# Read This When vs Tension

The clearest difference is update cadence: Read This When at fortnightly against Tension's every 2 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Read This When sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month and Tension sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Read This When ships an update fortnightly, Tension every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Read This When | Tension |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 months |
| Size | 49 MB | 114 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [MATHEW JAMES GRADWELL](https://appshunter.io/developer/1841746417) | [Niels de Brabander](https://appshunter.io/developer/1877091682) |

## What reviewers say

### Read This When

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/read-this-when/id6752915411)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| RTW - Monthly | $6.99 | per month |
| RTW - Yearly | $49.99 | per year |


### Tension

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tension/id6759158324)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Yearly subscription | $8.99 | per year |
| Tension for Life | $12.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Read This When free?

Read This When is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Tension free?

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

### Do Read This When or Tension have ads?

Neither Read This When nor Tension shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Read This When or Tension?

Read This When ships an update fortnightly, and Tension every 2 months. Most recently, Read This When was updated on October 6, 2026 and Tension on October 12, 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.*