Comparison

Understudy vs Linus

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Understudy

This app assists actors with memorizing lines, rehearsing scenes, and collaborating with others. It's designed to be a personal scene partner, helping users prepare for auditions and hone their acting skills. Available on multiple devices, it supports actors in their professional development.

Highlights
  • Line memorization
  • Scene rehearsal
  • Collaboration with performers
  • Booking work assistance
  • Audition preparation
  • Craft honing
Features
Read full description

Designed for actors from the ground up, Understudy is the essential tool to help you memorize lines, rehearse scenes, collaborate with fellow performers, and book work. Whether you're preparing for an audition, getting off book, or just honing your craft, Understudy is your personal scene partner, available anytime, anywhere. For Support: https://get.understudy.app/support Privacy Policy: https://get.understudy.app/privacy/ios Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Linus

This AI-powered app acts as your rehearsal partner, helping actors learn lines and self-tape auditions. It offers customizable playback, real actor voices, and script analysis to support your acting process anytime, anywhere.

Highlights
  • AI-powered scene partner
  • Self-tape recording and editing
  • Customizable line learning modes
  • Real actor voices with community support
  • Hands-free rehearsal options
  • Script analysis for messy scripts
  • Cue-sensitive playback
  • Multilingual rehearsal support
Read full description

Use a reader when you can. Use Linus when you can’t. Your AI-powered scene partner, self tape tool, and line learning app—built by actors, ready when you are. Run lines, run scenes, learn lines and self tape anytime, anywhere. When pressure hits, Linus listens. You’ve run scenes in your trailer. Stayed late after rehearsals. Taped alone in hotel rooms, and whispered lines to yourself in the car and on the train. You’ve prepared for the callback or audition alone, desperate, because everyone said ‘sorry, I can’t, I’m busy’. Linus was made for these moments—the quiet, chaotic, last-minute ones where confidence matters and no one’s around. We’re actors who get it. We live your life. That’s why we built Linus: an AI line reader, teleprompter for actors, and rehearsal partner that listens for your cue, responds in flow, and holds space so you can do what you love and lead your scene. Whether you’re learning 8 pages the night before a callback, self taping at 1AM, or finding your flow on the go, Linus is built to support your process—not replace it. This is rehearsals, without pressure. Play, without panic. ------------ How to get the most out of Linus USE REAL ACTOR VOICES AND SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY Choose your scene partner by accent, tone, age or gender. Every time you rehearse with a voice, that actor gets paid. SELFTAPE WITHOUT A READER Use a smart teleprompter for actors that scrolls naturally while you move. Record, edit, and favourite your best takes without leaving the app. Perfect for selftapes when no reader is around. LEARN LINES FASTER, YOUR WAY Loop tricky moments and work in sections. Hide lines. Use first-letter-only prompts. Stay in flow while you learn lines for auditions or performances. REHEARSE HANDS-FREE, ANYWHERE Run lines in the car, at the gym, on a walk, or lying in the sun. Linus plays your scene partner so you can live your life while rehearsing. UPLOAD MESSY SCRIPTS WITH NO STRESS Got a script with notes from casting written on it? No problem. Linus understands how to find your role, extract your lines, and work around notes—getting you into the scene in seconds. CUE-SENSITIVE PLAYBACK Linus waits for your cue, only responding when you’ve finished your line. Paraphrase when needed. Adjust pace to match your rhythm. REHEARSE IN 32+ LANGUAGES Automatically detects script language and accent. Built for multilingual actors, line learning, and accent switching. MAKE YOUR SCRIPT WORK FOR YOU Choose fonts like Courier or OpenDyslexic. Adjust layout and font size for actor-first accessibility, for better clarity and comfort. STAY IN CONTROL Set the pace, switch between cue or tap-to-progress, and choose how Linus responds. You lead. TRACK YOUR REHEARSAL HABITS View rehearsal stats, line counts, and scene history to improve your process and feel more prepared. YOUR DATA. YOUR PROCESS. PROTECTED. No data mining. No weird terms. Just a line reader that respects your privacy and your scripts. Download Linus and rehearse anytime, anywhere. Try it free today with 1-page rehearsal access. Need more? Grab a 3 or 7-day pass when it suits, or save up to 60% with a monthly subscription plan. ---------- Linus. Your AI-powered line learning app, self tape partner, and teleprompter for actors—built for play when no one else is around. Built by two Aussie actors, with love for our friends, community, and those in the industry. On a mission to help people deliver performances that can move the world. Terms of Use: https://getlinus.app/terms Privacy Policy: https://getlinus.app/privacy

Screenshots

Understudy1 screens
Linus4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Understudy at 90% against Linus's 68%. Understudy also leads on rating (4.4 vs 4.2). Linus's advantage is ratings volume (182 vs 12) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 10 days). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Understudy sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days and Linus sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Understudy holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Linus has 182 ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 90% of Understudy's written reviews are positive against 68% of Linus's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Understudy ships an update every 10 days, Linus every 5 days. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Understudy versus Linus: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterUnderstudyLinus
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (12 ratings) — better4.2 (182 ratings)
Positive reviews90.0% of reviews — better67.7% of reviews
Number of ratings12182 — better
Update frequencyEvery 10 daysEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS26.415.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size40 MB154 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperUNDERSTUDY TECHNOLOGIES LLCActors Kit

Customer experience

Understudy

All ratings12 ratings
Positive83.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative16.7%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive90.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative10.0%

Linus

All ratings182 ratings
Positive79.7%
Neutral5.5%
Negative14.8%
Written reviews62 reviews
Positive67.7%
Neutral8.1%
Negative24.2%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Understudy

Subscriptions3
  • Understudy Pro$1.997 Days
  • Understudy Pro$5.991 Month
  • Understudy Pro$19.991 Year
7 purchases

Linus

Subscriptions4
  • Linus Unlimited Monthly3 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Premium Monthly$19.991 Month
  • Linus Yearly$99.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Premium Yearly$199.991 Year
One-time3
  • 3 Day Pass$1.99
  • 7 Day Pass$3.99
  • 30 Day Pass$9.99

Questions

Is Understudy free?
Understudy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Linus free?
Linus is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Understudy or Linus?
Understudy is rated higher. Understudy averages 4.4 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while Linus averages 4.2 from 182 ratings.
Do Understudy or Linus have ads?
Neither Understudy nor Linus shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Understudy or Linus?
Understudy ships an update every 10 days, and Linus every 5 days. Most recently, Understudy was updated on October 30, 2026 and Linus on October 30, 2026.

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