# Samsa vs Parallel

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Samsa at none against Parallel's 4. Samsa also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 18.0). Parallel's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 16 months). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Parallel sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Samsa asks for nothing beyond the download.

Samsa ships an update every 16 months, Parallel every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Samsa | Parallel |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/parallel-history-timeline/id6772115245/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **2** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 16 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 28 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [DactylGroup](https://appshunter.io/developer/1121936981) | [Anatol Knotek](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895362751) |

## What reviewers say

### Samsa

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/samsa/id1468451980)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Parallel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/parallel-history-timeline/id6772115245)

Explore historical connections by viewing multiple timelines simultaneously. Discover who lived at the same time as historical figures and events. Create custom collections or use curated ones to delve into specific eras and topics.

**Highlights:** View multiple historical timelines, Discover contemporaries at a glance, Access concise biographies with Wikipedia links, Create custom history collections, Offline functionality, Private and no tracking

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Painters & Sculptors XL | $1.99 | one-time |
| Buildings XL | $1.99 | one-time |
| Science & Technology XL | $1.99 | one-time |
| Parallel Pro | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Samsa free?

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

### Is Parallel free?

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

### Do Samsa or Parallel have ads?

Neither Samsa nor Parallel shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Samsa or Parallel?

Samsa ships an update every 16 months, and Parallel every 3 weeks. Most recently, Samsa was updated on October 14, 2026 and Parallel on October 24, 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.*