# Arc vs AD Background

The clearest difference is rating: AD Background at 5.0 against Arc's 4.3. AD Background also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 64%). Arc's advantage is ratings volume (27 vs 4) and iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Arc sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per 7 days and AD Background sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

AD Background holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Arc has 27 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of Arc's written reviews are positive against 100% of AD Background's.

Arc ships an update every 2 weeks, AD Background every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Arc | AD Background |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (27 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arc-screen-time-control/id6752133918/reviews) | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ad-background-bg-counter/id6753729078/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **27** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 63.6% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Freemium | Freemium |
| Size | 45 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | **18.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Arc Labs LLC (MT)](https://appshunter.io/developer/1838190035) | [By ADs, For ADs LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1837474198) |

## What reviewers say

### Arc

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arc-screen-time-control/id6752133918)

This app helps you regain control of your screen time by setting session limits and providing smart nudges for your to-do lists. It offers advanced analytics to understand your scrolling habits and offers AI-powered recommendations for improvement.

**Highlights:** Session limits for automatic breaks, Smart nudges for to-do reminders, Integrated to-do lists, Advanced session analytics, AI-powered recommendations, Bedtime mode with sleep reminders

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Arc Pro (Weekly) | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Arc Pro Monthly | $8.99 | per month |
| Arc Pro (Annual) | $49.99 | per year |


### AD Background

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ad-background-bg-counter/id6753729078)

This app helps Assistant Directors manage background actor numbers on set. It allows for easy logging, tracking of booked and present individuals, and vehicle information storage. Collaboration features are available for shared projects.

**Highlights:** Log background numbers for projects/days, Store vehicle details and driver info, Track needed, booked, and present BG, Manage call times for BG arrival, iCloud sync for projects, CloudKit collaboration for shared projects (Pro), Share daily BG numbers

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Pro Annually | $17.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Arc free?

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

### Is AD Background free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Arc or AD Background?

AD Background is rated higher. Arc averages 4.3 out of 5 from 27 ratings, while AD Background averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do Arc or AD Background have ads?

Neither Arc nor AD Background shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Arc or AD Background?

Arc ships an update every 2 weeks, and AD Background every 3 weeks. Most recently, Arc was updated on November 5, 2026 and AD Background on October 30, 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.*