# The Reference App vs RetroChat

The clearest difference is price: The Reference App at Free against RetroChat's $0.99. The Reference App also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.0). RetroChat's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

The Reference App is free to download; RetroChat costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

The Reference App ships an update fortnightly, RetroChat every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Reference App | RetroChat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $0.99 |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 9 days** |
| Size | 48 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Dailey Kluck](https://appshunter.io/developer/1864229691) | [Virtual GS](https://appshunter.io/developer/302652687) |

## What reviewers say

### The Reference App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-reference-app/id6757085288)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### RetroChat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retrochat-private-ai/id6759892139)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Reference App free?

The Reference App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is RetroChat free?

RetroChat costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do The Reference App or RetroChat have ads?

The Reference App shows ads; RetroChat does not.

### Which is updated more often, The Reference App or RetroChat?

The Reference App ships an update fortnightly, and RetroChat every 9 days. Most recently, The Reference App was updated on October 7, 2026 and RetroChat on October 6, 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.*