Comparison

Muscular Development vs Lion's Roar

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

Head to head
About

Muscular Development

This app delivers in-depth content on professional bodybuilding, featuring insights from top athletes and experts. It offers cutting-edge research and practical advice on muscle building, fat loss, fitness, and performance enhancement.

Highlights
  • Expert insights from champions and insiders
  • Cutting-edge research on muscle and fat loss
  • Fitness and performance enhancement advice
  • Reality-based editorial direction
  • Subscription options available
Features
Read full description

Muscular Development gives you the colorful, no-bull inside story about professional bodybuilding— from Mr. Olympia champions, Hall of Fame bodybuilders, doctors, researchers, industry experts and insiders who make it all happen. Muscular Development features cutting-edge research and authoritative information on building muscle, burning fat, improving fitness and enhancing sexual performance. Muscular Development educates its readers on how to improve performance, increase strength, improve health and build the best physique possible. Muscular Development distances itself the competition because of our reality-based, “no bull” editorial direction. We give readers the good, the bad and ugly— as long as it is scientifically sound. By pulling no punches, we generate a bold, unique stance in the industry by giving our readers the cold, hard truth. Magazine Subscriptions are available for purchase inside this app. One month subscription - $6.49 (automatically renewed until canceled) One year subscription - $13.99 (automatically renewed until canceled) Your subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Your iTunes account will automatically be charged at the same price for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period unless you change your subscription preferences in your account settings. You can manage your subscriptions through your account settings after purchase on your device. No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during active subscription period. Please visit http://www.magzter.com/ns/privacy-policy.html for our Privacy Policy and http://www.magzter.com/ns/terms_condition.html for our Terms & Conditions

About

Lion's Roar

Access Buddhist teachings and insights on modern life through a digital magazine. Explore practical wisdom, philosophy, and meditation techniques from renowned teachers and writers. Enjoy enhanced readability and social sharing features.

Highlights
  • Digital magazine edition
  • Easy-to-read design
  • Social sharing functionality
  • Integrated website content
  • Buddhist teachings
  • Practical life insights
Features
Read full description

The Lion's Roar digital edition delivers all the same great content from the print edition, now enhanced with an easy-to-read design, social sharing functionality, and integrated with must-reads from the website. Today’s most widely-read Buddhist magazine, Lion's Roar offers accessible, practical, and profound teachings from across the Buddhist spectrum. Lion's Roar applies Buddhist insight, philosophy, and meditation techniques to all the important issues in life today—from livelihood, parenting, and relationships to politics, social action, and the arts. In the pages of Lion's Roar, ancient wisdom shares the stage with some of today’s finest writers, thinkers, and teachers, including Pema Chödrön, Thich Nhat Hanh, the Dalai Lama, Sylvia Boorstein, bell hooks, Pico Iyer, Diane Ackerman, George Saunders, Charles Johnson—and many others. Lion's Roar Pricing: • Subscription 6 Month - USD 12.99* • Subscription 1 Year - USD 24.99* * For non-US app stores, the equivalent currency charges will apply. Please note: App subscriptions do not include access to subscription-only content on our website. Additional Subscription Information: • Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. • Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. • Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal. • Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase. • No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during active subscription period. Privacy Policy - https://bit.ly/2J5Ujfh Terms of Use - https://bit.ly/2J1YZqL • Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable.

Screenshots

Muscular Development4 screens
Lion's Roar4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Lion's Roar at 4.9 against Muscular Development's 4.0. Lion's Roar also leads on ratings volume (1.6K vs 24) and review sentiment (51% vs 33%). Muscular Development's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 6 months). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support 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. Muscular Development sells 27 in-app purchases, starting at $6.49 per month and Lion's Roar sells 19 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per 6 months. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Lion's Roar holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lion's Roar has 1.6K ratings behind it against 24, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of Muscular Development's written reviews are positive against 51% of Lion's Roar's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Muscular Development ships an update every 3 months, Lion's Roar every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on September 14, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Muscular Development versus Lion's Roar: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMuscular DevelopmentLion's Roar
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (24 ratings)4.9 (1.6K ratings) — better
Positive reviews33.3% of reviews51.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings241.6K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 months — betterEvery 6 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscriptionSubscription
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.0 — better13.0
Further details — not scored
Size40 MB63 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMagzter Inc.Lion's Roar Foundation

Customer experience

Muscular Development

All ratings24 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral8.3%
Negative16.7%
Written reviews15 reviews
Positive33.3%
Neutral13.3%
Negative53.3%

Lion's Roar

All ratings1,627 ratings
Positive97.6%
Neutral0.7%
Negative1.7%
Written reviews39 reviews
Positive51.3%
Neutral10.3%
Negative38.5%

Bugs and requests

Muscular Development

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Lion's Roar

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App not functioning or loading content
  • Subscription issues and inability to access past issues
  • Login problems and app crashes

Requested features

3 requests
  • Dark mode option
  • Highlighting and dictionary features
  • Improved accessibility for visually impaired users

In-app purchases

27 purchases

Muscular Development

Subscriptions3
  • Muscular Development One Month$6.491 Month
  • Muscular Development 30$6.991 Year
  • 1 Year Digital Subscription7 Days trial$13.991 Year
One-time24
  • Muscular Development May 2014$6.99
  • Muscular Development November 2014$6.99
  • Muscular Development January 2015$6.99
Show 21 more
  • Muscular Development February 2015$6.99
  • Muscular Development May 2015$6.99
  • Muscular Development June 2015$6.99
  • Muscular Development December 2015$6.99
  • Muscular Development January 2016$6.99
  • Muscular Development June 2016$6.99
  • Muscular Development July 2021$6.99
  • Muscular Development July 2023$6.99
  • November 2023$6.99
  • Muscular Development April 2015$6.99
  • Muscular Development July 2014$6.99
  • Muscular Development August 2014$6.99
  • Muscular Development4 variants$6.99
  • Muscular Development Jun 2021$6.99
  • Muscular Development January 2014$6.99
  • Muscular Development June 2014$6.99
  • Muscular Development October 2014$6.99
  • Muscular Development May 2023$6.99
  • Muscular Development May 2022$6.99
  • Muscular Development April 2014$6.99
  • August 2023$6.99
19 purchases

Lion's Roar

Subscriptions2
  • 6 Months Subscription$12.996 Months
  • Lion's Roar magazine1 Month trial$24.991 Year
One-time17
  • November 2015$7.99
  • January 2016$7.99
  • March 2016$7.99
Show 14 more
  • May 2016$7.99
  • July 2016$7.99
  • September 2016$7.99
  • November 2016$7.99
  • January 2017$7.99
  • Lion's Roar Feed 72$7.99
  • Lion's Roar Feed 67$7.99
  • Lion's Roar Feed 70$7.99
  • Lion's Roar Feed 71$7.99
  • Lion's Roar Feed 65$7.99
  • Lion's Roar Feed 63$7.99
  • Lion's Roar Feed 64$7.99
  • Lion's Roar Feed 62$7.99
  • Lion's Roar Feed 60$7.99

Questions

Is Muscular Development free?
Muscular Development is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Lion's Roar free?
Lion's Roar is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Muscular Development or Lion's Roar?
Lion's Roar is rated higher. Muscular Development averages 4.0 out of 5 from 24 ratings, while Lion's Roar averages 4.9 from 1.6K ratings.
Do Muscular Development or Lion's Roar have ads?
Lion's Roar shows ads; Muscular Development does not.
Which is updated more often, Muscular Development or Lion's Roar?
Muscular Development ships an update every 3 months, and Lion's Roar every 6 months. Most recently, Muscular Development was updated on September 14, 2026 and Lion's Roar on September 22, 2026.

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