Toad's Tavern vs Inmate Canteen
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Toad's Tavern
Discover a highly-rated neighborhood tavern recognized for its exceptional atmosphere and service. This establishment has received numerous accolades, including awards for best bar/lounge and dive bar.
- Award-winning establishment
- Recognized for best bar/lounge
- Awarded best dive bar
- Multiple local accolades
- Strong community reputation
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Neighborhood Tavern on the Eastside of Des Moines one block north of the Fair Grounds. Ranked 2nd in Des Moines Metromix top 50 bars in central Iowa 2012. One of Culture Trip's Top Ten Bars in DSM. Winner of 2019 Metro Best Bar/Lounge, Winner of 2013-2020 and 2022-2023 Cityview's Best Eastside bar and 2014 Best Dive Bar. Runner up for Best Bar 2023 People Choice. Runner up 2015 & 2018 Cityview's Best Overall Bar. Cityview's Bartender Ball's Best Staff, Best Eastside Bartender.
Inmate Canteen
Connect with incarcerated individuals through a dedicated communication platform. Send messages, make video calls, and conduct voice calls to stay in touch with loved ones.
- Message inmates
- Video calls
- Voice calls
- Inmate communication
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Contact inmates through the Turnkey's Inmate Canteen. This application serves as a communication platform allowing users to message, video and voice call with inmates.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Toad's Tavern at 100% against Inmate Canteen's 0%. Toad's Tavern also leads on rating (4.5 vs 1.2) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 18.6). Inmate Canteen's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 14 months) and ratings volume (86 vs 2). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Toad's Tavern holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 1.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Inmate Canteen has 86 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Toad's Tavern's written reviews are positive against 0% of Inmate Canteen's.
Toad's Tavern ships an update every 14 months, Inmate Canteen monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Toad's Tavern | Inmate Canteen |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (2 ratings) — better | 1.2 (86 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 86 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 14 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | — | #206 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 — better | 18.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 33 MB | 95 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Toads Tavern LLC | TWVending Inc. |
Customer experience
Toad's Tavern
Inmate Canteen
In-app purchases
Toad's Tavern
No in-app purchases
Inmate Canteen
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Toad's Tavern free?
Is Inmate Canteen free?
Which has better reviews, Toad's Tavern or Inmate Canteen?
Do Toad's Tavern or Inmate Canteen have ads?
Which is updated more often, Toad's Tavern or Inmate Canteen?
Other comparisons
