Comparison

Invaluable Auctions vs CTBIDS

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Invaluable Auctions

Participate in live auctions for fine art, antiques, and collectibles from premier auction houses worldwide. Discover unique items, receive personalized recommendations, and bid in real-time or leave absentee bids.

Highlights
  • Live bidding with swipe-to-bid technology
  • Discover rare and unique items
  • Personalized daily recommendations
  • Browse hundreds of auction categories
  • Participate from anywhere globally
Features
Read full description

Participate in premier auctions happening around the globe from your mobile device.    Invaluable is the leading online auction marketplace for fine art, antiques, and collectibles. We work with premier auction houses worldwide to bring you online auctions across diverse categories, including master paintings, decorative art, watches, fine jewelry, Hollywood collectibles, sports memorabilia, antique firearms, Asian art, exquisite ceramics, pottery, and more.   LIVE BIDDING Feel the thrill of participating in an auction in real-time from anywhere in the world. With Invaluable's exclusive 'swipe-to-bid' technology, you can bid live or leave absentee bids in advance.  UNIQUE ITEMS Discover rare and unique items when you explore artist pages or search by keyword, category, or auction house.  CURATED RECOMMENDATIONS Receive personalized daily recommendations for one-of-a-kind treasures that you're passionate about. Whether you're hunting for baseball cards, Japanese netsuke, classic comics, you'll be expanding your collection in no time.  HUNDREDS OF CATEGORIES Browse hundreds of online auction categories now and start transforming your home and collection with art and objects you're most passionate about:   - Evocative contemporary art, one of the hottest categories in the art market today, ranging from works on paper to paintings to sculpture. - Old Master paintings that exude timeless beauty and sophistication. - Exquisite Asian art of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Southeast, and South Asian origins. Porcelain, figurines, paintings, scrolls, military artifacts like katana swords, and more ornate objects reflect their craftsmen's unparalleled skill. - Classic jewelry staple pieces like gold and diamond rings, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, pins, and brooches with precious stones from Tiffany's and other premier brands. - Military and historical artifacts spanning centuries – from the American Civil War to World War I and World War II, on through the Space Race. - Collectibles from Hollywood stars and the movie theater blockbusters that helped shape the cultural zeitgeist – Star Wars memorabilia, classic movie posters, movie-worn costumes and accessories, and autographs. - Sports memorabilia from the greatest names in sports history, including baseball, basketball, golf and football cards, autographs, and more. - Photography, lithographs, and prints that capture history – in both black and white and vivid color. - Modern and antique furniture for every room in your home: beds, cabinets, and dressers from American, English, and European classics to mid-century modern and Art Deco styles. - A wide array of fine art, including Impressionist art, mixed-media art, abstract art, and sculptures. - Women's and men's wristwatches, vintage timepieces, and pocket watches from classic and contemporary designers like Rolex, Omega, Breitling, Elgin, and more. - Collectibles from rock and roll royalty – including guitars, stage-worn clothing, albums, photographs, autographs, and concert posters. - Vintage spirits and fine wines from Bordeaux to Bourbon whiskey.   FEEDBACK Your feedback is important to us. Please contact us with any questions at appfeedback@invaluable.com.

About

CTBIDS

Participate in online estate sale auctions with bidding starting at just $1. Discover unique items and everyday treasures from the comfort of your home. The app offers easy navigation, bid tracking, and favorite lists for a seamless auction experience.

Highlights
  • Bidding starts at $1
  • Bid from anywhere
  • Set maximum bids
  • Filter items by category and location
  • Track bidding status
  • Create favorites lists
Features
Read full description

Discover a world of unique and everyday treasures with CTBIDS, where bidding starts at just $1. Our user-friendly app makes online auctions a breeze, ensuring a seamless experience for all. Users of this app must be 18 years or older. Welcome Home to CTBIDS: •Bid from anywhere! •Set maximum bids so that you don’t miss out on fun while you are away. •Easily filter items by category, location, featured estate sales, and more. •Stay in the loop with your bidding status every step of the way. •Create favorites lists to explore more of what you love. CTBIDS grew from an idea over 10 years ago by Caring Transitions owners across the country. These owners are carefully managing the treasures and everyday household items for their clients as they downsize or transition to new homes. These items have quality, value, and a history that are a perfect fit for someone else. Our mission was to create a platform where these estate sales are brought to you online. Instead of set pricing, bidding starts at $1. This process allows our bidders to find unique and everyday treasures for a great value. In addition, the repurposing of these belongings will have a positive and lasting impact on the world we all share. CTBIDS is powered by Caring Transitions. Established in 2006, Caring Transitions is the nation’s largest and most trusted organization specializing in downsizing, relocation, estate sales, decluttering, home cleanouts, online auctions, and other services. To learn more, visit CaringTransitions.com.

Screenshots

Invaluable Auctions4 screens
CTBIDS4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Invaluable Auctions at 4.8 against CTBIDS's 2.4. Invaluable Auctions also leads on review sentiment (37% vs 6%) and ratings volume (6.1K vs 248). CTBIDS's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Invaluable Auctions holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Invaluable Auctions has 6.1K ratings behind it against 248, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 37% of Invaluable Auctions's written reviews are positive against 6% of CTBIDS's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Invaluable Auctions versus CTBIDS: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterInvaluable AuctionsCTBIDS
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (6.1K ratings) — better2.4 (248 ratings)
Positive reviews37.2% of reviews — better6.0% of reviews
Number of ratings6.1K — better248
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.615.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size162 MB49 MB
Age rating12+17+
DeveloperInvaluable LLCCaring Transitions, Inc

Customer experience

Invaluable Auctions

All ratings6,086 ratings
Positive96.8%
Neutral1.1%
Negative2.1%
Written reviews180 reviews
Positive37.2%
Neutral7.2%
Negative55.6%

CTBIDS

All ratings245 ratings
Positive26.5%
Neutral7.3%
Negative66.1%
Written reviews116 reviews
Positive6.0%
Neutral8.6%
Negative85.3%

User reviews

Invaluable Auctions

From 6.1K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Easy to use
  • 👍 Great variety of auctions
  • 🚀 Smooth transactions
  • 👍 Fantastic auctions

Room to improve

  • 💰 High fees and shipping costs
  • 🐛 Buggy and glitchy app
  • 🔒 Lack of customer support and transparency
  • 🔍 Poor search and filtering options
  • ⚠️ Unreliable bidding and auction process

CTBIDS

From 248 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Smooth and efficient app
  • 👍 Useful features like marking favorites
  • 🔒 Secure login options

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches
  • 🔍 Poor search functionality
  • 💤 Sluggish performance
  • 🤖 Unintuitive and confusing UI
  • 🔋 High battery consumption

Bugs and requests

Invaluable Auctions

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Frequent app crashes and freezes
  • Login and password issues
  • Incorrect bid information and notifications
  • Inability to see past auction results

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to filter and block auction houses
  • Improved search functionality
  • Better notification and bid tracking system
  • Two-factor authentication
  • Ability to leave reviews on auction houses

CTBIDS

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Login issues with Google/Apple accounts
  • Inconsistent app behavior and crashes
  • Incorrect or missing auction information
  • Inability to access account and bidding history

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to view item photos without opening listing
  • Improved navigation and back button functionality
  • Real-time bid updates and notifications
  • Filtering and sorting options for search
  • Seamless integration with website and account management

In-app purchases

None

Invaluable Auctions

No in-app purchases

None

CTBIDS

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Invaluable Auctions free?
Invaluable Auctions is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is CTBIDS free?
CTBIDS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Invaluable Auctions or CTBIDS?
Invaluable Auctions is rated higher. Invaluable Auctions averages 4.8 out of 5 from 6.1K ratings, while CTBIDS averages 2.4 from 248 ratings.
Do Invaluable Auctions or CTBIDS have ads?
Neither Invaluable Auctions nor CTBIDS shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Invaluable Auctions or CTBIDS?
Invaluable Auctions ships an update every 3 weeks, and CTBIDS every 3 weeks. Most recently, Invaluable Auctions was updated on November 1, 2026 and CTBIDS on November 3, 2026.

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