# Trace vs ArcReader

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ArcReader at 96% against Trace's 0%. ArcReader also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.3) and ratings volume (67 vs 3). Trace's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Trace sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and ArcReader sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ArcReader holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ArcReader has 67 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of Trace's written reviews are positive against 96% of ArcReader's.

Trace ships an update every 4 days, ArcReader weekly. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Trace | ArcReader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trace-fanfiction-tracker/id6761776345/reviews) | **[4.9 (67 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arcreader-web-novel-offline/id6762717697/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **67** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **95.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Weekly |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 41 MB | 142 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [ZACHARY SAMUEL LAMBERT](https://appshunter.io/developer/1891419670) | [Thien Le](https://appshunter.io/developer/1617088747) |

## What reviewers say

### Trace

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trace-fanfiction-tracker/id6761776345)

This app helps you track your fanfiction reading progress and organize your favorite stories. It allows you to save works, add notes, and categorize them for easy retrieval. Keep a private record of what you've read, loved, or dropped across supported archives.

**Highlights:** Track reading progress, Organize fanfiction by status, Add private notes and tags, Search and filter by fandom, Integrates with AO3 and FanFiction.net, Create reading collections

**Features:** Safari Extension

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Trace Unlimited Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Trace Unlimited Yearly | $24.99 | per year |


### ArcReader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arcreader-web-novel-offline/id6762717697)

Download and read web novels offline with customizable themes, fonts, and scroll modes. Convert novels to audiobooks with on-device narration and build vocabulary with an integrated dictionary. Sync progress across devices and import EPUB files.

**Highlights:** Download and read web novels offline, Customizable reader themes and fonts, On-device text-to-speech narration, EPUB file import, Integrated dictionary with flashcards, Cross-device reading progress sync

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ArcReader VIP — Monthly | $5.99 | per month |
| ArcReader VIP — Annual | $44.99 | per year |
| ArcReader VIP - Lifetime | $79.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Trace free?

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

### Is ArcReader free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Trace or ArcReader?

ArcReader is rated higher. Trace averages 4.3 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while ArcReader averages 4.9 from 67 ratings.

### Do Trace or ArcReader have ads?

ArcReader shows ads; Trace does not.

### Which is updated more often, Trace or ArcReader?

Trace ships an update every 4 days, and ArcReader weekly. Most recently, Trace was updated on October 25, 2026 and ArcReader on October 25, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*