# The Beyond vs Shelf Scan

The clearest difference is price: Shelf Scan at Free against The Beyond's $3.99. Shelf Scan also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 10 months) and iOS requirement (15.5 vs 17.6). The Beyond's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 3.5). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Shelf Scan is free to download; The Beyond costs $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

The Beyond holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 2 respectively.

The Beyond ships an update every 10 months, Shelf Scan monthly. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Beyond | Shelf Scan |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $3.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-beyond-interactive-comic/id6738063234/reviews)** | [3.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shelf-scan-book-spine-scanner/id6754824642/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **2** |
| Positive reviews | — | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 73 MB | 26 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **15.5** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Zarfhome Software Consulting](https://appshunter.io/developer/457956106) | [Daniel Anthony Dolewski Ii](https://appshunter.io/developer/1850317130) |

## What reviewers say

### The Beyond

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-beyond-interactive-comic/id6738063234)

Explore a cosmic adventure through romance, piracy, and death in this interactive comic. Make choices that shape your unique story, with hundreds of possible paths. Features full audio accessibility for an immersive experience.

**Highlights:** Interactive storytelling, Multiple branching paths, Cosmic adventure themes, Redesigned infinite scroll canvas, Full audio accessibility (VoiceOver)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Shelf Scan

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shelf-scan-book-spine-scanner/id6754824642)

Instantly identify books from a photo of any bookshelf using AI. See ratings at a glance and discover your next great read. Integrates with your reading list to highlight books you want to read.

**Highlights:** Instant book recognition from shelf photos, View book ratings at a glance, Reading list integration, Smart highlighting of to-read books, Scan history saving, No account required for basic use

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Beyond free?

The Beyond costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Shelf Scan free?

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

### Which has better reviews, The Beyond or Shelf Scan?

The Beyond is rated higher. The Beyond averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Shelf Scan averages 3.5 from 2 ratings.

### Do The Beyond or Shelf Scan have ads?

Neither The Beyond nor Shelf Scan shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Beyond or Shelf Scan?

The Beyond ships an update every 10 months, and Shelf Scan monthly. Most recently, The Beyond was updated on October 30, 2026 and Shelf Scan on October 30, 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.*