# The Public Variable vs DLU

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: The Public Variable at none against DLU's 3. The Public Variable also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.6). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. DLU sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. The Public Variable asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for The Public Variable against 5.0 for DLU. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 2 respectively.

The Public Variable ships an update every 2 weeks, DLU every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Public Variable | DLU |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-public-variable/id6741500963/reviews) | [5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dlu/id6756764616/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 2 |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 1.4 GB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [John Sullivan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1630479388) | [Amol Srivastava](https://appshunter.io/developer/1892119479) |

## What reviewers say

### The Public Variable

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-public-variable/id6741500963)

Experience a unique augmented reality theatre piece exploring perspective and communication. This evolving digital space will eventually host the full production, offering an immersive artistic experience accessible from anywhere.

**Highlights:** Augmented reality theatre, Perspective exploration, Immersive digital space, Evolving content, Accessible anywhere

**In-app purchases:** none


### DLU

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dlu/id6756764616)

This is a fast-paced party game where players guess words displayed on a phone held to their forehead. Friends provide clues through acting, shouting, or making noises. It features diverse categories and the ability to create custom decks for personalized fun.

**Highlights:** Guess words by acting and shouting clues, Tilt phone to guess or pass, Diverse pre-made card decks, Create custom word decks, Play offline, Modern and intuitive UI

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| DLU Pro Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| DLU Pro Annual | $2.99 | per year |
| DLU Pro Lifetime | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Public Variable free?

The Public Variable is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is DLU free?

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

### Which has better reviews, The Public Variable or DLU?

The Public Variable and DLU are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 2 ratings respectively.

### Do The Public Variable or DLU have ads?

Neither The Public Variable nor DLU shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Public Variable or DLU?

The Public Variable ships an update every 2 weeks, and DLU every 3 weeks. Most recently, The Public Variable was updated on November 4, 2026 and DLU on November 5, 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.*