# Architectural Digest vs The Absolute Sound

The clearest difference is rating: Architectural Digest at 4.7 against The Absolute Sound's 2.9. Architectural Digest also leads on review sentiment (29% vs 6%) and chart position (#157 vs unranked). The Absolute Sound's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Architectural Digest sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and The Absolute Sound sells 50 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Architectural Digest holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 460 and 96 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 29% of Architectural Digest's written reviews are positive against 6% of The Absolute Sound's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Architectural Digest | The Absolute Sound |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (460 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/architectural-digest/id533890256/reviews)** | [2.9 (96 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-absolute-sound/id966988916/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **460** | 96 |
| Positive reviews | **28.8% of reviews** | 6.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#157** | — |
| Size | 19 MB | 79 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Advance Magazine Publishers Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/289380416) | [Nextscreen Services, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/589458179) |

## What reviewers say

### Architectural Digest

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/architectural-digest/id533890256)

**Currently charting:** #157 Top Free · Magazines & Newspapers (US App Store)

Explore the world's most stunning homes and get insights into architecture and interior design. Discover top talent and exclusive content from the international authority on design.

**Highlights:** Exclusive access to beautiful homes, Architecture and interior design insights, Information on art, antiques, and travel, AD100 list of top architects and designers, Complimentary articles for non-subscribers

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| One Month Subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| Discounted Subscription Holiday 2015 | $14.99 | per year |
| One Year Subscription | $29.99 | per year |
| December 2013 | $5.99 | one-time |
| April 2014 | $5.99 | one-time |
| June 2014 | $5.99 | one-time |
| July 2014 | $5.99 | one-time |
| December 2014 | $5.99 | one-time |
| February 2015 | $5.99 | one-time |
| March 2016 | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Inspiring content
- 🎨 Sophisticated design
- 📷 Excellent photography
- 🏠 Curated home tours

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Difficult navigation
- 🔍 Unintuitive user interface
- 🔍 Lack of landscape mode
- 📱 Incompatibility with subscriptions
- 🔍 Confusing subscription management

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent crashes and stability issues
- Inability to download or access issues
- Subscription syncing problems across devices

**Requested features**

- Landscape mode for two-page spreads
- Improved navigation and content organization
- Seamless subscription management and linking
- Enhanced image viewing and zoom capabilities
- Accessibility features for visually impaired users


### The Absolute Sound

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-absolute-sound/id966988916)

Explore expert reviews, features, and commentary on high-performance audio and music. This app guides enthusiasts to components and recordings that faithfully reproduce concert hall sounds. Access digital editions through purchases and subscriptions.

**Highlights:** Expert audio reviews, Music journalism, Component recommendations, Concert hall sound reproduction, Digital editions, Subscription access

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

**In-app purchases (50)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| the absolute sound | $9.99 | per year |
| 2022 November | $1.99 | one-time |
| Ultimate Directory | $1.99 | one-time |
| 2022 February | $1.99 | one-time |
| 2024 January | $1.99 | one-time |
| 2023 December | $1.99 | one-time |
| 2023 November | $1.99 | one-time |
| May/June 2024 | $1.99 | one-time |
| 2024 March | $1.99 | one-time |
| 2024 April | $1.99 | one-time |
| Nov-26 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Sep-26 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Fall 2026 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Mar-26 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Jan-26 | $1.99 | one-time |
| 2022 April | $1.99 | one-time |
| June/July 2023 | $1.99 | one-time |
| 2025 July | $1.99 | one-time |
| 2025 October | $1.99 | one-time |
| Feb-26 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Apr-26 | $1.99 | one-time |
| 2025 September | $1.99 | one-time |
| 2025 November | $1.99 | one-time |
| 2025 August | $1.99 | one-time |
| 2022 March | $1.99 | one-time |
| 2025 May | $1.99 | one-time |
| 2025 April | $1.99 | one-time |
| 2025 March | $1.99 | one-time |
| 2025 February | $1.99 | one-time |
| 2025 January | $1.99 | one-time |
| March 2023 | $1.99 | one-time |
| 2024 December | $1.99 | one-time |
| 2024 November | $1.99 | one-time |
| 2022 September | $1.99 | one-time |
| 2023 September | $1.99 | one-time |
| 2024 October | $1.99 | one-time |
| 2024 September | $1.99 | one-time |
| 2022 October | $1.99 | one-time |
| Directory 2024 | $1.99 | one-time |
| 2022 January | $1.99 | one-time |
| 2024 February | $1.99 | one-time |
| July/August 2024 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Issue 251 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Issue 257 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Issue 261 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Issue 263 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Issue 267 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Issue 271 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Issue 254 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Issue 262 | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great magazine content

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App constantly not working
- 🐛 Subscription issues
- 🐛 Lost access to purchased issues
- 🐛 Login problems
- 🐛 App crashes

**Reported bugs**

- Perpetual spinning wheel
- App not working
- Constantly loses issues
- Latest update removed current issues
- App forgot subscription

**Requested features**

- Fix the app
- Make the app work
- Restore access to purchased issues
- Allow restoration of iTunes purchases
- Fix the perpetual spinning wheel


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Architectural Digest free?

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

### Is The Absolute Sound free?

The Absolute Sound is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Architectural Digest or The Absolute Sound?

Architectural Digest is rated higher. Architectural Digest averages 4.7 out of 5 from 460 ratings, while The Absolute Sound averages 2.9 from 96 ratings.

### Do Architectural Digest or The Absolute Sound have ads?

Neither Architectural Digest nor The Absolute Sound shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Architectural Digest or The Absolute Sound?

Architectural Digest ships an update every 4 months, and The Absolute Sound every 4 months. Most recently, Architectural Digest was updated on October 26, 2026 and The Absolute Sound on October 20, 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.*