Verithiathe honest score on any app
Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

Temu vs AliExpress

Temu 4.7★ · Free to download 60
Winner AliExpress
AliExpress 4.7★ · Free to download 75

AliExpress is generally preferred for a smoother shopping experience and more reliable customer service, while Temu is plagued by aggressive in-app promotions and misleading 'free gift' offers.

Full reviews: Temu · AliExpress

Temu offers a vast selection of cheap products but frustrates many users with constant pop-ups, games, and misleading promotions that often require additional purchases. AliExpress, while sometimes having slower shipping, is praised for its product variety, good deals, and a less intrusive user experience, though some users report issues with refunds and account access.

Head to head

User Experience & App Interface edge: AliExpressR1R7R12R13
Temu Temu's app is widely criticized for its overwhelming number of pop-ups, spinning wheels, and promotional games that interrupt the shopping process and make it annoying to browse R1R7R12R13. Many users just want to shop without having to click through numerous prompts R7R12R51.
AliExpress AliExpress generally offers a simpler and easier app experience, with users appreciating its straightforward navigation R74. However, some users note the app can be complicated to use and occasionally displays full-screen pop-up ads .
Promotions & 'Free Gifts' edge: AliExpressR4R6R9R15
Temu Temu's promotions and 'free gift' offers are a major source of frustration, with many users feeling scammed or misled. Users report that 'free gifts' often require additional purchases or inviting many people, and even then, they might not receive the promised items R4R6R9R15.
AliExpress AliExpress also has sales and incentives, but users seem to perceive them more positively, enjoying the 'fun little games and incentives to earn ways to get further discounts' . Some users note issues with sales options, like having to buy items separately to get free shipping .
Product Quality & Selection tieR2R20R35R46
Temu Temu is praised for its vast selection and incredible deals R2R20R35R46. However, product quality is inconsistent; while many items are good R17R30, others are described as junk, cheaply made, or not as advertised R10R15R37R39. Sizing can also be an issue R22.
AliExpress AliExpress is also known for its wide variety of products and good deals R68. Users report receiving quality products for a fraction of the price R68, with some items being exactly as described . However, there are instances where items are faulty or not as expected .
Shipping & Delivery tieR17R30R44R21
Temu Temu users report mixed experiences with shipping. Some mention fast deliveries R17R30R44, while others complain about slow shipping R21. There are also reports of orders arriving open .
AliExpress AliExpress shipping times are a common point of contention. Many users state that delivery takes a long time, especially to the US . However, some users report fast delivery .
Customer Service & Refunds tieR22R14R70R76
Temu Temu reviews do not provide much detail on customer service, but some users express frustration over not receiving refunds for unwanted items R22 and issues with rewards clarity R14.
AliExpress AliExpress customer service and refund processes are a significant concern for some users. There are reports of difficulty getting refunds for faulty goods or undelivered packages, with users describing the process as impossible or receiving bot responses R70R76. However, some users have positive experiences with vendor communication and returns .
Pick Temu if

you are looking for a wide variety of extremely cheap items and are willing to navigate aggressive in-app promotions to find good deals R2R20R35.

Pick AliExpress if

you prefer a more straightforward shopping experience with fewer intrusive ads and games, even if shipping might sometimes be slower, and you appreciate a wide selection of products at good prices R74R68.

Evidence note: Reviews for both apps are heavily skewed towards user experience and product quality, with less detailed information on customer service for Temu. The 'free vs paid' asymmetry is not applicable as both apps are free to download and operate on a similar marketplace model.

Frequently asked

Are the 'free gifts' on Temu legitimate?
Based on user reviews, many customers report that Temu's 'free gift' promotions are misleading, often requiring users to make additional purchases or invite numerous people without ultimately receiving the promised free items R4R6R21R36.
Which app has a better user experience?
AliExpress generally offers a better user experience due to its simpler interface and fewer intrusive ads, while Temu is frequently criticized for constant pop-ups, spinning wheels, and promotional games that disrupt shopping R7R12R51R74.
Is product quality reliable on either app?
Product quality is inconsistent on both apps; Temu offers many good items but also receives complaints about junk or cheaply made products R10R37R39, and AliExpress also has quality products but some users report faulty or not-as-advertised items R68.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R1] Temu 1/5 · US Keep it simple please!: I want to shop from temu but they want me to play casino games as soon as I launch their app. Then I turn off the app.
  2. [R7] Temu 1/5 · US Annoying app!: There are a lot of good things that you can buy in Temu. The thing is the app itself sucks! You have to go thru hoops everytime you open it. I just need to shop but too many things to click thru! It’s very annoying! I don’t want to play a game! I just need to shop!
  3. [R12] Temu 3/5 · US Please stop: Love shopping at temu BUT why do I can to go through 37 prompts and spinning wheels just to shop it’s soooo annoying and I just close the app
  4. [R13] Temu 2/5 · US Annoyed!: I find your spinning wheel very annoying. Why do I have to put with that every time I want to look something? It pisses a LOT of people off! Do it AFTER!
  5. [R4] Temu 1/5 · US Free gift not true: I try the free gift and invited a lot of people but still not enough.. it says that the energy is not enough. So how Many people should you invite.🤦‍♀️
  6. [R6] Temu 3/5 · US temu review: temu be scamming . temu say you can get free gift and make you buy things just for the free gift. and you still might not get the free gift.
  7. [R9] Temu 3/5 · US Use it when needed but not happy with it.: Very disappointed how much It changed from the beginning; all the promotions and games now are worth nothing, everything is a run around and waste of time, which sucks since you can easily spend so much money on here with certain things. Instead of making you shop on specific pages, you should be allowed to choose what you want to reach the amount needed
  8. [R15] Temu 3/5 · US Bruh: Bruh!!!! I have been shopping here and it’s the WORST experience there are ugly woman boy suits that show your stuff and everything that they say is FREE isn’t FREE
  9. [R2] Temu 5/5 · US Shop like a billionaire: Man, you can buy everything off of Temu
  10. [R20] Temu 5/5 · US Amaazzazzing!: So many great options and solid deals, this is solid!
  11. [R35] Temu 5/5 · US Incredible Deals: I love Temu. Incredible endless products for incredible prices. Thank you Temu 🥰
  12. [R46] Temu 5/5 · US Shop til you drop: A lot of well crafted item for not slot of money. Great sales and promotions
  13. [R17] Temu 5/5 · US Muy buenos precios: Productos buenos y entregas rápidas
  14. [R30] Temu 3/5 · GB Look😳/order🙏/arrive😜satisfied 👍: After receiving may items from NJ , I’ve yet to be let down . Everything has been good quality , easy to order , quick to arrive . I’m very satisfied with this site and have no hesitation in recommending it 👍
  15. [R44] Temu 5/5 · US Incubator: It was well worth it and shipping was faster
  16. [R21] Temu 3/5 · US Rating: Slow shipping. I hate the little promos. Always says free items, 100% off and it never happens. Always have to spend more money to get nothing. I have gotten a lot of good things and bad things but the promos drive me crazy.
  17. [R22] Temu 2/5 · US Ripe Off: I spent so much money with your company half the time I get the right size half the time I get an extra large or whatever you have in stock and then you tell me I get all this money and I have to buy more to get it. Kiss my butt. I wish I could send everything back that I have and will not wear and get a refund, but I know that won’t happen.
  18. [R14] Temu 4/5 · US Excellent app: Very good app. But you have to read very carefully the descriptions. I wish the rewards would be more clearer. Sometimes it seems that the rewards are more costly and don’t show up until they are being de
  19. [R70] AliExpress 1/5 · US Scammers!: They are scammers. They claim they guarantee a refund but despite my providing EXACTLY what they ask for they keep claiming it isn’t enough evidence. I gave them EXACTLY THE EVIDENCE THEH ASKED FOR. Bunch of frauds with bot responses because they can’t be bothered to hire someone with a brain. Filed a police report and merchant claim.
  20. [R76] AliExpress 1/5 · US Ali express: Be careful ordering. They will Say the package was delivered but never was. And they will not refund your money .
  21. [R36] Temu 3/5 · GB Ok, but be careful: So I like Temu for buying cheap things that don’t need to be high quality, just functional, like decorative items etc, My only problem is with the gifts and how all that actually works! It says to add 5 items to basket and make one purchase of 10£ min spend And get the five free, this is not true, you get the cheapest free items in your cart, and only one of the five free it
  22. [R51] Temu 1/5 · US The ENDLESS POP-UPS Ruin the Experience: Every time I try to shop on Temu, I end up leaving frustrated. The biggest problem is the ENDLESS POP-UPS and ads. Whenever I click on a Temu ad from Instagram, I’m flooded with promotional messages, games, and special offers that are difficult to close. I just want to shop, not deal with constant interruptions. I really hope Temu reduces these ANNOYING P
  23. [R74] AliExpress 5/5 · US Simple and easy: I'm really pleased with how simple and easy the vendors have been to work with and the app has been to use
  24. [R10] Temu 1/5 · US Scam: Everything they do is very scammy and everything you get is junk.
  25. [R37] Temu 1/5 · US Not good: If you like mostly cheaply made items or getting an item completely opposite of what you ordered then this is your go to. I’ll give it that the stuff is cheap and they have a huge variety but in the end it’s just not worth it.
  26. [R39] Temu 3/5 · GB Pot luck: 50% of the stuff that I gave bought has been junk not as advertised and that means a trip to the post office to return it! Like today’s junk an air tool with the wrong type of fittings on the sanding discs! For food and drink Temu are quite good but watch the sell by dates as these are usually short. I bought walkers quaver crisps in bulk which only a month left on the sell by date.
  27. [R68] AliExpress 5/5 · US My go to: I do a lot of purchasing from these guys. Yeah we know where it comes from but I can’t beat the buys. Have definitely received some quality products for a fraction of the price.

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store