# W3 vs 极客时间

The clearest difference is rating: 极客时间 at 3.9 against W3's 3.5. 极客时间 also leads on ratings volume (324 vs 12) and update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 2 months). W3's advantage is review sentiment (79% vs 59%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. W3 sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and 极客时间 sells 13 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

极客时间 holds the better App Store score, 3.9 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: 极客时间 has 324 ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 79% of W3's written reviews are positive against 59% of 极客时间's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

W3 ships an update every 2 months, 极客时间 every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on August 26, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | W3 | 极客时间 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/w3/id987493634/reviews) | **[3.9 (324 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/id1280245865/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 12 | **324** |
| Positive reviews | **78.9% of reviews** | 58.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 4 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 229 MB | 262 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **10.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Yangguang Ma](https://appshunter.io/developer/670518380) | [The Holding of GeekBang (Beijing) Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1038372718) |

## What reviewers say

### W3

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/w3/id987493634)

This app offers nearly 100 programming tutorials covering front-end, back-end, mobile development, and AI. It provides clear, step-by-step instructions and practical examples for beginners, with offline access to all content.

**Highlights:** Nearly 100 programming tutorials, Front-end, back-end, and mobile development, Beginner-friendly instructions, Practical examples and troubleshooting, Offline access to all content, Regularly updated content

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| $1.99 / Month | $1.99 | per month |
| $19.99 / Year | $19.99 | per year |
| Reading Custom Settings | $1.99 | one-time |
| Donate | $1.99 | one-time |
| Donate | $3.99 | one-time |
| Donate | $7.99 | one-time |
| Donate | $14.99 | one-time |
| Donate | $29.99 | one-time |


### 极客时间

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/id1280245865)

This platform offers advanced AI learning paths, covering everything from foundational algorithms to large model principles and practical AIGC applications. It also provides a comprehensive technical learning experience for developers with expert-led courses, real-world case studies, and community features.

**Highlights:** AI learning paths, Expert-led technical courses, Real-world enterprise case studies, 18 technical growth routes, Audio and video learning, Learning community, Training camps

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 6G币充值 | $0.99 | one-time |
| 10G币充值 | $0.99 | one-time |
| 12G币充值 | $1.99 | one-time |
| 38G币充值 | $4.99 | one-time |
| 68G币充值 | $9.99 | one-time |
| 78G币充值 | $9.99 | one-time |
| 79G币充值 | $9.99 | one-time |
| 108G币充值 | $14.99 | one-time |
| 98G币充值 | $14.99 | one-time |
| 218G币充值 | $29.99 | one-time |
| 308G币充值 | $44.99 | one-time |
| 518G币充值 | $69.99 | one-time |
| 1598G币充值 | $229.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 💡 Great learning content
- 🚀 Productive app
- 🤩 Excellent app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and bugs
- ⏱️ Slow loading times
- 🌙 Lack of dark mode
- 🤯 Frustrating to use

**Reported bugs**

- Purchased courses not accessible
- Inconsistent login behavior
- Playback issues (progress reset, no background play)

**Requested features**

- Page-level search
- Offline mode for content
- Improved navigation and playback controls


## Frequently asked questions

### Is W3 free?

W3 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is 极客时间 free?

极客时间 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, W3 or 极客时间?

极客时间 is rated higher. W3 averages 3.5 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while 极客时间 averages 3.9 from 324 ratings.

### Do W3 or 极客时间 have ads?

Both W3 and 极客时间 show ads.

### Which is updated more often, W3 or 极客时间?

W3 ships an update every 2 months, and 极客时间 every 4 weeks. Most recently, W3 was updated on August 26, 2026 and 极客时间 on September 22, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*