# ELI5 vs ZedTranslate

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ZedTranslate at none against ELI5's 3. ZedTranslate also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 26.0). ELI5's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ELI5 sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. ZedTranslate asks for nothing beyond the download.

ELI5 ships an update every 2 months, ZedTranslate every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ELI5 | ZedTranslate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/eli5-simple-explanations/id6502291065/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1** | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Size | 6 MB | 121 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ankharis Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1812191150) | [SKYWAVESAPPS CREATIVES](https://appshunter.io/developer/1871825591) |

## What reviewers say

### ELI5

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/eli5-simple-explanations/id6502291065)

This app simplifies complex topics into easy-to-understand explanations tailored to different age groups. It allows users to paste text for instant clarification, offers multiple reading levels, and supports six languages. All explanations are saved for later access.

**Highlights:** Multiple reading levels (Age 5 to Expert), Paste text for instant explanation, Re-explain at different levels, Examples, analogies, and stories, Read aloud functionality, Save explanations to your library, Supports six languages

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $0.99 | per month |
| Premium Plus | $1.99 | per month |
| Premium Ultra | $3.99 | per month |


### ZedTranslate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zedtranslate/id6758261701)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ELI5 free?

ELI5 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is ZedTranslate free?

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

### Do ELI5 or ZedTranslate have ads?

ZedTranslate shows ads; ELI5 does not.

### Which is updated more often, ELI5 or ZedTranslate?

ELI5 ships an update every 2 months, and ZedTranslate every 3 weeks. Most recently, ELI5 was updated on November 4, 2026 and ZedTranslate on October 31, 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.*