# Backbencher vs Mean Pies

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Backbencher at none against Mean Pies's 4. Mean Pies's advantage is update cadence (every 6 days vs every 4 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mean Pies sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Backbencher asks for nothing beyond the download.

Backbencher ships an update every 4 months, Mean Pies every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and September 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Backbencher | Mean Pies |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | — | 83.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 33 MB | 54 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Leosphere Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1698921358) | [Matthew Carkeek](https://appshunter.io/developer/1798016518) |

## What reviewers say

### Backbencher

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backbencher/id6717574262)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Mean Pies

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mean-pies/id6742364327)

Discover and share reviews of pies from local establishments. Find highly-rated pies near you with location-based discovery and rich media sharing. Engage with a community of pie enthusiasts and build your reputation as a pie critic.

**Highlights:** Real-time pie reviews, Location-based discovery, Rich media sharing, Interactive community, Push notifications, User profiles

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pieness Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Pieness Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| 2,000 Pastry Points | $5.99 | one-time |
| 10,000 Pastry Points | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Backbencher free?

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

### Is Mean Pies free?

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

### Do Backbencher or Mean Pies have ads?

Neither Backbencher nor Mean Pies shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Backbencher or Mean Pies?

Backbencher ships an update every 4 months, and Mean Pies every 6 days. Most recently, Backbencher was updated on September 9, 2026 and Mean Pies on September 15, 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.*