Comparison

The ARC Library vs Understory

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

Head to head
About

The ARC Library

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
Read full description

ARC Library is the all-in-one platform for ARC readers, reviewers, book content creators, and authors. Whether you're keeping an overflowing ARC list under control or running your own ARC campaigns, ARC Library brings your books, deadlines, reviews, teams, campaigns, and reader connections together in one place. FOR READERS TRACK YOUR ARCS Add books by title, ISBN, or barcode and keep track of everything from received to reviewed. Log your reading progress by pages, audio minutes, or percentage, and use reading pace calculations to stay ahead of deadlines. NEVER MISS A DEADLINE See publication dates, review deadlines, PR tasks, and other important dates in your reading calendar. Due-soon alerts help you see what needs your attention next. REVIEW EDITOR Write and save reviews directly in ARC Library. Keep notes and quotes while you read, use structured review prompts, and copy your finished review when you're ready to post. READING STATISTICS Explore detailed statistics covering your ARCs, personal books, reviews, teams, PR activity, ratings, genres, reading habits, and more. SPICE AND SWOON RATINGS Track spice and swoon levels for your books, explore your rating distributions, and filter your library by level. CONTENT CREATOR TOOLS Keep track of cover reveals, release posts, reviews, PR campaigns, and other content across your social channels. YOUR ARC READER PROFILE Create a shareable reader profile featuring your reading activity, reviews, favorite genres, social links, and more. Give authors and publishers a better picture of who you are as a reviewer. DISCOVER NEW OPPORTUNITIES Browse forms shared by authors for ARC applications, teams, campaigns, and other opportunities. TBR TOOLS Not sure what to read next? Use the TBR Spin Wheel, reading challenges, and other tools to make choosing your next book a little more fun. FOR AUTHORS MANAGE YOUR BOOKS Keep your books and their ARC information organized in one place. RUN ARC CAMPAIGNS Create and manage ARC campaigns, organize applications, work with readers, and keep track of your campaign from start to finish. FIND ARC READERS Use the Reader Database to discover readers based on genres, tropes, social platforms, activity, and other information they choose to share. CREATE AND SHARE FORMS Create forms for ARC applications, reader teams, PR campaigns, and more. Share them directly or make them discoverable through the ARC Library Form Catalog. MANAGE YOUR READERS Keep your ARC readers and campaign information organized without relying on scattered spreadsheets, forms, messages, and notes. BUILD YOUR TEAMS Create and manage reader teams and keep the people supporting your books connected to your campaigns. ONE LIBRARY, TWO SIDES OF THE ARC EXPERIENCE ARC Library brings readers and authors together while giving each side the tools they need. Readers get a home for their ARCs, reviews, deadlines, statistics, teams, and content. Authors get tools to manage books, campaigns, applications, readers, and ARC teams. FREE TO START Get started with ARC Library for free, with optional Premium plans unlocking additional tools, customization, statistics, and features. Built by a reader who wanted a better way to manage the beautifully chaotic world of ARCs. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Terms & Conditions: https://arc-library.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://arc-library.com/privacy

About

Understory

This app helps you track your reading progress, set goals, and build a consistent reading habit. It features a unique plant aesthetic, social interaction with friends, and the ability to grow real-world trees by meeting reading objectives. Organize your library, share recommendations, and gain insights into your reading habits.

Highlights
  • Track reading progress and log books
  • Set reading goals and streaks
  • Grow real-world trees by meeting objectives
  • Social features for book groups and friends
  • Organize library with custom lists
  • Share book recommendations
  • View reading statistics and insights
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Understory is a reading tracker, book tracker, and social reading app designed to help you track books, log reading progress, set reading goals, and stay consistent. Whether you’re organizing your bookshelf, building a reading habit, or joining a book group, Understory brings together everything you need in one place with a fun plant aesthetic. Join the Understory bookish community to build a better reading habit and build a better world! GROW REAL-LIFE TREES: Watch your garden bloom in Understory and meet monthly objectives to grow real-world trees! Visit friends’ gardens daily to help their trees grow! INTERACT WITH FRIENDS: Join book groups where you and your friends can read different books! Like and comment on reviews in the social feed! TRACK YOUR READING: Review your books with half stars, audiobook tags and private reads! Manage your library with custom reading lists including a Did Not Finish (DNF) list! LEVEL UP YOUR READING: Improve your reading habit with leaderboards for books read, reading streaks, and XP level! Earn XP by logging reading and interacting with other users! SHARE BOOK RECS: See your friends’ favorite and highly rated books and share book recommendations directly with your friends! SEE YOUR STATS: Get insights on your reading history and social interactions through shareable stats and graphs and our signature Library Card graphic! Understory is perfect for readers who want to: - Track books and reading progress in one place - Build a daily reading habit and reading streak by growing a fun garden that doesn’t feel like a chore - Log books, reviews, and ratings (with half stars!) - Organize a TBR (to be read) list - Track audiobooks and ebooks - Join a social book community - Discover new book recommendations Terms of Use: https://www.understory-app.com/terms-of-use Privacy Policy: https://www.understory-app.com/privacy-policy Content and Copyright Policy: https://www.understory-app.com/content-copyright-policy

Screenshots

The ARC Library4 screens
Understory4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is chart position: Understory at #207 against The ARC Library's unranked. Understory also leads on ratings volume (55 vs 12). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence 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. The ARC Library sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Understory sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for The ARC Library against 4.9 for Understory. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 12 and 55 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of The ARC Library's written reviews are positive against 96% of Understory's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 9 level
The ARC Library versus Understory: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterThe ARC LibraryUnderstory
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (12 ratings) — better4.9 (55 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better95.7% of reviews
Number of ratings1255 — better
Update frequencyEvery 9 daysEvery 9 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFreemium
Best chart rank—#207 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.615.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size111 MB171 MB
Age rating9+12+
DeveloperRomana AdamkaUnderstory Studios LLC

Customer experience

The ARC Library

All ratings12 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Understory

All ratings49 ratings
Positive95.9%
Neutral4.1%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews23 reviews
Positive95.7%
Neutral4.3%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

8 purchases

The ARC Library

Subscriptions8
  • ARC Addon (Monthly)$2.991 Month
  • ARC Library Premium (Monthly)7 Days trial$7.991 Month
  • Authors Monthly$9.991 Month
Show 5 more
  • Combo Plan Monthly$12.991 Month
  • ARC Addon (Yearly)$29.991 Year
  • ARC Library Premium (yearly)7 Days trial$79.991 Year
  • Author Yearly$99.991 Year
  • Combo Yearly$129.991 Year
6 purchases

Understory

Subscriptions4
  • Understory Premium1 Month trial$4.991 Month
  • Understory Premium - Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Understory Premium1 Year trial$49.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Understory Premium - Yearly$49.991 Year
One-time2
  • Streak Freeze$0.99
  • Streak Restore$0.99

Questions

Is The ARC Library free?
The ARC Library is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Understory free?
Understory is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, The ARC Library or Understory?
The ARC Library is rated higher. The ARC Library averages 5.0 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while Understory averages 4.9 from 55 ratings.
Do The ARC Library or Understory have ads?
Neither The ARC Library nor Understory shows ads.
Which is updated more often, The ARC Library or Understory?
The ARC Library ships an update every 9 days, and Understory every 9 days. Most recently, The ARC Library was updated on October 25, 2026 and Understory on October 24, 2026.

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