Moonlight vs ARC
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Moonlight
This app offers short, interactive stories that can be read or created in minutes. Users can make choices that alter the narrative and endings, or use a simple editor to publish their own tales. It fosters a community for readers and writers.
- Bite-sized interactive stories
- User choices impact story endings
- Simple story creation editor
- Publish stories in minutes
- Community for readers and writers
- Writing contests with prizes
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Moonlight. For people who want to read but never do. You're not lazy. Books are just too long and life is too busy. Moonlight fixes that. Bite-sized stories. Interactive choices. Tap through like messages. Finish something for once. Feel good about it. Read without the commitment Every story is built for your actual attention span. Romance, thriller, fantasy, mystery, horror, slice of life. Whatever you're into. Read for 5 minutes or 5 hours. Your choice. And it's not just reading. You make decisions that change the story. Different choices, different endings. You're in it, not just watching. Write without the struggle Our editor is dumb simple. Seriously. You can publish your first story in minutes. Add interactive choices, images, characters. No experience needed. No paywall. No limits. Don't know what to write? Start with community prompts. Want to compete? Enter writing contests with real prizes. Climb the leaderboard. Build an audience that actually reads your stuff. Tag your stories however you want. You decide how people find your work. Join the community Readers and writers from everywhere. Get feedback. Find your people. Discover stories before they blow up. Actually free Unlimited reading. Unlimited creating. Full tools. We're serious. Stop scrolling. Start reading. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
ARC
Engage with stories by making choices that shape the narrative and lead to unique endings. Explore various genres, from romance to fantasy, with both short reads and full-length books. An AI companion can help guide your decisions.
- Interactive stories with branching paths
- Short stories for quick reads
- Full-length books with multiple endings
- AI companion for decision guidance
- Audio narration for chapters
- Regularly added new stories
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Stories you don't just read, you control. No gems. No ads. No walls. Try the first chapter of all the books on ARC. One flat price unlocks every chapter of every book. Make choices that change what happens next. Follow branching paths across romance, thriller, fantasy, mystery, and more — with endings that are genuinely yours. Got five minutes? ARC Shorts are complete interactive stories built for your next break. Want to go deeper? Full-length books with multiple endings are waiting. Features: • Interactive stories where your choices matter • 3–10 minute story shorts for quick, immersive reads • Full-length interactive books with multiple endings • Kiro AI companion to guide your decisions • Audio narration available for every chapter • New stories added regularly Pick a story, make your choices, and see where your path leads. Perfect for fans of interactive stories, story-driven games, and readers who want a more immersive experience. Download ARC and start your first story today. Every choice is yours. Every ending is earned. https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Moonlight at 5.0 against ARC's 4.0. Moonlight also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4) and review sentiment (100% vs 75%). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. ARC sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Moonlight asks for nothing beyond the download.
Moonlight holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 8 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Moonlight's written reviews are positive against 75% of ARC's.
Moonlight ships an update every 3 days, ARC every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Moonlight | ARC |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better | 4.0 (8 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 75.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 3 | 8 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 days — better | Every 2 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 83 MB | 26 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Moonlight Stories | Fishybear LLC |
Customer experience
Moonlight
ARC
In-app purchases
Moonlight
No in-app purchases
ARC
- ARC Reader7 Days trial$9.991 Month
- ARC Reader Plus7 Days trial$24.991 Month
- ARC Reader7 Days trial$99.991 Year
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- ARC Reader Plus7 Days trial$199.991 Year
