essence does not.

### Which is updated more often, Rugged Roots or Alternative Essence?

Rugged Roots ships an update every 11 months, and Alternative Essence fortnightly. Most recently, Rugged Roots was updated on November 4, 2026 and Alternative Essence on November 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.*