# plappa vs Scuba

The clearest difference is update cadence: Scuba at every 3 days against plappa's every 5 weeks. Scuba also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 86%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. plappa sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per year and Scuba sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $24.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

plappa ships an update every 5 weeks, Scuba every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | plappa | Scuba |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (331 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plappa/id6475201956/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **331** | — |
| Positive reviews | 86.4% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 34 MB | 38 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Leo Wehrfritz](https://appshunter.io/developer/1663611386) | [Tim Brown](https://appshunter.io/developer/1792076997) |

## What reviewers say

### plappa

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plappa/id6475201956)

This app is a client for self-hosted media servers like Jellyfin and AudioBookShelf, designed specifically for playing audiobooks. It supports common audio formats, reads metadata, and allows for offline listening with optional in-app purchases for advanced features.

**Highlights:** Jellyfin, Emby, AudioBookShelf client, Supports common audio formats, Saves and syncs playback states, Reads audiobook metadata, Offline listening (via IAP), Podcast and collection support (AudioBookShelf)

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Subscription (1 Year) | $1.99 | per year |
| Full Version (Lifetime) | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great app with all the same features
- 🚀 Excellent, love download to watch
- 🚀 Works great! Just what I needed!
- 👍 Brilliant app
- 👍 Amazing!

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Great player. Audiobookshelf support needs work
- 🐛 Small bugs, good app

**Reported bugs**

- Can't login Audiobookshelf
- Podcasts library not listing all podcasts

**Requested features**

- Auto download when start playing book
- Auto delete when finished book
- Option to add multiple servers
- More sorting and filtering options in the library section
- Refresh button for libraries


### Scuba

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scuba-classic-book-reader/id6761863067)

Discover and read classic books with a modern, mobile-first approach. This app breaks down stories into digestible beats, using vertical swipes for natural phone navigation. Story recaps and offline reading features help you maintain your reading habit.

**Highlights:** Story beats for easier reading, Recaps to remember story progress, Vertical swiping for phone reading, Home screen widget for current book, Offline reading support, Curated bookstore

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Scuba Reading Pass | $24.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is plappa free?

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

### Is Scuba free?

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

### Do plappa or Scuba have ads?

Neither plappa nor Scuba shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, plappa or Scuba?

plappa ships an update every 5 weeks, and Scuba every 3 days. Most recently, plappa was updated on September 24, 2026 and Scuba on September 21, 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.*