# Awful vs TVTropes

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Awful at 87% against TVTropes's 46%. Awful also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and rating (4.9 vs 4.7). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. TVTropes sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Awful asks for nothing beyond the download.

Awful holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 239 and 378 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 87% of Awful's written reviews are positive against 46% of TVTropes's.

Awful ships an update every 8 days, TVTropes every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Awful | TVTropes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (239 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/awful-sa-forums-browser/id567936609/reviews)** | [4.7 (378 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tvtropes/id6738365737/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 239 | **378** |
| Positive reviews | **86.6% of reviews** | 45.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 103 MB | 47 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Dale Stonall-Mellor](https://appshunter.io/developer/1583171231) | [TVTropes.org, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1773140920) |

## 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


### TVTropes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tvtropes/id6738365737)

Explore a vast wiki dedicated to tropes found in TV, anime, film, literature, and more. Discover how media breaks down into common patterns and gain new insights. Features include a game, video examples, and a story generator.

**Highlights:** Explore media tropes, Name That Trope game, Video examples of tropes, Story Generator, Editing and reviews, Customizable tabs

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Ad-Free Subscription | $5.99 | per month |
| Yearly Ad-Free Subscription | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Smooth UI
- 🚀 Mostly functional app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Dark mode not working
- 🤖 Unnecessary AI features
- 🤬 Rude responses from mods
- 💰 Excessive ads

**Reported bugs**

- Account creation issues with VPN
- Video examples missing from app

**Requested features**

- Fix dark mode
- Remove AI story generator
- Improve video playback controls


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Awful free?

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

### Is TVTropes free?

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

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

Awful is rated higher. Awful averages 4.9 out of 5 from 239 ratings, while TVTropes averages 4.7 from 378 ratings.

### Do Awful or TVTropes have ads?

Neither Awful nor TVTropes shows ads.

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

Awful ships an update every 8 days, and TVTropes every 2 weeks. Most recently, Awful was updated on October 23, 2026 and TVTropes on October 24, 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.*