# Essayist vs Unloop

The clearest difference is monetization model: Unloop at freemium against Essayist's subscription. Unloop also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.5) and update cadence (every 5 days vs fortnightly). Essayist's advantage is ratings volume (431 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Essayist sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Unloop sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Unloop holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Essayist has 431 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Essayist ships an update fortnightly, Unloop every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Essayist | Unloop |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (431 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essayist-academic-writing-app/id1537845384/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/unloop-focus-time/id6811465654/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **431** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 60.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Freemium** |
| Size | 82 MB | 34 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Essayist Software Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1537845386) | [Jose Luis Duran](https://appshunter.io/developer/1481127850) |

## What reviewers say

### Essayist

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essayist-academic-writing-app/id1537845384)

This app simplifies academic writing by automatically formatting essays in various styles like APA, MLA, and Chicago. It includes a universal reference manager, citation tools, and equation support, allowing for distraction-free writing and easy export to PDF or Word.

**Highlights:** Automatic essay formatting, Universal reference manager, In-text citation and footnote insertion, LaTeX equation support, Export to PDF and Word, Minimalist interface

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $5.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $9.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $39.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $79.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Helpful for academic writing
- 🚀 Saves time on formatting
- 👍 Accurate citations
- 👍 Intuitive interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and crashes
- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🔒 Privacy concerns
- 🔒 Locked features behind paywall
- 🔧 Limited functionality

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when trying to add references
- Formatting issues when copying and pasting
- Inability to edit title pages and section headings
- Inconsistent behavior across devices (iPad vs. Mac)
- Issues with in-text citations and reference lists

**Requested features**

- Add more citation styles (e.g. MHRA, Vancouver)
- Improve table and image handling
- Integrate with reference managers like Zotero
- Add grammar and spell check tools
- Allow more customization of templates and formatting


### Unloop

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/unloop-focus-time/id6811465654)

This app helps you break free from addictive digital habits by creating automated boundaries around distracting apps and websites. Reclaim lost time for deep work, study, or family by setting up instant focus modes, location-based restrictions, and smart schedules.

**Highlights:** Instant Focus Modes, NFC Tap-to-Lock, Location Zones, Smart Routine Schedules, School Time Focus, Parental Controls, Family Sharing

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Individual Plan | $9.99 | per year |
| Family Plan | $14.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Essayist free?

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

### Is Unloop free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Essayist or Unloop?

Unloop is rated higher. Essayist averages 4.5 out of 5 from 431 ratings, while Unloop averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Essayist or Unloop have ads?

Neither Essayist nor Unloop shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Essayist or Unloop?

Essayist ships an update fortnightly, and Unloop every 5 days. Most recently, Essayist was updated on November 11, 2026 and Unloop on October 31, 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.*