# Mark Manson vs Building a Second Brain

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Building a Second Brain at none against Mark Manson's 6. Building a Second Brain also leads on ads (none vs shown). Mark Manson's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 4 months) and review sentiment (60% vs 50%). On price, rating, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mark Manson sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $24.99 per month. Building a Second Brain asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Mark Manson against 4.7 for Building a Second Brain. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 51 and 12 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 60% of Mark Manson's written reviews are positive against 50% of Building a Second Brain's.

Mark Manson ships an update weekly, Building a Second Brain every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on June 10, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mark Manson | Building a Second Brain |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (51 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mark-manson/id6744040380/reviews)** | [4.7 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/building-a-second-brain/id6744942882/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **51** | 12 |
| Positive reviews | **60.0% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 135 MB | 90 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 9+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Infinity Squared Media LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1483762064) | [Forte Labs, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1810064260) |

## What reviewers say

### Mark Manson

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mark-manson/id6744040380)

This app provides a daily action system and exclusive content to help users achieve tangible progress in personal growth. It fosters a supportive community for individuals focused on self-improvement, offering practical strategies for confidence, boundaries, and career advancement.

**Highlights:** Daily action system, Exclusive content access, Private growth community, Monthly courses and challenges, Live Q&As and rewards, Accountability and progress tracking

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Plan | $24.99 | per month |
| Annual Plan | $199.99 | per year |
| Annual Plan | $249.99 | per year |


### Building a Second Brain

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/building-a-second-brain/id6744942882)

This app helps you manage information overload and achieve your goals through personal knowledge management. Connect with a community focused on productivity and digital organization for a more peaceful and purposeful life.

**Highlights:** PARA Method Mini-Course, Community Hub, Exclusive event invitations, Notetaking and creativity resources, Gateway to comprehensive courses

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mark Manson free?

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

### Is Building a Second Brain free?

Building a Second Brain is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Mark Manson or Building a Second Brain?

Mark Manson is rated higher. Mark Manson averages 4.8 out of 5 from 51 ratings, while Building a Second Brain averages 4.7 from 12 ratings.

### Do Mark Manson or Building a Second Brain have ads?

Mark Manson shows ads; Building a Second Brain does not.

### Which is updated more often, Mark Manson or Building a Second Brain?

Mark Manson ships an update weekly, and Building a Second Brain every 4 months. Most recently, Mark Manson was updated on June 10, 2026 and Building a Second Brain on September 10, 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.*