# AskTheRav vs The Alef

AskTheRav and The Alef are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

AskTheRav ships an update monthly, The Alef every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | AskTheRav | The Alef |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/asktherav/id1451101518/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **4** | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 4 MB | 387 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Yosef Braun](https://appshunter.io/developer/1451101517) | [Merkos](https://appshunter.io/developer/1537815696) |

## What reviewers say

### AskTheRav

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/asktherav/id1451101518)

Get answers to your Jewish Halacha questions from a respected authority. Browse a large database of existing questions or submit your own for a personal response. Access practical guidance on various topics anytime, anywhere.

**Highlights:** Search thousands of Q&As, Submit your own Halacha question, Browse by category, Access answers offline, Practical Halacha guidance

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### The Alef

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-alef/id6754757302)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is AskTheRav free?

AskTheRav is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is The Alef free?

The Alef is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do AskTheRav or The Alef have ads?

Neither AskTheRav nor The Alef shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, AskTheRav or The Alef?

AskTheRav ships an update monthly, and The Alef every 2 weeks. Most recently, AskTheRav was updated on October 24, 2026 and The Alef on October 8, 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.*