# Fish vs Hardcover.app

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Fish at 99% against Hardcover.app's 52%. Fish also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.2) and in-app purchases (none vs 2). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

Fish holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 38 and 66 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 99% of Fish's written reviews are positive against 52% of Hardcover.app's.

Fish ships an update every 4 months, Hardcover.app every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Fish | Hardcover.app |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (38 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fish-a-tap-essay/id510560804/reviews)** | [4.2 (66 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hardcoverapp/id1663379893/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 38 | **66** |
| Positive reviews | **98.7% of reviews** | 52.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 months** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 75 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Robin Sloan](https://appshunter.io/developer/510560807) | [Hardcover LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1663379895) |

## What reviewers say

### Fish

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fish-a-tap-essay/id510560804)

Explore the nuanced difference between internet 'liking' and genuine 'loving' through an interactive tap essay. This unique format uses typography, color, and surprises to present a heartfelt manifesto.

**Highlights:** Interactive tap essay format, Explores internet liking vs. loving, Uses typography and color, Includes surprises, Short reading time

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Thought-provoking content
- 🔄 Highly rewatchable/rereadable
- ✨ Beautiful presentation/design
- 🤔 Inspires reflection and deeper thinking
- ⏳ Timeless and enduring appeal

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⏳ Updated version too long (compared to original)
- 📱 Not optimized for newer devices (e.g., retina iPad)

**Requested features**

- Option to include the original version


### Hardcover.app

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hardcoverapp/id1663379893)

This app helps you organize and discover books. Track what you've read, create custom lists, and see what friends are reading. Set reading goals and share your thoughts on books.

**Highlights:** Track read and to-read books, Organize with lists and tags, See friends' reading activity, Discover trending books, Rate and review books, Set reading goals, Track reading statistics

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Supporter - Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Supporter - Yearly | $49.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Fish free?

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

### Is Hardcover.app free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Fish or Hardcover.app?

Fish is rated higher. Fish averages 4.9 out of 5 from 38 ratings, while Hardcover.app averages 4.2 from 66 ratings.

### Do Fish or Hardcover.app have ads?

Neither Fish nor Hardcover.app shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Fish or Hardcover.app?

Fish ships an update every 4 months, and Hardcover.app every 6 months. Most recently, Fish was updated on November 1, 2026 and Hardcover.app on November 7, 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.*