# ARC vs Booksie

The clearest difference is rating: Booksie at 4.6 against ARC's 4.0. Booksie also leads on ratings volume (103 vs 8) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 26.0). ARC's advantage is monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 weeks). On price and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ARC sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Booksie sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Booksie holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Booksie has 103 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two.

ARC ships an update every 2 weeks, Booksie every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ARC | Booksie |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arc-interactive-stories/id6759538973/reviews) | **[4.6 (103 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/booksie-the-visual-reader/id6759985619/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 8 | **103** |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | — |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 26 MB | 191 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | — |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Fishybear LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/386484263) | [MapleSoft LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1882089073) |

## What reviewers say

### ARC

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arc-interactive-stories/id6759538973)

Engage with stories by making choices that shape the narrative and lead to unique endings. Explore various genres, from romance to fantasy, with both short reads and full-length books. An AI companion can help guide your decisions.

**Highlights:** Interactive stories with branching paths, Short stories for quick reads, Full-length books with multiple endings, AI companion for decision guidance, Audio narration for chapters, Regularly added new stories

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ARC Reader | $9.99 | per month |
| ARC Reader Plus | $24.99 | per month |
| ARC Reader | $99.99 | per year |
| ARC Reader Plus | $199.99 | per year |


### Booksie

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/booksie-the-visual-reader/id6759985619)

Experience stories like never before with stunning scene visualizations and exclusive content. Turn passages into images and short videos, discover new authors, and explore curated romance, fantasy, and fiction stories. Share your creations and connect with a community of readers.

**Highlights:** Visualize any scene from text, Create short video clips, Discover exclusive content, Immersive reading experience, Explore community visualizations, Browse by genre

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Booksie Pro Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Booksie Pro Yearly | $59.99 | per year |
| 10 Sparks | $0.99 | one-time |
| 55 Sparks | $3.99 | one-time |
| 125 Sparks | $7.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ARC free?

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

### Is Booksie free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ARC or Booksie?

Booksie is rated higher. ARC averages 4.0 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Booksie averages 4.6 from 103 ratings.

### Which is updated more often, ARC or Booksie?

ARC ships an update every 2 weeks, and Booksie every 5 weeks. Most recently, ARC was updated on October 25, 2026 and Booksie on October 24, 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.*