# Cold Stone vs Bruster's

Cold Stone and Bruster's both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 60% of Bruster's's written reviews are positive against 20% of Cold Stone's. Bruster's also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). Cold Stone's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 5 months). On price, rating, in-app purchases 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.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Cold Stone against 4.7 for Bruster's. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cold Stone has 23K ratings behind it against 1.1K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 20% of Cold Stone's written reviews are positive against 60% of Bruster's's.

Cold Stone ships an update every 3 weeks, Bruster's every 5 months. Both last shipped on September 23, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cold Stone | Bruster's |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (23K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cold-stone/id690080616/reviews) | [4.7 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brusters/id1132180307/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **23K** | 1.1K |
| Positive reviews | 19.6% of reviews | **59.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#134** | — |
| Size | 72 MB | 128 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kahala Management, L.L.C.](https://appshunter.io/developer/563332606) | [Bruster’s Ice Cream, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1132180306) |

## What reviewers say

### Cold Stone

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cold-stone/id690080616)

**Currently charting:** #134 Top Free · Food & Drink (US App Store)

Order custom ice cream creations, shakes, or cakes for pickup or delivery. Save your favorite orders, earn rewards, and enjoy exclusive birthday treats through a loyalty program.

**Highlights:** Order ice cream creations, shakes, and cakes, Pickup at store or delivery to door, Save favorite orders and re-order easily, Unlimited customizations, Earn points and redeem rewards, Birthday Buy One, Get One FREE offer

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and easy order and pick up
- 👍 Exceptional ice cream and service
- 💡 Allows store to accept phone number for rewards

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and glitchy app features
- 👎 Outdated and clunky app design
- 🤔 Disconnect between app and store inventory
- 💸 Incorrect orders and missing items
- 🤯 Frustrating login and account issues

**Reported bugs**

- Payment processing errors
- Inability to change pickup location
- Rewards not updating properly
- App crashes when trying to add gift cards

**Requested features**

- Ability to reorder previous orders
- Option to select custom ice cream flavors
- Integration with mobile wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay)
- Easier way to apply rewards and discounts
- Clearer communication on store closures and order availability


### Bruster's

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brusters/id1132180307)

This app enhances your loyalty program experience, making it easier to earn rewards and enjoy exclusive offers. Find nearby locations, order ahead for pickup, and manage your points seamlessly.

**Highlights:** Sweet Rewards loyalty program management, Earn points for purchases, Store locator with hours and flavor updates, Order online for pickup, Add missed points with receipt, Exclusive offers and birthday treat

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🍦 Delicious ice cream
- 👍 Great customer service
- 💳 Rewards program
- 🚘 Convenient drive-thru
- 🍨 Wide variety of flavors

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes and login issues
- 💳 Rewards not usable online
- 🕰️ Slow app performance
- 🗺️ Location selection issues
- 💰 Expensive pricing

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on newer iOS versions
- Login screen issues with keyboard
- Rewards not tracking properly

**Requested features**

- Display current store flavors in the app
- Improve app navigation and ordering experience
- Integrate rewards program with online ordering


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cold Stone free?

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

### Is Bruster's free?

Bruster's is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Cold Stone or Bruster's?

Cold Stone and Bruster's are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 23K and 1.1K ratings respectively.

### Do Cold Stone or Bruster's have ads?

Bruster's shows ads; Cold Stone does not.

### Which is updated more often, Cold Stone or Bruster's?

Cold Stone ships an update every 3 weeks, and Bruster's every 5 months. Most recently, Cold Stone was updated on September 23, 2026 and Bruster's on September 23, 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.*