# BG Catalog vs The Archivist App

The clearest difference is rating: The Archivist App at 5.0 against BG Catalog's 4.5. The Archivist App also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 3 weeks) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). BG Catalog's advantage is ratings volume (255 vs 2) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

The Archivist App holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BG Catalog has 255 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

BG Catalog ships an update every 3 weeks, The Archivist App every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BG Catalog | The Archivist App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (255 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bg-catalog/id1558147475/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-archivist-app/id6812062028/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **255** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 57.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 53 MB | 15 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Fco. Javier Perez Pacheco](https://appshunter.io/developer/1477714897) | [Brian Shayler](https://appshunter.io/developer/6812062030) |

## What reviewers say

### BG Catalog

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bg-catalog/id1558147475)

Organize your board game collection, track plays, and manage game nights with friends. Easily catalog owned games, wishlists, and see detailed statistics on your gaming habits. Share game details and victories via QR codes and social media.

**Highlights:** Manage board game collection, Track game plays and scores, Organize friends and play locations, Game status management (owned, wishlist, etc.), Statistics on games played and usage, Share games and results via QR code, Social media sharing of game rankings

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Smooth sync with BGG
- 📊 Comprehensive statistics
- 💰 Free with no ads

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Sync issues with BGG
- ⚠️ Unable to add games not in collection
- 🔍 Search functionality issues
- 🔒 Requires BGG login

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to open game details
- Crashes and freezes after recent update
- Incorrect game information displayed
- Login/sync failures

**Requested features**

- Add scoring sheets for games
- Connect with friends who use the app
- Customizable collections
- Faction/team tracking for games


### The Archivist App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-archivist-app/id6812062028)

Organize and archive your life's collections, from comics and video games to clothing and music. This app allows you to catalog items with photos and details, making it easy to keep track of your possessions.

**Highlights:** Catalog comics, video games, clothing, music, and more, Add box photos and identify cards from photos, Drag and drop music records, Hide collections from friends, Free planner and scanning features

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BG Catalog free?

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

### Is The Archivist App free?

The Archivist App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, BG Catalog or The Archivist App?

The Archivist App is rated higher. BG Catalog averages 4.5 out of 5 from 255 ratings, while The Archivist App averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do BG Catalog or The Archivist App have ads?

Neither BG Catalog nor The Archivist App shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BG Catalog or The Archivist App?

BG Catalog ships an update every 3 weeks, and The Archivist App every 2 days. Most recently, BG Catalog was updated on October 25, 2026 and The Archivist App 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.*