# Anime Reference vs Anime Tracker

Anime Reference and Anime Tracker both sit at 4.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Anime Tracker's written reviews are positive against 75% of Anime Reference's. Anime Tracker also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). Anime Reference's advantage is ratings volume (80 vs 7). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Anime Reference sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and Anime Tracker sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Anime Reference against 4.6 for Anime Tracker. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Anime Reference has 80 ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 75% of Anime Reference's written reviews are positive against 100% of Anime Tracker's.

Anime Reference ships an update every 2 months, Anime Tracker fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on June 10, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Anime Reference | Anime Tracker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (80 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/anime-reference/id1498269603/reviews) | **[4.6 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/anime-tracker-anime-list/id6483005230/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **80** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 49 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Aaron Treinish](https://appshunter.io/developer/1391336505) | [MICHAEL JOHN S WILLER](https://appshunter.io/developer/1694028060) |

## 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

**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 |


### Anime Tracker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/anime-tracker-anime-list/id6483005230)

Easily track your favorite anime, discover new series, and stay updated on upcoming releases. Connect with friends to share your viewing habits and gain insights into your anime preferences with detailed statistics.

**Highlights:** Track current anime, Discover new series, Set release reminders, Connect with friends, View watch stats, Identify filler episodes

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Annual | $14.99 | per year |
| Tea Supporter | $0.99 | one-time |
| Ramen Supporter | $4.99 | one-time |
| Manga Supporter | $9.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Anime Reference free?

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

### Is Anime Tracker free?

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

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

Anime Tracker is rated higher. Anime Reference averages 4.5 out of 5 from 80 ratings, while Anime Tracker averages 4.6 from 7 ratings.

### Do Anime Reference or Anime Tracker have ads?

Neither Anime Reference nor Anime Tracker shows ads.

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

Anime Reference ships an update every 2 months, and Anime Tracker fortnightly. Most recently, Anime Reference was updated on June 10, 2026 and Anime Tracker on September 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.*