Comparison

UBSM vs Trace

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

UBSM

Features
Read full description

This app is the ebook reader for UBSM, which allows users to read EPUB standard and PDF ebooks with and without DRM. UBSM ebook reader allow users to read acquired and borrowed ebooks from respective ebook store and library sites supported by UBSM. UBSM reader also prepares beacon function which identifies Bluetooth beacon for micro location ebook offering via a single icon click. This application gives personal analytic profiling on user's reading behavior and reading health check, namely to encourage long form reading.

About

Trace

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
Read full description

Have I read this one? Which chapter did I get to? Did I drop it, or just catch up? Did I like it? Trace remembers, so you don't have to. Read on AO3 and FanFiction.net as you always do, in Safari on your iPhone. Trace keeps every fic you open, and exactly where you stopped. STATUS AT A GLANCE Browse AO3 and FanFiction.net as usual. Trace marks the fics you've already read, finished, paused or dropped, right on the list, with your chapter. One tap on Add to Trace saves the ones you haven't started. AUTOMATIC TRACKING Open a fic and Trace follows along as you read: Chapter 31 of 40, there on the page and in your Library. Pick up again from Trace, or straight from the page. A PERSONALISED LIBRARY Every fic you've opened in one place: reading, saved, caught up, paused, finished or dropped. Filter it, search it, and see what you read each day. Rate a fic, leave yourself a note, add private tags. CLOSE THOSE TABS Import all your open AO3 and FanFiction.net tabs in one go. Trace keeps the stories, with the chapter you're on, so the tabs can finally close. STORY UPDATES Get new chapters from your AO3 subscriptions as notifications on your iPhone, and see what's new in one place. You set it up once: verify your email in Trace, then forward AO3's update emails to Trace with a Gmail filter, made in Gmail on a computer. Titles stay off your Lock Screen unless you turn them on. Story updates works with AO3 subscription emails; FanFiction.net isn't supported yet. COLLECTIONS Gather the fics you love, rank them, add notes, and send a link. STATS AND RECAP See your words, chapters, finishes and longest reading run, with a Recap each month. ON YOUR HOME SCREEN Add the widget to see what you're reading and jump back in. FREE AND UNLIMITED Trace is free for up to 100 stories, then a small monthly or yearly subscription (2.99/m or 25/year in most regions) unlocks unlimited space. All features are included in free except for advanced stats since fewer than 100 stories can't make use of them. STORIES STAY WHERE THEY BELONG You always read on AO3 or FanFiction.net, so authors keep their hits and kudos. The Safari extension only asks for access to AO3 and FanFiction.net, and it stays off their sign-in pages. I'll never ask for your AO3 or FanFiction.net password. I don't sell your reading or show you ads. READ AO3 EPUBS? Check out Trace Reader, another app I've made. It's an accessible offline reader built around AO3 EPUBS that can connect to your trace account to sync both your online and offline reading. Trace is made by one person. If something isn't right, or you have an idea, I'd love to hear from you! Many of Trace's features are the result of feedback from its users. Trace is an unofficial companion. It isn't affiliated with AO3 or FanFiction.net. Trace Unlimited is an auto-renewing subscription billed through your Apple Account. Manage or cancel it in Settings. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.tracefiction.com/privacy

Screenshots

UBSM3 screens
Trace4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: UBSM at none against Trace's 2. UBSM also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). Trace's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs monthly). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Trace sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. UBSM asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

UBSM ships an update monthly, Trace every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
UBSM versus Trace: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterUBSMTrace
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.3 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—3 — better
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Freemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.6 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size52 MB41 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperXentral MethodsZACHARY SAMUEL LAMBERT

In-app purchases

None

UBSM

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Trace

Subscriptions2
  • Trace Unlimited Monthly$2.991 Month
  • Trace Unlimited Yearly$24.991 Year

Questions

Is UBSM free?
UBSM is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Trace free?
Trace is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do UBSM or Trace have ads?
Neither UBSM nor Trace shows ads.
Which is updated more often, UBSM or Trace?
UBSM ships an update monthly, and Trace every 4 days. Most recently, UBSM was updated on October 14, 2026 and Trace on October 25, 2026.

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