# Adirondack Explorer vs Handwoven

The clearest difference is monetization model: Adirondack Explorer at free with in-app purchases against Handwoven's subscription. Handwoven's advantage is review sentiment (63% vs 33%) and ratings volume (302 vs 25). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Adirondack Explorer sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Handwoven sells 10 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 — 4.9 for Adirondack Explorer against 4.9 for Handwoven. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Handwoven has 302 ratings behind it against 25, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 33% of Adirondack Explorer's written reviews are positive against 63% of Handwoven's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Adirondack Explorer | Handwoven |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (25 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/adirondack-explorer/id1158414381/reviews) | **[4.9 (302 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/handwoven/id1480296464/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 25 | **302** |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | **62.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 96 MB | 83 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Zinio Pro](https://appshunter.io/developer/451100089) | [Long Thread Media LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1480296463) |

## What reviewers say

### Adirondack Explorer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/adirondack-explorer/id1158414381)

Explore the Adirondack Park through in-depth articles and stunning photography. Discover tales of adventure, environmental issues, and local communities within this unique six-million acre park. Published seven times a year.

**Highlights:** In-depth articles, Vivid photography, Recreational adventure tales, Environmental and policy coverage, Community exploration, Digital magazine format

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Month \| Adirondack Explorer | $2.99 | per month |
| 1 Year \| Adirondack Explorer | $29.99 | per year |
| March - April 2015 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Annual Outings Guide | $3.99 | one-time |
| July/August 2016 | $3.99 | one-time |
| May/June 2017 | $3.99 | one-time |
| June Annual Outings Guide 2017 | $3.99 | one-time |
| September/October 2017 | $3.99 | one-time |
| June Annual Outings Guide 2018 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Issue 10 | $3.99 | one-time |


### Handwoven

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/handwoven/id1480296464)

Explore the world of handweaving with a digital magazine. Each issue offers projects, instructions, and inspiration to enhance your skills and design creativity. Stay updated with the latest trends and techniques in the handweaving community.

**Highlights:** Handweaving projects, Technical skill instruction, Design confidence building, Inspiration for weavers, Digital magazine format, Subscription access to current and future issues

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Month Subscription | $2.49 | per month |
| One Year Subscription | $34.99 | per year |
| 1 Year Subscription | $34.99 | per year |
| March-April 2019 | $7.99 | one-time |
| November-December 2019 | $7.99 | one-time |
| March/April 2020 | $7.99 | one-time |
| September/October 2020 | $7.99 | one-time |
| May/June 2021 | $7.99 | one-time |
| September/October 2022 | $7.99 | one-time |
| March/April 2023 | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Access to back issues
- 👍 Great magazine content
- 👍 Useful for learning weaving
- 👍 Good for finding patterns
- 👍 Digital subscription is joyful

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bookmarks losing photos
- 🐛 Bookmarks disappearing
- 🐛 Search function not sophisticated
- 🐛 Search doesn't find designer/yarn/loom
- 🐛 Bookmarking is pointless without photos

**Reported bugs**

- App won't open
- Bookmarks have no photos
- Bookmarks have disappeared
- Search function is useless/doesn't work
- No access since last update (requires subscription)

**Requested features**

- Improve search sophistication (designer, yarn, loom)
- Fix bookmark photos
- Allow printing of patterns


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Adirondack Explorer free?

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

### Is Handwoven free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Adirondack Explorer or Handwoven?

Handwoven is rated higher. Adirondack Explorer averages 4.9 out of 5 from 25 ratings, while Handwoven averages 4.9 from 302 ratings.

### Do Adirondack Explorer or Handwoven have ads?

Neither Adirondack Explorer nor Handwoven shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Adirondack Explorer or Handwoven?

Adirondack Explorer ships an update every 5 months, and Handwoven every 5 months. Most recently, Adirondack Explorer was updated on November 6, 2026 and Handwoven on November 3, 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.*