# Montana Shared Catalog vs Embering

The clearest difference is rating: Embering at 5.0 against Montana Shared Catalog's 3.1. Embering also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 4 months). Montana Shared Catalog's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (10 vs 1). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Embering sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Montana Shared Catalog asks for nothing beyond the download.

Embering holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Montana Shared Catalog has 10 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Montana Shared Catalog ships an update every 4 months, Embering every 5 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Montana Shared Catalog | Embering |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.1 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/montana-shared-catalog/id1539429817/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/embering/id6801032270/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **10** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 28.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 50 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Montana State Library - Montana Shared Catalog](https://appshunter.io/developer/1539429819) | [Embering LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/6801032272) |

## What reviewers say

### Montana Shared Catalog

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/montana-shared-catalog/id1539429817)

Easily search and manage your library account on the go. Access the Montana Shared Catalog directly from your Apple device. Keep track of your borrowed items and explore the collection.

**Highlights:** Search library collection, Manage user account, Access from iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Explore catalog

**In-app purchases:** none


### Embering

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/embering/id6801032270)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Founding Reader | Free | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Montana Shared Catalog free?

Montana Shared Catalog is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Embering free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Montana Shared Catalog or Embering?

Embering is rated higher. Montana Shared Catalog averages 3.1 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while Embering averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Montana Shared Catalog or Embering have ads?

Neither Montana Shared Catalog nor Embering shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Montana Shared Catalog or Embering?

Montana Shared Catalog ships an update every 4 months, and Embering every 5 days. Most recently, Montana Shared Catalog was updated on October 24, 2026 and Embering 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.*