# The ARC Library vs Nous

The clearest difference is ratings volume: The ARC Library at 8 against Nous's 1. The ARC Library also leads on iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.0). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The ARC Library sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Nous sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for The ARC Library against 5.0 for Nous. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The ARC Library has 8 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

The ARC Library ships an update every 8 days, Nous weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The ARC Library | Nous |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-arc-library/id6759504375/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nous-reading-tracker-and-notes/id6761879422/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **8** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 days | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Freemium |
| Size | 59 MB | 31 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Romana Adamka](https://appshunter.io/developer/1879079829) | [Caelan Mitchell](https://appshunter.io/developer/1891915510) |

## What reviewers say

### The ARC Library

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-arc-library/id6759504375)

Manage your book review workflow with this comprehensive tool. Track ARCs, deadlines, reading progress, and create polished reviews. Features include detailed statistics, a content creator hub, and a public reader profile.

**Highlights:** Track ARCs by ISBN, title, or barcode, Interactive reading calendar with deadlines, Detailed reading statistics and analytics, Rich text review editor with checklist, Content creator hub for social media campaigns, Public reader profile for showcasing stats, TBR spin wheel and Bingo Challenge

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ARC Addon (Monthly) | $2.99 | per month |
| ARC Library Premium (Monthly) | $7.99 | per month |
| ARC Addon (Yearly) | $29.99 | per year |
| ARC Library Premium (yearly) | $79.99 | per year |


### Nous

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nous-reading-tracker-and-notes/id6761879422)

This app helps you actively track your reading by taking notes, capturing highlights, and organizing your library. It offers features for reflection, goal setting, and seamless integration with other services to enhance your reading experience.

**Highlights:** Real-time reading notes and thoughts, Book library organization, Highlight capture via typing or OCR, Reading session reflection and summary, Goal setting and streak tracking, Sync with Obsidian and Kindle, Homescreen widgets

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Nous Plus — Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Nous Plus — Yearly | $29.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The ARC Library free?

The ARC Library is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Nous free?

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

### Which has better reviews, The ARC Library or Nous?

The ARC Library and Nous are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 8 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do The ARC Library or Nous have ads?

Neither The ARC Library nor Nous shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The ARC Library or Nous?

The ARC Library ships an update every 8 days, and Nous weekly. Most recently, The ARC Library was updated on September 26, 2026 and Nous on September 1, 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.*