# The Beyond vs Absorb

The clearest difference is price: Absorb at Free against The Beyond's $3.99. Absorb also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 8 months). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Absorb 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 ships an update every 8 months, Absorb monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Beyond | Absorb |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $3.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | — | **[4.9 (111 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/absorb-for-audiobookshelf/id6760673498/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **111** |
| Positive reviews | — | 97.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 70 MB | 72 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Zarfhome Software Consulting](https://appshunter.io/developer/457956106) | [Nathan Poulson](https://appshunter.io/developer/1885644242) |

## What reviewers say

### The Beyond

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

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Absorb

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/absorb-for-audiobookshelf/id6760673498)

This app provides a streamlined mobile experience for listening to audiobooks and podcasts from your self-hosted media server. Enjoy features like offline playback, chapter navigation, and listening statistics. It's a free, open-source solution with no ads or data collection.

**Highlights:** Offline listening, Chapter navigation, Sleep timer, Playback speed control, Home screen widgets, Listening statistics, CarPlay support

**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 Absorb free?

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

### Do The Beyond or Absorb have ads?

Neither The Beyond nor Absorb shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Beyond or Absorb?

The Beyond ships an update every 8 months, and Absorb monthly. Most recently, The Beyond was updated on October 6, 2026 and Absorb on October 17, 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.*