# Maktabati vs Parallel Arabic

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Parallel Arabic at none against Maktabati's 3. Parallel Arabic also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). Maktabati's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 weeks). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Maktabati sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Parallel Arabic asks for nothing beyond the download.

Maktabati ships an update every 5 days, Parallel Arabic every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 11, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Maktabati | Parallel Arabic |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Size | 29 MB | 389 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ilmtech Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1859233015) | [Sherif Elmetwally](https://appshunter.io/developer/1888808080) |

## What reviewers say

### Maktabati

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/maktabati/id6756213563)

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Maktabati Premium (Weekly) | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Maktabati Premium (Monthly) | $4.99 | per month |
| Maktabati Premium (Yearly) | $29.99 | per year |


### Parallel Arabic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/parallel-arabic/id6761313327)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked 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 no in-app purchases.

### 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 5 days, and Parallel Arabic every 3 weeks. Most recently, Maktabati was updated on September 11, 2026 and Parallel Arabic on September 21, 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.*