# Understory vs Marcus

The clearest difference is update cadence: Understory at every 9 days against Marcus's every 2 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Understory sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Marcus sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Understory ships an update every 9 days, Marcus every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Understory | Marcus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (58 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/understory-reading-tracker/id6767701983/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **58** | — |
| Positive reviews | 95.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Size | 171 MB | 65 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 16.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Understory Studios LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896501166) | [Vukasin Rancic](https://appshunter.io/developer/1886442082) |

## What reviewers say

### Understory

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/understory-reading-tracker/id6767701983)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Understory Premium | $4.99 | per month |
| Understory Premium - Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Understory Premium | $49.99 | per year |
| Understory Premium - Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| Streak Freeze | $0.99 | one-time |
| Streak Restore | $0.99 | one-time |


### Marcus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marcus-book-and-reading-tracker/id6792703147)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Marcus Pro Monthly | $6.99 | per month |
| Marcus Pro Annual | $49.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Understory free?

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

### Is Marcus free?

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

### Do Understory or Marcus have ads?

Neither Understory nor Marcus shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Understory or Marcus?

Understory ships an update every 9 days, and Marcus every 2 months. Most recently, Understory was updated on October 28, 2026 and Marcus on October 9, 2026.

---

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