# Mary vs Protocol

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Mary at none against Protocol's 2. Mary also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). Protocol's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Protocol sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Mary asks for nothing beyond the download.

Mary ships an update every 3 months, Protocol every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mary | Protocol |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (544 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mary/id483256944/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **544** | — |
| Positive reviews | 92.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 43 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception](https://appshunter.io/developer/410696369) | [Karthikeyan Sivamani](https://appshunter.io/developer/1894520654) |

## What reviewers say

### Mary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mary/id483256944)

Explore comprehensive information on the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus. This free app provides resources on her doctrine, devotions like the interactive Rosary, and details on apparitions and pilgrimage sites. Deepen your understanding and devotion to Mary to grow closer to Jesus.

**Highlights:** Interactive Rosary with audio, Marian Dogmas and Titles, Marian Feasts and Prayers, Images and Apparitions of Mary, Pilgrimage Sites information, Information on Marian Fathers

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🙏 Helpful for prayer life
- 🌟 Excellent app for learning about Mary
- 🎨 Beautiful design and visuals
- 🔊 Soothing narration voice

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Audio issues (cutting out, repeating)
- 🔍 Difficulty navigating/tracking progress
- 🔌 Compatibility issues with iOS 11 and newer
- 🔇 Lack of customization options (volume, speed)

**Reported bugs**

- Rosary prayers not proceeding correctly after Luminous Mysteries
- App not compatible with latest iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Add Latin audio/text option for rosary
- Include Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Implement vibration patterns to distinguish rosary mysteries
- Add ability to pause/resume rosary without losing progress


### Protocol

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/protocol-the-season/id6762522513)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Protocol Premium - Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Protocol Premium – Annual | $39.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mary free?

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

### Is Protocol free?

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

### Do Mary or Protocol have ads?

Neither Mary nor Protocol shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Mary or Protocol?

Mary ships an update every 3 months, and Protocol every 2 weeks. Most recently, Mary was updated on November 1, 2026 and Protocol 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.*