Comparison

Maktabati vs Parallel Arabic

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

Head to head
About

Maktabati

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Read real Classical Arabic, one word at a time. Maktabati is a quiet reading room for anyone learning fuṣḥā. Open a classical text, tap any word, and see what it means in that sentence, along with its root, dictionary form and grammar. Save the words you meet, quiz yourself on them, and earn screen time for the reading you do. READ CLASSICAL TEXTS Begin with Qaṣaṣ an-Nabiyyīn, the Stories of the Prophets by Abū al-Ḥasan an-Nadwī: fully voweled, set in clear Arabic type, and divided into short chapters. Choose from three Arabic fonts and the size that suits your eyes, and Maktabati opens on the page where you stopped. Tell us which classical text you'd like next, right from the Library. EVERY WORD EXPLAINED Tap a word to see its meaning in context, its transliteration, and hear it pronounced. Open it further for: • its parts, such as the article al- and the stem • its dictionary form, pattern and part of speech • its meanings in plain English • its plural, feminine and other forms • its root, and other words built from it KEEP THE WORDS YOU MEET Save any word to your flashcards with one tap. Each card shows the word's root and dictionary form, and earns stars as you answer it correctly, moving from new to learning, familiar and mastered. Group words into decks to study them together. QUIZ YOURSELF IN A MINUTE Each question shows a word and seven meanings. Right answers move words toward mastery, and the results show you the words to look at again. EARN YOUR SCREEN TIME Choose the apps that pull you away and give them a balance of minutes. Every minute you read and every quiz answer you get right adds a minute, up to the limit you set. When the balance runs out, Maktabati can block those apps until you've read a little more. Focus uses Apple's Screen Time, and the apps you choose stay private on your device. WATCH YOURSELF GROW Keep a daily streak, see this week's reading at a glance, and follow your words mastered, roots met and quiz accuracy. Eight achievements, each with levels, mark the way. MAKTABATI PREMIUM Maktabati is free to download. The free plan includes reading, the word panel, each word's dictionary form and root, up to 10 saved words, one quiz a day, and Focus. Premium adds full dictionary entries, unlimited words and quizzes, and your own decks. Premium is an auto-renewing weekly or yearly subscription. Payment is charged to your Apple Account when you confirm the purchase. The subscription renews automatically unless it's cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period, and your account is charged for the renewal within 24 hours before that period ends. You can manage or cancel it in your Apple Account settings at any time. Privacy Policy: https://ilmtech.ltd/privacy Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Parallel Arabic

Features
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Most Arabic apps teach the formal language that almost nobody speaks at home or on the street. Parallel Arabic teaches the Arabic people actually use: Egyptian, Levantine and Moroccan Darija, plus Modern Standard Arabic. Pick your dialect and start speaking from the first lesson. SPEAK FROM DAY ONE Practise real conversations with the AI Tutor in your dialect. Say it out loud, get scored on your pronunciation, and try again until it sounds right. READ IN PARALLEL Every story and lesson shows Arabic script, transliteration and English side by side, so you can follow along whether or not you can read Arabic yet. Tap any word for its meaning, audio and example sentences. A CLEAR PATH Follow step-by-step lessons from the alphabet upwards, or create your own lessons, stories and practice sentences on any topic you care about. GAMES THAT MAKE WORDS STICK Short rounds for vocabulary, letters and listening: Word Scramble, Odd One Out, Memory Pairs, Speed Round and more, with a fresh daily challenge. NEVER FORGET A WORD Save words as you go. Spaced repetition brings each one back just before you would forget it, in new sentences and stories, not the same flashcard every time. COMPARE DIALECTS See how the same word or phrase changes between Cairo, Beirut, Casablanca and the newsroom. STAY ON TRACK Daily streaks, reminders, a weekly leaderboard, and a vocabulary map that grows with every word you learn. WHAT YOU GET • 4 varieties: Egyptian, Levantine, Moroccan Darija, Modern Standard Arabic • Structured lessons from the alphabet to advanced • Stories with tap-to-translate • AI Tutor with pronunciation feedback • Speaking, writing and sentence practice • Verb conjugation drills • Word games and a daily challenge • Spaced repetition review of your own vocabulary • Word of the Day Whether you're starting from zero, reconnecting with family, or getting ready for a trip, Parallel Arabic meets you where you are. Parallel Arabic Premium is an auto-renewing subscription. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.parallel-arabic.com/privacy

Screenshots

Maktabati4 screens
Parallel Arabic4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Maktabati at every 6 days against Parallel Arabic's every 2 months. Parallel Arabic's advantage is iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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. Maktabati sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days and Parallel Arabic sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Maktabati ships an update every 6 days, Parallel Arabic every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences · 6 level
Maktabati versus Parallel Arabic: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMaktabatiParallel Arabic
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—2 — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 days — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.014.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size253 MB389 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperIlmtech LimitedSherif Elmetwally

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Maktabati

Subscriptions3
  • Maktabati Premium (Weekly)$1.997 Days
  • Maktabati Premium (Monthly)$4.991 Month
  • Maktabati Premium (Yearly)$29.991 Year
2 purchases

Parallel Arabic

Subscriptions2
  • Parallel Arabic Premium7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Parallel Arabic Premium Annual7 Days trial$99.991 Year

Questions

Is Maktabati free?
Maktabati is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Parallel Arabic free?
Parallel Arabic is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Maktabati or Parallel Arabic have ads?
Neither Maktabati nor Parallel Arabic shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Maktabati or Parallel Arabic?
Maktabati ships an update every 6 days, and Parallel Arabic every 2 months. Most recently, Maktabati was updated on October 24, 2026 and Parallel Arabic on October 24, 2026.

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