# CatchUp - Bite-Sized Summaries — user reviews > 62 indexed App Store user reviews of CatchUp by Science Mobile, LLC, rated 3.60/5 from 215 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/catchup-bite-sized-summaries/id1440624570/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/catchup-bite-sized-summaries/id1440624570.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 131 · 4★ 3 · 3★ 5 · 2★ 12 · 1★ 64 ## What do users think of CatchUp? Overall sentiment: negative **Pros** - 📚 Efficient way to consume book summaries quickly - 🎧 Audio narration available for summaries - 💡 Good concept for busy individuals - 🎯 Well-designed app interface - 📖 Decent quality book summaries **Cons** - 💰 Expensive subscription pricing ($89-$169 annually) - 🚫 Misleading app description (claims 800 titles, has ~50) - 🐛 Frequent login and authentication failures - ❌ Inability to navigate backwards through content - 📺 Excessive ads interrupting user experience - 🔄 App keeps prompting to repurchase despite active subscription - ⚠️ Inappropriate content for age rating - 🔐 No account login feature in app despite web registration - 📉 Limited book selection and outdated catalog - 🎬 Snapchat/Instagram story-style format is frustrating - ⏸️ Audio freezes and buffering issues - 🚫 Difficult or impossible subscription cancellation - 💳 Unauthorized charges and billing issues - 🔧 Poor customer support and no contact options - 📱 App crashes and won't open - 🔄 Business model changes breaking lifetime subscriptions **Commonly reported bugs** - Login credentials not recognized in app despite working on web - App continuously prompts for subscription despite active payment - Free trial charges still occur after cancellation - Audio playback freezes and buffers mid-chapter - App crashes on startup or during use - Restore purchases function shows 'no purchases found' despite active subscription - Cannot navigate between pages without page flip interruptions - App won't open books or access content - Subscription status not syncing between web and mobile app - Trial period not recognized when attempting to access content **Most requested features** - Add back/forward navigation buttons for content - Implement proper account login system in app - Add search functionality for books - Reduce or eliminate ads from free/trial experience - Expand book catalog significantly - Add settings and account management features - Improve audio buffering and playback stability - Implement easy in-app subscription cancellation - Add customer support contact options - Fix content categorization (e.g., Anne Frank's Diary in fiction) ## Newest reviews (17 of 62) ### 2/5 — This sucks *2020-05-26, version 6.1.2* This app is okay but all you can basically do is watch stuff. 😡😡😡😡😡 ### 4/5 — Just one problem *2020-03-29, version 6.0.1* I like seeing what is happening in the world just one problem. Do you think Anne Frank’s diary isn’t real?! It is in the fiction section for your books so if you could fix that I would be grateful. Other than that great app will recommend. ### 1/5 — What Happened to Booknotes? *2020-03-26, version 6.0.0* I understand the need for change and expansion, but this is awful. Please go back to Booknotes... ### 2/5 — Can’t Even Free Trial *2020-03-02, version 5.4.0* Must be a bug in the app, however can’t even trial the app. Have a 7 day trial currently but it still tells me I need to have a subscription to access the summaries. ### 1/5 — Very bad *2020-03-02, version 5.4.0* I did the the trials and they took my money and I couldn’t read no books or see the books it’s annoying when they took my money 😤😤 remember it’s fraud don’t do it they will take your money away just like that . ### 2/5 — Love the idea but... *2020-02-28, version 5.4.0* Have only been able to read one at this point. It still requests that I sign up although I have done that multiple times. Love the idea but cannot seem to have it work for me. Always takes me to the “sign up for a 7 day trial period.” Getting very frustrated and can only hope I haven’t been charged $89 multiple times. ### 1/5 — A really scammy app *2020-02-20, version 5.4.0* Despite paying a weekly subscriptions the app would not let me access any of the mstietals. It kept on asking me to subscribe to their premium contents, despite the fact they I’ve been paying for it and have access to it till the 20th. The app is up to date and when I hit restore purchases, It said no purchases found. I have screenshots of all this ### 1/5 — Scam! *2020-02-03, version 5.4.0* No customer service whatsoever, they take your money and the app doesn’t even work, no refund and your money is pretty much has gone down the drain! ### 1/5 — Scam *2020-01-28, version 5.4.0* Seems nice in theory but they’ll charge your account and you won’t be able to access material. Honestly would like my money back. ### 1/5 — Their ios app login doesn’t work. prompts to buy again! *2020-01-27, version 5.4.0* The ios app is unusable! i bought a lifetime subscription on stacksocial and their login works on browser but it doesnt work in the ios app! The ios app just prompts you to pay again. The ios app has a login area and i put in my lifetime account. The login passes but it just prompts to pay again. I tried to contact stacksocial where i bought it but this app has no support page. ZERO stars ### 1/5 — Rip off of theYear *2020-01-23, version 5.4.0* STEAR CLEAR Of App ... Its a fraud if not it is out right criminal activity when you u select a title it prompts you to to make an in app purchase always upping how much I starte with a 7 day trial and before long it was 169 dollars i tune will not help with refund or help contacting publisher ### 1/5 — Don’t waste your money! *2020-01-22, version 5.4.0* About all you get from this app is the notes version of stupid “How To” books. I’m sorry I wasted my money! ### 1/5 — App *2020-01-21, version 5.3.0* I purchased this and registered on a desktop computer but the app doesn’t recognize my registration and there is no where to login. What is up with this? ### 2/5 — Great idea / poor execution (but fixable) *2020-01-20, version 5.3.0* The idea / concept is great. Provide summaries either written or audio on well known books that people want to read. Works well as a substitute for reading if you are happy with a very light version or as a good precursor so you have awareness of the concepts as you are reading the book itself. BUT, the app itself is unusable. It tries to prompt me to repurchase a subscription every time I try to read a note (even when I’m signed in) and I have not been able to successfully read a note on the app yet. I am able to use the mobile website to read them but that is not a desirable way to access the content. I would not have written a negative review regarding this except for what I consider the biggest flaw of the entire service. There is no way to contact support or provide feedback based on user experience. The developer needs to find a way to let people notify them of bugs so they can develop fixes for the issues and improve the UX. ### 1/5 — Bad service *2020-01-19, version 5.3.0* I purchased the lifetime app, it won’t work and it keeps telling me to repurchase when I do it says already purchased. So I payed $150 for an app that doesn’t work and I can’t get a hold of this company ### 2/5 — Online subscription account doesn’t work in the app *2020-01-14, version 5.3.0* I bought lifetime subscription online and created the account. Online, I am able to access the books fine. But when I used the same account inside the app, it says you need to subscribe and pay $149. What’s going on?? I don’t want to pay multiple times. Please fix your backend account administration so that people are not scammed into paying twice. There is not even a support email or phone number listed to address this. ### 1/5 — Thumbs Down!!!!! *2020-01-12, version 5.3.0* Never lets me open a Book!!!! Frustrating at best!!!! Now I need to tell AMX I’ve been Scammed!!!! ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Worst app ever *2023-01-28, version 6.1.3* Developer looks like is paying around, no updates, changed name of the app and did not honor lifetime users. Don’t loose your time. ### 1/5 — Worst summary app *2021-06-07, version 6.1.3* This might be the worst app ever for summaries. It’s a cross between frantic Snapchat and Instagram stories. The book summaries are decent, but they don’t let you go back as you’re reading from screen to screen, and if you exit out and try to go back in, you have to watch an ad. This is all “free” but I say that in quotes because you have to watch a ton of ads. You’ll waste all the time you’ve saved reading summaries by watching ads. It's incredibly disappointing. ### 1/5 — Inappropriate *2021-05-18, version 6.1.3* As I looked through the content of this app I was shocked at what I found on an app rated four and up. There were articles containing content that shouldn’t be read even by grown adults. This app contains content on things I don’t even like to talk about to a close friend ### 1/5 — Got lifetime and now they changed name and swrvice *2020-11-30, version 6.1.3* I got lifetime servixe to support it, and they changed their business models bow inonly get 2 credits means can only listen 2 times. Worst thing is you cannot mover forward or back . I had to close the app, and when I came back it used the 2nd credit to let me listen. So used 2 credits. Fir half a book summsry. Awful. ### 1/5 — Terrible support, not insightful *2020-08-12, version 6.1.3* This app is not worth the money. The summaries aren’t comprehensive, thought it was going to give me helpful nuggets but all I got was $90 down the drain. Do yourself a favor and DONT BUY ### 1/5 — Unable to login the app to access my account *2020-06-12, version 6.1.3* I would like to see a place to login into my account from the app. ### 1/5 — Took My Money *2020-05-01, version 6.1.0* Decent app but as a person who minimizes the amount of apps on my device I never downloaded this app onto my phone and whenever I found the subscription they somehow locked me in for a YEAR. I want my money back... ### 1/5 — Hope it’s good *2020-04-09, version 6.0.1* Not gonna rate it yet because I just downloaded it so I will do it further ado but it’s making me rate it please fix that tiny problem thank you 😊 ### 1/5 — ms quick reader *2020-04-01, version 6.0.1* The app is not even review-able because I am not able to scroll down one chapter without the aggravation of flipping the page. The apps IMO need to have back page and next page arrows and allow scrolling to simply page up and down. Would’ve really liked to have enjoyed this app ### 1/5 — Ok concept but bad showing *2020-04-01, version 6.0.1* I didn’t like the way it was shown off but I know the people behind the app had a good concept but it has a bad way of showing it ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Is this app no longer working *2024-10-10, version 6.1.3* Has this app stopped refreshing ### 5/5 — Great App and please read!!!! *2020-05-28, version 6.1.2* This is the best app, I don’t know what all the bad reviews are for. 10/10 recommend! :) ### 5/5 — Amazing for what’s happening now *2020-03-29, version 6.0.1* I love this app because it give you info And since I’m in quarantine so Everyday I listen to this Keep up the Work ### 5/5 — Just Awesome..! *2020-01-02* I kept thinking whether to go for this app or is it just another app that I’ll download and won’t use it like most apps I have. Subscribed without expectations and hesitation. But can’t believe how intuitive it is to just keep listening book summaries one after another. In fact I now am thinking why didn’t I downloaded the app earlier. Looks like I found a free time activity that will help me enjoy and learn at the same time. What better use of my free time can be. I’m happy. And hence thought to write review about the app. App itself is well designed and Works well. I’m sure significant efforts must have gone to build it and maintain all quality content on it. ### 5/5 — I love books! *2019-12-04, version 5.0.6* But not reading them. Booknotes book, so you don’t have to. Five stars. ### 5/5 — perfection *2019-09-23, version 2.1.4* sign up, give back to someone who has less than you and get back more than you gave to begin with. this is a wonderful app made by brilliant people that care for people. love it. 😘 ### 5/5 — Feeling 15x smarter in 15min *2019-09-14, version 2.1.1* My brain feels gigantic. Love this app. ### 5/5 — Great/Functional *2019-06-26* Great app...with a busy life this app provides an efficient way to read more books in a short of time! It is easy to find 15 mins a day to read, to learn more and to enjoy it!!! Definitely recommend it ;) ### 5/5 — Life Changing *2019-01-11* Literally every time I open this app, I learn something that changes my life. No matter what problem I’m facing, this app has the answers. Keep up the good work! **Developer response:** Thanks for the kind words - glad you're liking it : ) ### 5/5 — Loving it! *2019-01-03* What a dope app! Huge book selection and pretty easy to use. I open it up a few times a day! **Developer response:** Thanks for the kind words - glad you're liking it : ) --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-08.*