# Fanfics vs Glimmer

Fanfics and Glimmer both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 91% of Glimmer's written reviews are positive against 47% of Fanfics's. Glimmer also leads on ratings volume (5.9K vs 83) and chart position (#18 vs unranked). Fanfics's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Fanfics sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and Glimmer sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Fanfics against 4.7 for Glimmer. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Glimmer has 5.9K ratings behind it against 83, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 47% of Fanfics's written reviews are positive against 91% of Glimmer's.

Fanfics ships an update every 4 days, Glimmer weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Fanfics | Glimmer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (83 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fanfics/id6738891217/reviews) | **[4.7 (5.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/glimmer-interactive-fanfics/id6746514946/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 83 | **5.9K** |
| Positive reviews | 46.7% of reviews | **91.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Weekly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#18** |
| Size | 39 MB | 63 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Kawaii](https://appshunter.io/developer/1696001381) | [Glimmer Fics](https://appshunter.io/developer/1817243818) |

## What reviewers say

### Fanfics

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fanfics/id6738891217)

Create and read original stories, novels, and books using an AI-powered writing tool. Explore a vast library of user-generated content and unleash your creativity.

**Highlights:** AI story generation, Read novels and books, Write original stories, User-generated content library

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Fanfics Pro (Weekly) | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Fanfics Pro (Monthly) | $14.99 | per month |
| Fanfics Pro (Yearly) | $59.99 | per year |


### Glimmer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/glimmer-interactive-fanfics/id6746514946)

**Currently charting:** #18 Top Grossing · Book (US App Store)

Engage with interactive fanfiction where you are the protagonist. Make choices to shape the narrative, explore various fandoms and original stories, and experience different genres and relationship tropes. Customize your character and discover multiple story paths and endings.

**Highlights:** Choose-Your-Own-Adventure stories, Character customization, Multiple story paths and endings, Customizable character responses, Track story playthroughs, Favorite stories and updates

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 20 Turns | $0.99 | one-time |
| 15 Turns | $0.99 | one-time |
| 20 + 5 Undos | $3.99 | one-time |
| 100 Turns | $3.99 | one-time |
| 75 + 15 Turns | $4.99 | one-time |
| 50 + 30 Undos | $9.99 | one-time |
| 265 Turns | $9.99 | one-time |
| 150 + 50 Turns | $9.99 | one-time |
| 300 + 125 Turns | $19.99 | one-time |
| 750 + 350 Turns | $49.99 | one-time |
| 1500 + 800 Turns | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great interactive stories
- 💡 Unique and creative writing
- 🚀 Addictive and fun to play

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Issues with loading answers
- 💡 Need to sort stories by completed/ongoing

**Reported bugs**

- Issues with loading answers

**Requested features**

- Ability to earn more chances to read through watching ads
- Sort stories by completed or not


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Fanfics free?

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

### Is Glimmer free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Fanfics or Glimmer?

Glimmer is rated higher. Fanfics averages 4.6 out of 5 from 83 ratings, while Glimmer averages 4.7 from 5.9K ratings.

### Do Fanfics or Glimmer have ads?

Neither Fanfics nor Glimmer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Fanfics or Glimmer?

Fanfics ships an update every 4 days, and Glimmer weekly. Most recently, Fanfics was updated on October 28, 2026 and Glimmer 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.*