# Roommate Albert vs IO

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Roommate Albert at none against IO's 1. IO's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (17.6 vs 26.0). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. IO sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Roommate Albert asks for nothing beyond the download.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Roommate Albert | IO |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 52.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Size | 21 MB | 15 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **17.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | +4 |
| Developer | [Julian Kahnert](https://appshunter.io/developer/1352719749) | [CJ Solution UG (haftungsbeschraenkt)](https://appshunter.io/developer/1870234861) |

## What reviewers say

### Roommate Albert

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/roommate-albert-meter-reader/id1617545224)

Effortlessly track utility meter readings by simply taking photos. The app automatically detects values and timestamps from your pictures, offering suggestions for easy confirmation. It supports various meter types and keeps all data securely on your device.

**Highlights:** Read meter values from photos, Automatic value and timestamp detection, Supports electricity, gas, and water meters, Handles day/night tariffs, On-device data processing, Export data to CSV

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### IO

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/io-inspector/id6758009180)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Version Lifetime | $17.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Roommate Albert free?

Roommate Albert is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is IO free?

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

### Do Roommate Albert or IO have ads?

Roommate Albert shows ads; IO does not.

### Which is updated more often, Roommate Albert or IO?

Roommate Albert ships an update every 2 weeks, and IO every 2 weeks. Most recently, Roommate Albert was updated on November 7, 2026 and IO on November 5, 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.*