Comparison

I Ching Lite vs Retro Library

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

I Ching Lite

This app provides access to the ancient Chinese oracle, the Book of Changes, for guidance on life's challenges. It offers an elegant and accessible way to consult its wisdom, helping users find balance, perspective, and peace of mind.

Highlights
  • I Ching consulting tool
  • Complete odd-numbered passages
  • Coin tossing simulation
  • Elegant and easy-to-use interface
  • Access to ancient Chinese wisdom
Features
Read full description

For years the #1 I Ching app in the world, and perhaps the most elegant, distilled version of the I Ching there is. For centuries, the Book of Changes has been consulted for sage advice at life's turning points. When its wisdom is sought with sincerity and sensitivity, this ancient Chinese oracle will promote success and good fortune and impart balance and perspective to your life. Its lasting popularity lies in the profound lessons it teaches about how reliance on one's higher qualities leads to life's greatest rewards: well-being, understanding, and peace of mind.

 Now available as an elegantly designed and easy to use iOS app, it is both highly accessible to new users and a revelation to those long familiar with the text. Throw your own coins, or let the app cast for you, and make the wisdom of the sages your own. This lite version contains the I Ching consulting tool and complete odd-numbered passages. Additional content and emailing feature is available through an In App Purchase. Brian Browne Walker is the author of celebrated contemporary translations of the I Ching, Tao te Ching, Hua hu Ching, and Art of War which are published by Harper and St. Martin's Press and translated into over a dozen languages around the world. His "I Ching, or Book of Changes", long beloved for its clarity and accessibility, has received five star reviews on Amazon consistently for over a decade.

About

Retro Library

Features
Read full description

RetroLibrary is a personal library app for collectors of retro computing books and magazines. Build a searchable collection, browse it like a bookshelf, and keep the important details with each title: author, publisher, edition, condition, rating, notes, cover art, value, lending status, and more. Whether you collect programming references, vintage hardware manuals, computer magazines, or computing history, RetroLibrary helps you organize the lot. Use ISBN and title lookup to fill in book details automatically, or scan the book (or shelf of books!) and let the machine learning recognize the details for you. Import your library in minutes not hours! Improve entries with cover art, and keep categories tidy. RetroLibrary also helps with collecting decisions. Use “Have I Got This?” to quickly check whether a book is already in your collection, on your wishlist, or still missing. If you don’t own it yet, add it straight to your wishlist. Features: - Track retro computing books and magazines in one library - Visual bookshelf browsing and traditional list view - ISBN scanning and metadata lookup - Shelf photo scanning with on-device OCR and Apple Intelligence assisted detection - Wishlist support - Ratings, condition, lending, notes, and value tracking - Automatic cover lookup - Library backup and restore tools - Quick ownership checking before you buy duplicates - Multiple ways to share, save and import your data. It's safe (and private)! - Runs on iPhone, iPad and Mac. RetroLibrary is designed for enthusiasts, collectors, researchers, and anyone building a personal archive of classic computing print material.

Screenshots

I Ching Lite4 screens
Retro Library4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Retro Library at none against I Ching Lite's 2. I Ching Lite's advantage is device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 26.0). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. I Ching Lite sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Retro Library asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
I Ching Lite versus Retro Library: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterI Ching LiteRetro Library
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (1.1K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews82.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings1.1K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 months—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size42 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBrian WalkerJohn Kennedy

Bugs and requests

I Ching Lite

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App crashes when trying to save journal entries
  • Paid upgrade not working as expected
  • Inconsistent or incomplete hexagram readings

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to save and review past journal entries
  • Option to adjust font size and background
  • Support for multiple translations or versions
  • Sharing capabilities to connect with others

Retro Library

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

I Ching Lite

One-time2
  • I Ching: Book of Changes$5.99
  • Wei Wu Wei Ching$5.99
None

Retro Library

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is I Ching Lite free?
I Ching Lite is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Retro Library free?
Retro Library is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do I Ching Lite or Retro Library have ads?
Neither I Ching Lite nor Retro Library shows ads.

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