Comparison

Maktabati vs ArabicBloom

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

Head to head
About

Maktabati

Read full description

Sit with the scholars. Read classical Islamic books and hadith in their original Arabic, with an Arabic dictionary under every word. The classical books of Islam hold immense benefit, but printed editions are expensive and often hard to find. Maktabati is a growing Islamic library in your pocket: hadith collections, stories of the prophets and works on character, with the verses of the Qur'an they quote set apart, and an Arabic-English dictionary one tap from every word. A GROWING LIBRARY OF ISLAMIC BOOKS Books include Imam an-Nawawi's Forty Hadith, the Forty Hadith Qudsi, Abu al-Hasan an-Nadwi's Stories of the Prophets, a work on the character of the Prophet (peace be upon him), and works by Ibn al-Jawzi and Ibn al-Qayyim. New Islamic books arrive in the library as they're added, with no app update needed. Beginner books are fully vowelled, with a recording of every word. Short chapters, three Arabic fonts, any text size, two columns on iPad, and the book opens where you stopped. EVERY WORD, ONE TAP AWAY Tap a word to see what it means in its sentence and hear it read. Open the full dictionary entry for: • its parts, such as the article al- and the stem • its dictionary form, pattern and part of speech • its meanings in plain English, each also explained in Arabic • example sentences from the books • its plural, feminine and other forms • its root, with a page for every root and the words built from it FIND A WORD Search a book for an Arabic word, with or without vowels and in all its forms, or for an English word in the translation, and jump to every place it appears. KEEP THE WORDS YOU MEET Save a word with one tap as you read. Your saved words become flashcards that earn stars as you review them, and you can group them into decks. A one-minute review asks about the words you need most. Premium adds two word games, Root Garden and Sentence Builder. READ MORE, SCROLL LESS Maktabati is also an app blocker that rewards reading. Choose the apps that pull you away and give them a balance of screen time. Every minute you read, and every review answer you get right, earns 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. ON ALL YOUR DEVICES Sign in with Apple or Google, if you like, to keep your saved words, decks and reading place on your iPhone and iPad. No account is needed to read, and the books work offline. A DAILY READING HABIT Keep a daily streak, see this week's reading at a glance, and get a daily reminder with a short, inspiring message. Achievements 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 15 saved words, unlimited reviews, and Focus. Premium adds full dictionary entries, unlimited saved words, your own decks, Root Garden and Sentence Builder, and requests for the next book in the library. Premium is an auto-renewing weekly, monthly 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://www.ilmtech.ltd/privacy Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

ArabicBloom

This app offers a structured approach to learning Arabic for beginners. It covers essential elements like the alphabet, numbers, vocabulary, and grammar through interactive tools and quizzes. Track your progress and review key phrases at your own pace.

Highlights
  • Learn Arabic alphabet
  • Practice Arabic numbers
  • Study useful phrases
  • Build vocabulary with flashcards
  • Review Quranic words
  • Learn basic grammar
  • Test knowledge with quizzes
  • Track learning progress
Features
Read full description

ArabicBloom helps beginners start learning Arabic with simple, focused study tools for letters, numbers, phrases, vocabulary, Quranic words, grammar, quizzes, and review. Features: Learn the Arabic alphabet Practice Arabic numbers Study useful Arabic phrases by level Build vocabulary with themed flashcard decks Review common Quranic words Learn basic Arabic grammar step by step Test your knowledge with quizzes Save favorite words and phrases for later review Track your learning progress ArabicBloom is designed for learners who want a clean and easy way to begin their Arabic journey. Whether you are learning Arabic for school, travel, family, personal interest, Quranic vocabulary, or everyday practice, the app gives you a simple place to study and review at your own pace. Start with the alphabet, build your vocabulary, practice phrases, review grammar, test what you remember, and keep growing step by step with ArabicBloom.

Screenshots

Maktabati4 screens
ArabicBloom4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ArabicBloom at none against Maktabati's 3. ArabicBloom also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). Maktabati's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 months). On price, ads 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 $2.99 per 7 days. ArabicBloom asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Maktabati ships an update every 5 days, ArabicBloom every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Maktabati versus ArabicBloom: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMaktabatiArabicBloom
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—4 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 days — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size63 MB32 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperIlmtech LimitedMohammad Ishaq Ishaq

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Maktabati

Subscriptions3
  • Maktabati Premium (Weekly)$2.997 Days
  • Maktabati Premium (Monthly)$6.991 Month
  • Maktabati Premium (Yearly)7 Days trial$39.991 Year
None

ArabicBloom

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Maktabati free?
Maktabati is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ArabicBloom free?
ArabicBloom is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Maktabati or ArabicBloom have ads?
Neither Maktabati nor ArabicBloom shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Maktabati or ArabicBloom?
Maktabati ships an update every 5 days, and ArabicBloom every 2 months. Most recently, Maktabati was updated on November 9, 2026 and ArabicBloom on November 5, 2026.

Other comparisons