# Awful vs CiphAR

The clearest difference is ads: Awful at none against CiphAR's shown. Awful also leads on ratings volume (237 vs 2) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). On price, rating, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Awful against 5.0 for CiphAR. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Awful has 237 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Awful ships an update every 2 weeks, CiphAR monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and June 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Awful | CiphAR |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (237 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/awful-sa-forums-browser/id567936609/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ciphar/id1390442483/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **237** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 86.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 102 MB | 205 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Dale Stonall-Mellor](https://appshunter.io/developer/1583171231) | [Gungnir Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1093923771) |

## What reviewers say

### Awful

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/awful-sa-forums-browser/id567936609)

This app provides a streamlined browsing experience for the Something Awful forums on iOS devices. It offers access to all forums, bookmarked threads, private messages, and includes features like image uploads and a smilie keyboard.

**Highlights:** Browse all forums and subforums, Access bookmarked threads, Built-in SALR functionality, Smilie stickers and keyboard, Upload images and pictures, Manage private messages, Favorite forums

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 🔒 Secure browsing experience
- 💡 Customizable layout and settings
- 🎨 Visually appealing design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 📉 Declining performance over time
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 🚫 Compatibility issues with newer devices

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when opening certain forums
- Inability to load images and media
- Freezing and lagging on older devices
- Sync issues between app and website

**Requested features**

- Add search functionality
- Implement dark mode option
- Improve thread navigation and bookmarking
- Integrate with other social platforms


### CiphAR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ciphar/id1390442483)

Create and share augmented reality content like images, videos, GIFs, and messages tied to your location. Log in easily with Twitter or email to build a new world around you.

**Highlights:** Share images, videos, GIFs, and messages in AR, Geolocation-based content sharing, Log in with Twitter or email, Create animations with brush tools, Build and share new AR worlds

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Awful free?

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

### Is CiphAR free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Awful or CiphAR?

CiphAR is rated higher. Awful averages 4.9 out of 5 from 237 ratings, while CiphAR averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Awful or CiphAR have ads?

CiphAR shows ads; Awful does not.

### Which is updated more often, Awful or CiphAR?

Awful ships an update every 2 weeks, and CiphAR monthly. Most recently, Awful was updated on September 25, 2026 and CiphAR on June 4, 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.*