# Collections Database vs MDB

The clearest difference is price: Collections Database at Free against MDB's $3.99. Collections Database also leads on rating (4.6 vs 3.0) and ratings volume (192 vs 1). MDB's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On ads there is nothing between them.

Collections Database is free to download; MDB costs $3.99 up front. Collections Database sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. MDB asks for nothing beyond the download.

Collections Database holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Collections Database has 192 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Collections Database ships an update every 8 days, MDB every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Collections Database | MDB |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $3.99 |
| Rating | **[4.6 (192 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/collections-database/id1568395334/reviews)** | [3.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mdb-viewer/id6790263073/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **192** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 87.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 25 MB | 22 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Matteo D'Ignazio](https://appshunter.io/developer/634863524) | [久燕 王](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896551289) |

## What reviewers say

### Collections Database

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/collections-database/id1568395334)

Organize anything with a personal database app. It offers over 20 field types, customizable layouts, and pre-built templates for common uses like books or expenses. Advanced features and iCloud sync are available.

**Highlights:** 20+ field types (text, number, picture, barcode, etc.), Customizable fields and display styles, Pre-built templates (books, contacts, expenses, etc.), Organize with collections and subcollections, Password, Face ID, and Touch ID protection, iCloud synchronization across devices, Advanced fields and calculations (Pro version)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Collections Ultra (Upgrade) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Collections Pro | $7.99 | one-time |
| Collections Ultra | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Flexible and customizable
- 🚀 Powerful and feature-rich
- 💡 Excellent integration with Apple ecosystem
- 🔒 Secure and private data storage
- 💰 Good value for money

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and sync issues
- 📚 Lacking comprehensive documentation
- 🔍 Limited search and filtering capabilities
- 🔀 Difficulty moving/copying data between collections

**Reported bugs**

- Keyboard issues when using search
- Inconsistent behavior between iOS and macOS versions

**Requested features**

- Collaborative features for sharing databases
- More advanced reporting and visualization options
- Improved import/export functionality
- Ability to customize the appearance and layout


### MDB

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mdb-viewer/id6790263073)

Access and view Microsoft Access database files directly on your iPhone. Browse tables, inspect data, and export it to CSV format without needing a desktop application. Ideal for field work and quick data access.

**Highlights:** Open .mdb and .accdb files, Browse table names, Preview row data, Export rows to CSV, No ads or subscriptions

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Collections Database free?

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

### Is MDB free?

MDB costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Collections Database or MDB?

Collections Database is rated higher. Collections Database averages 4.6 out of 5 from 192 ratings, while MDB averages 3.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Collections Database or MDB have ads?

Neither Collections Database nor MDB shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Collections Database or MDB?

Collections Database ships an update every 8 days, and MDB every 3 weeks. Most recently, Collections Database was updated on October 21, 2026 and MDB on October 15, 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.*