# OpenDNA vs Fathom

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: OpenDNA at none against Fathom's 8. OpenDNA also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (95% vs 69%). Fathom's advantage is ratings volume (508 vs 3) and update cadence (weekly vs monthly). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Fathom sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. OpenDNA asks for nothing beyond the download.

OpenDNA holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Fathom has 508 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 95% of OpenDNA's written reviews are positive against 69% of Fathom's.

OpenDNA ships an update monthly, Fathom weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | OpenDNA | Fathom |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/opendna/id1620832341/reviews)** | [4.8 (508 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fathom-learn-philosophy/id6742149252/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **508** |
| Positive reviews | **95.0% of reviews** | 69.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Subscription |
| Size | 116 MB | 191 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [OpenDNA Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/994101524) | [Polywise, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1437286958) |

## What reviewers say

### OpenDNA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/opendna/id1620832341)

Explore art and philosophy through engaging 5-minute lessons and daily activities. Develop your critical thinking skills by discovering new concepts and recording your insights in a personal notepad.

**Highlights:** 5-minute learning content, Daily unusual activities, Personal notepad for discoveries, Explore Cubism, Learn about Haiku, Study light and shade in art, Investigate Western philosophy

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Fathom

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fathom-learn-philosophy/id6742149252)

Explore great thinkers and philosophies with bite-sized lessons. Understand complex ideas with elegant visuals and build a daily habit of learning. Access over 50 learning paths on diverse philosophical topics.

**Highlights:** Daily philosophy habit building, Bite-sized lessons (under 2 minutes), Elegant visual explanations, 50+ learning paths, Save and review insights, Set learning goals

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

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $6.99 | per month |
| Premium Monthly Subscription | $12.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription (no trial) | $49.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $49.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription (Premium) | $59.99 | per year |
| Yearly Access Premium No Trial | $59.99 | per year |
| Yearly Sub Premium No Trial | $69.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription Premium | $69.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Engaging and interactive lessons
- 🎨 Visually appealing and informative
- 🧠 Helps develop critical thinking skills
- 🔍 Broad range of philosophical topics covered

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription-based model with limited free trial
- 🤔 Some questions felt leading rather than open-ended
- 🕰️ Lack of flexibility to revisit initial philosopher selections

**Reported bugs**

- Unexpected charges during free trial period
- Potential issues with app functionality and compatibility

**Requested features**

- Option to customize or revisit philosopher selections
- More information about the app's algorithm and learning progression
- Ability to explore a wider range of philosophical perspectives


## Frequently asked questions

### Is OpenDNA free?

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

### Is Fathom free?

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

### Which has better reviews, OpenDNA or Fathom?

OpenDNA is rated higher. OpenDNA averages 5.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Fathom averages 4.8 from 508 ratings.

### Do OpenDNA or Fathom have ads?

Fathom shows ads; OpenDNA does not.

### Which is updated more often, OpenDNA or Fathom?

OpenDNA ships an update monthly, and Fathom weekly. Most recently, OpenDNA was updated on November 3, 2026 and Fathom on October 30, 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.*