Comparison

Tengwar Messaging vs Exploring Tolkien

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Tengwar Messaging

Type messages using the elegant Tengwar script with a custom iOS keyboard. It offers a familiar QWERTY layout and a built-in transliteration tool. Messages can be sent via iMessage, displaying correctly for all recipients.

Highlights
  • Type in Tengwar script
  • Familiar QWERTY layout
  • Built-in transliteration tool
  • iMessage extension for universal display
  • Install Tengwar fonts on device
Features
Read full description

Type in the beautiful Tengwar script with this custom iOS keyboard and messaging app. Tengwar Keyboard lets you: • Type in the elegant Elvish-inspired script • Use a familiar QWERTY layout that's easy to learn • See both Latin and Tengwar characters on each key • Send messages that display as Tengwar to all your friends via iMessage - even if they don't have the app! • Convert regular text to Tengwar script with the built-in transliteration tool • Install the included Tengwar fonts on your device for viewing Tengwar text in other apps Perfect for fantasy language enthusiasts who want to write messages, notes, and social media posts in this beautiful script! PLEASE NOTE: Text written with this keyboard will only display as Tengwar for people who have a compatible Tengwar font installed on their device if sent directly. Otherwise, they will see "boxes" or other placeholder characters. However, the iMessage extension sends images that display correctly for everyone!

About

Exploring Tolkien

Dive deep into J.R.R. Tolkien's works with this comprehensive companion app. Access podcast episodes, news, videos, and exclusive member content. Engage with a dedicated community of fans and explore Middle-earth chapter by chapter.

Highlights
  • Podcast episodes (audio/video)
  • Offline downloads
  • Background playback
  • Push notifications
  • Tolkien news updates
  • YouTube video integration
  • AI Middle-earth portraits (members)
Features
Read full description

Exploring Tolkien is the app for serious Tolkien fans from the team at TheOneRing.com and the popular Exploring Tolkien podcast. Hosts Jonathan Watson and Michael Grumbine read through The Hobbit, The Silmarillion, and every Age of Middle-earth, chapter by chapter. We read closely, we read slowly, and we take the long road through Tolkien's works. WHAT'S INSIDE • Every episode of Exploring Tolkien, in audio or video (including offline downloads, background playback, and a sleep timer) • Notifications for new episodes and breaking Tolkien news • Tolkien news from TheOneRing.com: films, casting, books, products, and the conversations that follow • Today in Tolkien: every important date in Middle-earth and in Tolkien's life • Every video from our YouTube channel, in one place • Rank up with every episode you finish • A full iPad layout, too TRIVIA AND MONTHLY SWEEPSTAKES Test your Tolkien lore with new trivia quizzes: five questions, 20 seconds each, with bonus points for quick answers. Climb the weekly and all-time leaderboards. Every quiz you play earns you an entry into our monthly sweepstakes, up to five entries a month. Trivia is free for everyone, and membership gives no entry advantage. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open to legal U.S. residents 18 and older. Void where prohibited. Official rules: https://www.theonering.com/giveaway-rules/ Apple is not a sponsor of the sweepstakes and is not involved in any way. MEMBERSHIP: $4.99/MONTH For our most dedicated listeners, an Exploring Tolkien Membership unlocks: • Extended episodes: the full discussion of every episode, in audio or video • Monthly live video chats with Jonathan and Michael • Middle-earth Portraits: create your own AI portrait in the style of Tolkien's world • Your Middle-earth alliance: Rohan, Gondor, the Shire, the House of Fingolfin, and more Cancel anytime from your iPhone or iPad Settings. ABOUT THE COMMUNITY TheOneRing.com has been home to Tolkien fans since 1999, one of the longest-running Tolkien communities on the internet. From Peter Jackson's films to Amazon's The Rings of Power, and everything in between, we've covered it all. Whether you're reading The Silmarillion for the tenth time or following Bilbo out of the Shire for the first, there's a chair at our table. — Subscriptions auto-renew at $4.99/month unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. Manage or cancel anytime in Settings → [your name] → Subscriptions. Privacy Policy: https://www.theonering.com/privacy-policy/ Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Tengwar Messaging3 screens
Exploring Tolkien4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Exploring Tolkien at 100% against Tengwar Messaging's 0%. Exploring Tolkien also leads on rating (5.0 vs 2.0) and ratings volume (5 vs 1). Tengwar Messaging's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Exploring Tolkien sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per month. Tengwar Messaging asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Exploring Tolkien holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Exploring Tolkien has 5 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of Tengwar Messaging's written reviews are positive against 100% of Exploring Tolkien's.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Tengwar Messaging versus Exploring Tolkien: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTengwar MessagingExploring Tolkien
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (5 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings15 — better
Update frequency—Every 9 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS18.418.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB38 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperMelissa BenuaJonathan Watson

Customer experience

Tengwar Messaging

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Exploring Tolkien

All ratings5 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Tengwar Messaging

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Exploring Tolkien

Subscriptions1
  • Exploring Tolkien Membership$4.991 Month

Questions

Is Tengwar Messaging free?
Tengwar Messaging is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Exploring Tolkien free?
Exploring Tolkien is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Tengwar Messaging or Exploring Tolkien?
Exploring Tolkien is rated higher. Tengwar Messaging averages 2.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Exploring Tolkien averages 5.0 from 5 ratings.
Do Tengwar Messaging or Exploring Tolkien have ads?
Neither Tengwar Messaging nor Exploring Tolkien shows ads.

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