# The Optimists Books vs Virtual Background

The clearest difference is price: Virtual Background at Free against The Optimists Books's $0.99. Virtual Background also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.6). The Optimists Books's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 1.0) and ratings volume (26 vs 1). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Virtual Background is free to download; The Optimists Books costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

The Optimists Books holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Optimists Books has 26 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

The Optimists Books ships an update every 2 months, Virtual Background every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Optimists Books | Virtual Background |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.8 (26 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-optimists-books/id1464944605/reviews)** | [1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/virtual-background/id6444243926/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **26** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 87.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 12 MB | 39 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bryan Hall](https://appshunter.io/developer/1464944604) | [Osamah Mohammed](https://appshunter.io/developer/971792256) |

## What reviewers say

### The Optimists Books

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-optimists-books/id1464944605)

Access uplifting messages and prayers from two classic books published in the early 1900s. This app provides daily inspiration, allowing you to search, sort, and share messages to foster a more positive outlook.

**Highlights:** Daily inspirational messages, Non-denominational prayers, Search and sort messages, Save favorite messages, Share messages with others, Ad-free experience

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Virtual Background

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/virtual-background/id6444243926)

Access a vast library of free virtual backgrounds for your meetings. Explore diverse collections and categories to enhance your online presence without worrying about your real surroundings.

**Highlights:** Thousands of free virtual backgrounds, Diverse collections and categories, Enhance online meeting appearance, Easy to use

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Optimists Books free?

The Optimists Books costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Virtual Background free?

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

### Which has better reviews, The Optimists Books or Virtual Background?

The Optimists Books is rated higher. The Optimists Books averages 4.8 out of 5 from 26 ratings, while Virtual Background averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do The Optimists Books or Virtual Background have ads?

Neither The Optimists Books nor Virtual Background shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Optimists Books or Virtual Background?

The Optimists Books ships an update every 2 months, and Virtual Background every 3 days. Most recently, The Optimists Books was updated on October 11, 2026 and Virtual Background on October 14, 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.*