# Anime Reference vs AniLib

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Anime Reference at 75% against AniLib's 27%. Anime Reference also leads on rating (4.5 vs 2.1). AniLib's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 11) and update cadence (daily vs every 2 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Anime Reference sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. AniLib asks for nothing beyond the download.

Anime Reference holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 2.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 80 and 28 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of Anime Reference's written reviews are positive against 27% of AniLib's.

Anime Reference ships an update every 2 months, AniLib daily. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Anime Reference | AniLib |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (80 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/anime-reference/id1498269603/reviews)** | [2.1 (28 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/anilib/id1551765120/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **80** | 28 |
| Positive reviews | **75.0% of reviews** | 26.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 49 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **14.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Aaron Treinish](https://appshunter.io/developer/1391336505) | [Boyang Yue](https://appshunter.io/developer/1546712779) |

## What reviewers say

### Anime Reference

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/anime-reference/id1498269603)

Easily track, discover, and organize your anime and manga collections. Manage watchlists, monitor progress, and find new series with detailed information and seasonal updates.

**Highlights:** Track anime and manga progress, Discover new and trending series, Manage custom watchlists, View detailed anime information, Receive episode air notifications, Customize app theme

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

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PLUS ULTRA Weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| PLUS ULTRA 1 month | $4.99 | per month |
| PLUS ULTRA 6 months | $14.99 | per 6 months |
| PLUS ULTRA 1 year | $29.99 | per year |
| Shonen Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Weeb Tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| PLUS ULTRA | $2.99 | one-time |
| Otaku Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Sugoi Tip | $9.99 | one-time |
| Sensei Tip | $14.99 | one-time |
| Hokage Tip | $19.99 | one-time |


### AniLib

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/anilib/id1551765120)

Discover popular, new, and trending anime and manga. Browse content by category or search for specific titles. Features quick actions and dark mode for a streamlined experience.

**Highlights:** Explore popular anime and manga, Track new and trending titles, Browse by category, Search for specific content, Home Screen Quick Actions, Dark Mode support

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Anime Reference free?

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

### Is AniLib free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Anime Reference or AniLib?

Anime Reference is rated higher. Anime Reference averages 4.5 out of 5 from 80 ratings, while AniLib averages 2.1 from 28 ratings.

### Do Anime Reference or AniLib have ads?

Neither Anime Reference nor AniLib shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Anime Reference or AniLib?

Anime Reference ships an update every 2 months, and AniLib daily. Most recently, Anime Reference was updated on October 16, 2026 and AniLib on October 13, 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.*