# CMDR vs Spells List 5e

The clearest difference is monetization model: CMDR at free with in-app purchases against Spells List 5e's subscription. CMDR also leads on ads (none vs shown). Spells List 5e's advantage is ratings volume (3.3K vs 16) and iOS requirement (12.4 vs 15.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. CMDR sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Spells List 5e sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for CMDR against 4.8 for Spells List 5e. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Spells List 5e has 3.3K ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 79% of CMDR's written reviews are positive against 87% of Spells List 5e's.

CMDR ships an update every 4 weeks, Spells List 5e every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CMDR | Spells List 5e |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cmdr/id1050273483/reviews) | [4.8 (3.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spells-list-5e/id1220380339/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 16 | **3.3K** |
| Positive reviews | 79.2% of reviews | **87.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 3 MB | 36 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | +4 |
| Developer | [Peter Stanley](https://appshunter.io/developer/1041000015) | [Ilario Del sorbo](https://appshunter.io/developer/631191336) |

## What reviewers say

### CMDR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cmdr/id1050273483)

This app delivers the latest news from the Elite: Dangerous universe quickly and efficiently. It helps users stay informed about important in-game events, such as server downtime, by making news items content-aware for easy calendar integration.

**Highlights:** Fast Galnet News delivery, Content-aware event integration, Calendar synchronization, Clean and lean interface, Offline news access (implied by 'sat on a train')

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Delicious snack for the Dev | $0.99 | one-time |
| Small coffee for the Dev | $1.99 | one-time |
| Medium coffee for the Dev | $2.99 | one-time |
| Large coffee for the Dev | $3.99 | one-time |


### Spells List 5e

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spells-list-5e/id1220380339)

Quickly find Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition spells with a powerful search and filtering system. Organize spells into character spellbooks and even create custom spells. Supports multiple languages.

**Highlights:** Fast spell search, Dozens of filters, Character spellbooks, Custom spell creation, All official 5e sources, Multi-language support

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

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock all - 1 month | $2.49 | per month |
| Unlock all - 1 year | $17.99 | per year |
| Micro Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Filter by Dragonmarks | $1.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Icons | $1.99 | one-time |
| Small Tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Import/Export Character | $2.99 | one-time |
| Unlock infinite Spellbooks | $3.99 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Mega Tip | $6.99 | one-time |
| Unlock all - Lifetime | $28.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Convenient spell reference
- 📚 Comprehensive spell list
- 🔍 Helpful filters and search
- 👍 Easy to use and organize spells
- 🎨 Customizable character spellbooks

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and crashes
- 🔀 Inconsistent spell descriptions
- 🔒 Paid features locked behind paywall
- 🤔 Missing some spells from newer books
- 🎨 Limited customization options

**Reported bugs**

- Purchased premium features not working properly
- Crashes when adding custom spells to characters
- Inconsistent behavior when filtering spells

**Requested features**

- Ability to edit official spell descriptions
- Filter spells by damage type or other criteria
- Automatic tracking of spell slots and concentration
- Support for homebrew classes and races
- Sync spellbooks across multiple devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CMDR free?

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

### Is Spells List 5e free?

Spells List 5e is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, CMDR or Spells List 5e?

CMDR and Spells List 5e are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 16 and 3.3K ratings respectively.

### Do CMDR or Spells List 5e have ads?

Spells List 5e shows ads; CMDR does not.

### Which is updated more often, CMDR or Spells List 5e?

CMDR ships an update every 4 weeks, and Spells List 5e every 3 weeks. Most recently, CMDR was updated on October 8, 2026 and Spells List 5e on October 15, 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.*