# Sift vs Liminal

The clearest difference is monetization model: Liminal at free with in-app purchases against Sift's subscription. Liminal also leads on device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.1). Sift's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sift sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Liminal sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Sift against 5.0 for Liminal. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 2 respectively.

Sift ships an update weekly, Liminal every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sift | Liminal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sift-read-more-scroll-less/id6772033156/reviews) | [5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/liminal-the-atrium/id6787131819/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **2** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 32 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.1 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Springtown Labs Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1472456462) | [Hessam Zahedi](https://appshunter.io/developer/6785146214) |

## What reviewers say

### Sift

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sift-read-more-scroll-less/id6772033156)

This app distills nonfiction books into short, digestible reads that can be finished in minutes. It helps users build a reading habit by integrating with their phone usage and offering features like reading locks and progress tracking. Discover new ideas and expand your knowledge efficiently.

**Highlights:** Short, thread-style book summaries, Reading Lock to block distracting apps, Daily reading goal and streak tracking, Highlight and save key ideas, Browse by topic and request books, Gentle reading reminders

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sift | $9.99 | per month |
| Sift | $49.99 | per year |


### Liminal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/liminal-the-atrium/id6787131819)

Engage in thoughtful conversations with AI reconstructions of great minds. Explore philosophical concepts through interactive games and unique encounters designed for quiet reflection. Many features are available offline and free to use.

**Highlights:** AI reconstructions of great minds, Interactive philosophical games, Poetry generation, Question and answer sessions, Thought experiments, Offline play, No ads or tracking

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 100 Credits | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sift free?

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

### Is Liminal free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Sift or Liminal?

Sift and Liminal are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 2 ratings respectively.

### Do Sift or Liminal have ads?

Neither Sift nor Liminal shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sift or Liminal?

Sift ships an update weekly, and Liminal every 3 weeks. Most recently, Sift was updated on October 13, 2026 and Liminal on October 11, 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.*