# Polar vs Tech Manual

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Tech Manual at none against Polar's 1. Tech Manual also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.4). Polar's advantage is update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Polar sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $25.00 per year. Tech Manual asks for nothing beyond the download.

Polar ships an update every 5 weeks, Tech Manual every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Polar | Tech Manual |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Size | 69 MB | 439 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.4 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [GivEnergy Software Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1711761312) | [The Honest Agency](https://appshunter.io/developer/1033200485) |

## What reviewers say

### Polar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/polar-ess/id6478309215)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Yearly Subscription | $25.00 | per year |


### Tech Manual

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tech-manual/id6479988294)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Polar free?

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

### Is Tech Manual free?

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

### Do Polar or Tech Manual have ads?

Neither Polar nor Tech Manual shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Polar or Tech Manual?

Polar ships an update every 5 weeks, and Tech Manual every 3 months. Most recently, Polar was updated on September 20, 2026 and Tech Manual on October 7, 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.*