# Understory vs Tome

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Tome at none against Understory's 6. Tome also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 9 days) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Understory sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Tome asks for nothing beyond the download.

Understory ships an update every 9 days, Tome daily. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Understory | Tome |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (63 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/understory-reading-tracker/id6767701983/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **63** | — |
| Positive reviews | 95.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Size | 213 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Understory Studios LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896501166) | [Onur Parapan](https://appshunter.io/developer/6804473631) |

## 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 and allows you to grow real-world trees by meeting reading objectives. Connect with friends, share recommendations, and view insightful reading statistics.

**Highlights:** Log reading progress and books, Set reading goals and streaks, Grow real-world trees by meeting objectives, Connect with friends and join book groups, Share book recommendations, View reading statistics and insights, Organize custom reading lists

**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 |


### Tome

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tome-book-tracking/id6804473629)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Understory free?

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

### Is Tome free?

Tome is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Understory or Tome have ads?

Neither Understory nor Tome shows ads.

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

Understory ships an update every 9 days, and Tome daily. Most recently, Understory was updated on November 9, 2026 and Tome on November 6, 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.*