# CU vs SparkJoy

The clearest difference is rating: CU at 2.8 against SparkJoy's 1.0. CU also leads on ratings volume (4 vs 1) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15). SparkJoy's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 6 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. CU sells 17 one-off in-app purchases and SparkJoy sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

CU holds the better App Store score, 2.8 against 1.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 1 respectively.

CU ships an update every 6 months, SparkJoy every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CU | SparkJoy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[2.8 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cu-ebook-store/id537037074/reviews)** | [1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sparkjoy/id6711340183/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 93.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 119 MB | 166 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [MEB Corporation Public Company Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/436964329) | [SPK JOY CO., LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1890187060) |

## What reviewers say

### CU

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cu-ebook-store/id537037074)

Access a digital library of academic books and magazines from leading publishers. Read, annotate, and manage your downloaded content with a user-friendly reader designed for comfort and convenience.

**Highlights:** Browse and search academic books, Download and read e-books, Adjustable text size and fonts, Night mode and brightness control, Take notes and draw on pages, Bookmark and resume reading, Review and rate books

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (17)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| อธิษฐาน - ATiTarn | $1.99 | one-time |
| หนังสือราคา 1.99 USD | $1.99 | one-time |
| เข็มทิศชีวิต | $2.99 | one-time |
| เข็มทิศชีวิต II | $2.99 | one-time |
| เข็มทิศจิตใต้สำนึก | $2.99 | one-time |
| หนังสือราคา 2.99 USD | $2.99 | one-time |
| หนังสือราคา 3.99 USD | $3.99 | one-time |
| 100 WAYS TO SAY IN ENGLISH | $4.99 | one-time |
| หนังสือราคา 4.99 USD | $4.99 | one-time |
| หนังสือราคา 5.99 USD | $5.99 | one-time |
| หนังสือราคา 6.99 USD | $6.99 | one-time |
| หนังสือราคา 7.99 USD | $7.99 | one-time |
| หนังสือราคา 8.99 USD | $8.99 | one-time |
| หนังสือราคา 9.99 USD | $9.99 | one-time |
| หนังสือราคา 10.99 USD | $10.99 | one-time |
| หนังสือราคา 11.99 USD | $11.99 | one-time |
| หนังสือราคา 12.99 USD | $12.99 | one-time |


### SparkJoy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sparkjoy/id6711340183)

A platform for writers to publish and monetize their stories, and for readers to discover diverse content and engage with authors. It fosters a community where creativity and storytelling thrive.

**Highlights:** Write and publish stories, Organize stories into chapters, Develop and introduce characters, Engage with readers via comments, Monetize work through donations, Access diverse story library, Follow favorite writers

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 25 SparkCoin Bundle | $0.99 | one-time |
| 35 SparkCoin Bundle | $0.99 | one-time |
| SparkCoin Bundle 70 | $1.99 | one-time |
| 100 SparkCoin Bundle | $2.99 | one-time |
| SparkCoin Bundle 200 | $4.99 | one-time |
| 250 SparkCoin Bundle | $6.99 | one-time |
| SparkCoin Bundle 290 | $7.99 | one-time |
| 500 SparkCoin Bundle | $12.99 | one-time |
| SparkCoin Bundle 490 | $12.99 | one-time |
| SparkCoin Bundle 990 | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CU free?

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

### Is SparkJoy free?

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

### Which has better reviews, CU or SparkJoy?

CU is rated higher. CU averages 2.8 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while SparkJoy averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do CU or SparkJoy have ads?

Neither CU nor SparkJoy shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, CU or SparkJoy?

CU ships an update every 6 months, and SparkJoy every 2 days. Most recently, CU was updated on October 3, 2026 and SparkJoy on September 19, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*