# Backcast vs Ember

The clearest difference is ads: Backcast at none against Ember's shown. Backcast also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.1). Ember's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 5 weeks). On price, 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.

Backcast ships an update every 5 weeks, Ember every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 10, 2026 and February 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Backcast | Ember |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backcast/id6468239243/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1** | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 27 MB | 51 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Hikari Suwa](https://appshunter.io/developer/1709635367) | [Luka Barisic](https://appshunter.io/developer/1658747598) |

## What reviewers say

### Backcast

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backcast/id6468239243)

This platform connects users to share visionary ideas and transform them into actionable research themes. Engage in discussions within specialized forums, contribute your insights, or create your own topic to foster collective intelligence and collaboration.

**Highlights:** Explore 'Trees of Interest' forums, Engage in discussions and share insights, Create and manage your own topic trees, Personalized content feed, Connect with users for collaboration, Develop actionable research themes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Ember

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ember/id6739964274)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Backcast free?

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

### Is Ember free?

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

### Do Backcast or Ember have ads?

Ember shows ads; Backcast does not.

### Which is updated more often, Backcast or Ember?

Backcast ships an update every 5 weeks, and Ember every 4 days. Most recently, Backcast was updated on September 10, 2026 and Ember on February 23, 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.*