# River by Lifeworld vs MainWRLD

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: River by Lifeworld at none against MainWRLD's 4. River by Lifeworld also leads on ratings volume (46 vs 3). MainWRLD's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs monthly). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. MainWRLD sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. River by Lifeworld asks for nothing beyond the download.

MainWRLD holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: River by Lifeworld has 46 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

River by Lifeworld ships an update monthly, MainWRLD every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on July 24, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | River by Lifeworld | MainWRLD |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (46 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/river-by-lifeworld/id6670503289/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mainwrld/id6780999607/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **46** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 96.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 81 MB | 53 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Lifeworld, Co.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1766585523) | [Fried Mermaid LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/6780999609) |

## What reviewers say

### River by Lifeworld

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/river-by-lifeworld/id6670503289)

This app provides a private space to capture and share moments, thoughts, and interests with specific people. It offers a unique way to explore your passions and connect disparate ideas and memories.

**Highlights:** Private journaling, Share anything, Explore interests, Connect scattered thoughts, Share with specific people

**In-app purchases:** none


### MainWRLD

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mainwrld/id6780999607)

This app is a social platform for book lovers and storytellers. Users can publish and sell their own books, discover new stories, and connect with a global community of readers and writers. It features customizable 3D avatars and rewards for community engagement.

**Highlights:** Publish and sell books, Discover new authors and stories, Connect with readers and writers, Create and customize 3D avatars, Earn points for engagement, Unlock avatar items and book discounts

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 10 Tokens | $10.00 | one-time |
| 20 Tokens | $20.00 | one-time |
| 30 Tokens | $30.00 | one-time |
| 50 Tokens | $50.00 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is River by Lifeworld free?

River by Lifeworld is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is MainWRLD free?

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

### Which has better reviews, River by Lifeworld or MainWRLD?

MainWRLD is rated higher. River by Lifeworld averages 4.8 out of 5 from 46 ratings, while MainWRLD averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do River by Lifeworld or MainWRLD have ads?

Neither River by Lifeworld nor MainWRLD shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, River by Lifeworld or MainWRLD?

River by Lifeworld ships an update monthly, and MainWRLD every 4 days. Most recently, River by Lifeworld was updated on July 24, 2026 and MainWRLD on September 20, 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.*