# MackinVIA vs IADS 5

The clearest difference is review sentiment: MackinVIA at 56% against IADS 5's 0%. MackinVIA also leads on ratings volume (160 vs 12). IADS 5's advantage is rating (3.8 vs 3.4). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

IADS 5 holds the better App Store score, 3.8 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MackinVIA has 160 ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 56% of MackinVIA's written reviews are positive against 0% of IADS 5's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

MackinVIA ships an update every 3 months, IADS 5 every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MackinVIA | IADS 5 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.4 (160 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mackinvia/id558020762/reviews) | **[3.8 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iads-5/id6751123485/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **160** | 12 |
| Positive reviews | **55.6% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 727 MB | 192 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Mackin Book Company](https://appshunter.io/developer/558020765) | [U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command - Publication Services](https://appshunter.io/developer/1827046696) |

## What reviewers say

### MackinVIA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mackinvia/id558020762)

Access your school's digital library, including eBooks and audiobooks. This reader app provides instant access to your checked-out materials, notes, and favorites, with powerful tools for annotation and offline reading.

**Highlights:** Offline access to downloaded resources, Bookmarking and note-taking, Highlighting and search within books, Customizable text and audio controls, Integrated dictionary and citation tools, Table of Contents and page view options

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good for audiobooks
- 👍 Useful for school
- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Great for teachers and students
- 👍 Good selection of books

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Login issues
- 🐛 App crashes
- 🐛 Slow loading times
- 🐛 Content not accessible on multiple devices
- 🐛 Inconsistent performance

**Reported bugs**

- Not logging in
- Sent back to App Store during sign-in
- App not loading
- School not appearing in sign-in options
- App immediately says user doesn't have it after getting off

**Requested features**

- Add more book series
- Add graphic novels/manga
- Make books unlimited
- Add voiceover support
- Improve turning pages motion


### IADS 5

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iads-5/id6751123485)

This application provides secure and efficient access to U.S. Army Interactive Electronic Technical Manuals (IETMs) on mobile devices. It streamlines the viewing of technical documentation for users needing quick access to critical information.

**Highlights:** Access Army IETMs, Modern technical manual viewing, Secure access, Efficient document display, Mobile companion app

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MackinVIA free?

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

### Is IADS 5 free?

IADS 5 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, MackinVIA or IADS 5?

IADS 5 is rated higher. MackinVIA averages 3.4 out of 5 from 160 ratings, while IADS 5 averages 3.8 from 12 ratings.

### Do MackinVIA or IADS 5 have ads?

Neither MackinVIA nor IADS 5 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MackinVIA or IADS 5?

MackinVIA ships an update every 3 months, and IADS 5 every 2 months. Most recently, MackinVIA was updated on November 1, 2026 and IADS 5 on October 30, 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.*