# Mastering Alchemy vs The Discerning Dog

Mastering Alchemy and The Discerning Dog are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

Both are free to download. Mastering Alchemy sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and The Discerning Dog sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Mastering Alchemy ships an update every 3 weeks, The Discerning Dog every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mastering Alchemy | The Discerning Dog |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Size | 79 MB | 79 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mastering Alchemy](https://appshunter.io/developer/1703887493) | [The Discerning Dog LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/6774776436) |

## What reviewers say

### Mastering Alchemy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mastering-alchemy/id6463052946)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The Art of Being Okay | $57.00 | one-time |
| Energy Essentials - Level 1 | $124.99 | one-time |


### The Discerning Dog

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-discerning-dog/id6774776434)

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The Sport Dog Collection | $5.00 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mastering Alchemy free?

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

### Is The Discerning Dog free?

The Discerning Dog is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Mastering Alchemy or The Discerning Dog have ads?

Neither Mastering Alchemy nor The Discerning Dog shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Mastering Alchemy or The Discerning Dog?

Mastering Alchemy ships an update every 3 weeks, and The Discerning Dog every 2 weeks. Most recently, Mastering Alchemy was updated on November 3, 2026 and The Discerning Dog on October 28, 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.*