# CStore Essentials vs PDI SmartMobile

The clearest difference is update cadence: PDI SmartMobile at every 5 months against CStore Essentials's every 30 months. CStore Essentials's advantage is device support (3 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

CStore Essentials ships an update every 30 months, PDI SmartMobile every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on July 17, 2026 and May 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CStore Essentials | PDI SmartMobile |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.0 (62 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cstore-essentials/id968114138/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **62** | — |
| Positive reviews | 40.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 30 months | **Every 5 months** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 21 MB | 39 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Excentus](https://appshunter.io/developer/525790670) | [PDI Technologies, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1398042775) |

## What reviewers say

### CStore Essentials

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cstore-essentials/id968114138)

Monitor and manage all your retail stores remotely from your smartphone. Get real-time insights into sales, transactions, and inventory changes, even when you're away.

**Highlights:** Remote store management, Live transaction monitoring, Full transaction receipts, Live department and gas sales, Add new items, Change item prices

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### PDI SmartMobile

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdi-smartmobile/id1491073096)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CStore Essentials free?

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

### Is PDI SmartMobile free?

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

### Do CStore Essentials or PDI SmartMobile have ads?

Neither CStore Essentials nor PDI SmartMobile shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, CStore Essentials or PDI SmartMobile?

CStore Essentials ships an update every 30 months, and PDI SmartMobile every 5 months. Most recently, CStore Essentials was updated on July 17, 2026 and PDI SmartMobile on May 20, 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.*