Scriven vs Scuba
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β with what reviewers say about each.
Scriven
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Find a passage that stays with you. Then read the book. Scriven connects a feed of memorable passages with a library of public-domain books. Follow your curiosity from a few lines to a whole book, with your reading place saved on your device. DISCOVER THROUGH WORDS Browse fresh passages, filter by book or topic, and open the source book when something catches your eye. Save favorites and pull to refresh for another selection. BUILD YOUR READING HABIT Search titles and authors, download available editions, and return to your place offline. Adjust the reading appearance and move through a book using its contents. SHARE WHAT STAYS WITH YOU Turn a favorite quote or book into a share card, or share its text and link. Friends can follow the link to discover the book for themselves. TALK ABOUT BOOKS Open Chat to discuss characters, themes, and reading ideas with Apple's on-device models. Conversations are saved on your device, with search and deletion controls in Chat. Replies use recent conversation context and can make mistakes. When a book or quote is connected to the conversation, the companion can consult a limited amount of book text to help answer your question. EXPLORE A PASSAGE Tap Explain quote in Discover for a short explanation, or request an AI description on a book's detail page. Continue either discussion in Chat. In the reader, ask about selected text or request a brief overview based on a few book samples. The companion can consult nearby passages when needed, and source coverage is shown so you can check the answer. Book chat and reading assistance require iOS 26 or later, a compatible iPhone, and Apple Intelligence enabled with its model ready. Availability also depends on language and region. Other devices can still read, discover books, and view saved conversations. Reading, discovery, and book chat require no account. Downloads, reading progress, saved quotes, and conversations are stored on your device. The discovery feed may include advertisements. Book availability varies by edition; an internet connection is needed to discover and download new content.
Scuba
Discover and read classic books with a modern, mobile-first approach. This app breaks down stories into digestible beats, using vertical swipes for natural phone navigation. Story recaps and offline reading features help you maintain your reading habit.
- Story beats for easier reading
- Recaps to remember story progress
- Vertical swiping for phone reading
- Home screen widget for current book
- Offline reading support
- Curated bookstore
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Scuba is a new way to read books on your phone. Browse a curated bookstore, then read with Story Beatsβ’, a new reading experience designed for your phone. Natural vertical swiping, beautifully designed pages and Story So Far recaps make books feel at home on your screen. Your first book is free. Features β’ Story Beatsβ’ designed for reading on your phone β’ Natural vertical swiping β’ Story So Far recaps to help you dive back in β’ Adjustable text size, themes and page design β’ Home Screen widget for your current book β’ Offline reading β’ A curated bookstore of classic books Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Scriven at none against Scuba's 2. Scuba's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 days vs weekly). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Scuba sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Scriven asks for nothing beyond the download.
Scriven ships an update weekly, Scuba every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Scriven | Scuba |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | β | 100.0% of reviews |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Every 2 days β better |
| Ads | Yes | No β better |
| In-app purchases | No β better | Yes |
| Monetization | β | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad β better |
| Requires iOS | 18.4 | 17.0 β better |
| Further details β not scored | ||
| Size | 76 MB | 50 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Scriven | Tim Brown |
In-app purchases
Scriven
No in-app purchases
Scuba
- Scuba Reading Pass$4.991 Month
- Scuba Reading Pass7 Days trial$24.991 Year









