# Hive vs Nearcut

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Nearcut at 81% against Hive's 18%. Nearcut also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.2) and ratings volume (42K vs 811). Hive's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 9 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Nearcut holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Nearcut has 42K ratings behind it against 811, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 18% of Hive's written reviews are positive against 81% of Nearcut's.

Hive ships an update fortnightly, Nearcut every 9 months. Both last shipped on October 26, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hive | Nearcut |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (811 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hive/id712829172/reviews) | **[4.9 (42K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nearcut/id1191897002/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 811 | **42K** |
| Positive reviews | 18.4% of reviews | **80.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 9 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 200 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **14.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Centrica Hive Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1171162560) | [Nearcut Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1191897001) |

## What reviewers say

### Hive

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hive/id712829172)

Control your home's energy usage, from heating and EV charging to lighting and solar power, all from your smartphone. Save money and reduce your carbon footprint with smart scheduling, real-time tracking, and personalized insights.

**Highlights:** Smart heating control, EV charging management, Smart lighting and plugs, Solar energy generation and storage, Energy usage tracking and budgeting, Personalized dashboard, Smart actions and scheduling

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 🔒 Secure system
- 👍 Convenient remote control
- 👍 Integrates well with Alexa and Google

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent connectivity issues
- 🐛 Unreliable app performance
- 🐛 Scheduling problems
- 🔋 High battery drain on devices
- 👎 Paywall for basic features

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes and freezes
- Devices randomly going offline
- Heating/cooling schedules not working as expected
- Camera live view and recordings not functioning properly

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- More granular scheduling controls
- Better integration with smart home platforms
- Improved camera functionality and recording


### Nearcut

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nearcut/id1191897002)

Discover barbershops nearby and easily schedule your next haircut. Browse available slots and book appointments directly through the app.

**Highlights:** Find nearby barbers, Book appointments, View available slots, Schedule haircuts

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use booking system
- 👍 Convenient appointment booking
- 👍 Saves waiting time
- 👍 Professional haircuts
- 👍 Friendly barbers

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Login issues
- 🐛 Password problems
- 🐛 Email not recognized
- 🐛 App not working properly
- 🐛 Multiple accounts needed per barber

**Reported bugs**

- Circle of doom when logging in
- App loses login details
- Email not recognized after registration
- App keeps asking for password
- App sticks on one barber

**Requested features**

- SMS reminders instead of email
- Option to add appointments to phone calendar
- Single login for all barbers
- UI upgrade
- Better security for payments (e.g., Apple Pay, Mastercard SecureCode)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hive free?

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

### Is Nearcut free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Hive or Nearcut?

Nearcut is rated higher. Hive averages 4.2 out of 5 from 811 ratings, while Nearcut averages 4.9 from 42K ratings.

### Do Hive or Nearcut have ads?

Neither Hive nor Nearcut shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Hive or Nearcut?

Hive ships an update fortnightly, and Nearcut every 9 months. Most recently, Hive was updated on October 26, 2026 and Nearcut on October 26, 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.*