# Shakespeare vs Democracy Test Kitchen

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Democracy Test Kitchen at none against Shakespeare's 10. Democracy Test Kitchen also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 3 weeks). Shakespeare's advantage is ratings volume (3.5K vs 1) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, rating, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Shakespeare sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Democracy Test Kitchen asks for nothing beyond the download.

Democracy Test Kitchen holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Shakespeare has 3.5K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Shakespeare ships an update every 3 weeks, Democracy Test Kitchen every 2 days. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shakespeare | Democracy Test Kitchen |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (3.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shakespeare/id285035416/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/democracy-test-kitchen/id6821222356/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **3.5K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 74.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 416 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PlayShakespeare.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/809094812) | [Democracy Test Kitchen](https://appshunter.io/developer/6821222358) |

## What reviewers say

### Shakespeare

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shakespeare/id285035416)

Access the complete works of Shakespeare, including plays, sonnets, and poems. Features include a powerful search, integrated glossary, note-taking, and customization options for a rich reading experience.

**Highlights:** Complete works of Shakespeare, Powerful search and concordance, Integrated glossary with definitions, Add and share personal notes, Customizable reading experience, Scene breakdowns and character descriptions, Modern translations and lexicons

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Modern Translation (Hamlet) | $2.99 | one-time |
| Modern Translation (Macbeth) | $2.99 | one-time |
| Schmidt's Lexicon | $3.99 | one-time |
| All Apocrypha | $7.99 | one-time |
| Course: Intro to Shakespeare | $9.99 | one-time |
| All Lexicons | $9.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade to Shakespeare Pro | $12.99 | one-time |
| Modern Translation (All Works) | $14.99 | one-time |
| Modern Translation (All Works) | $19.99 | one-time |
| Shakespeare Ultimate | $59.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Best app out there
- 👍 Excellent app
- 👍 Terrific app for Shakespeare lovers
- 👍 Remarkable level of detail and care
- 👍 Invaluable for actors and students

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes, buggy, unstable
- 💰 Nickel-and-diming for features
- 💰 Upgrade to pro is misleading
- 💰 Constant nagging to upgrade
- 🤔 Abbreviated character names

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on launch or opening plays
- Scrolling and UI issues
- Incompatible with latest iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Add modern translations
- Include line numbers
- Improve search and navigation
- Add more content like sonnets
- Sync purchases across devices


### Democracy Test Kitchen

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/democracy-test-kitchen/id6821222356)

This non-partisan voter guide helps you understand your ballot. Compare candidate stances on issues, build a personalized voting plan, and find registration and polling place information. Access your plan offline and receive election day reminders.

**Highlights:** View your personalized ballot, Compare candidate positions on issues, Build and save a voting plan, Find registration and polling place info, Offline access to your plan, Election Day reminders and calendar integration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shakespeare free?

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

### Is Democracy Test Kitchen free?

Democracy Test Kitchen is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Shakespeare or Democracy Test Kitchen?

Democracy Test Kitchen is rated higher. Shakespeare averages 4.8 out of 5 from 3.5K ratings, while Democracy Test Kitchen averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Shakespeare or Democracy Test Kitchen have ads?

Neither Shakespeare nor Democracy Test Kitchen shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Shakespeare or Democracy Test Kitchen?

Shakespeare ships an update every 3 weeks, and Democracy Test Kitchen every 2 days. Most recently, Shakespeare was updated on October 31, 2026 and Democracy Test Kitchen 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.*