# Marvin 3 > Advanced eBook and comic reader with extensive customization and DRM-free support. (iPhone/iPad app by Appstafarian Limited.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marvin-3/id1086482858 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Appstafarian Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/577374974) - Category: Books, Education - Price: Free - Rating: 3.60/5 from 432 App Store ratings · 50 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 17+ - Requires: iOS 9.0 · 83 MB - Languages: English - Released: 2016-06-20 - Data updated: 2026-06-10 - Monetization: paid - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marvin-3/id1086482858/reviews.md ## What is Marvin 3? Refined by years of reader feedback and suggestions, Marvin 3 is the sequel to the acclaimed eBook reader for your iPhone and iPad. With over 150 new features and enhancements, Marvin is the perfect companion for people who are passionate about their books and comics. Get Marvin and find out why readers call it "the most brilliant eReader to come out in a long time". Together with unprecedented customisation features, here are a few highlights of this release: - Built from scratch with a brand new interface. - Opens DRM-free EPUB books, CBX, and CBR comics. - Supports all the latest iOS technologies including Split View, Slide Over, Spotlight, Touch ID, Today Widgets, iCloud, and iPad Pro. - High-fidelity rendering with the most comprehensive set of customization options you're likely to use. - Multi-theme UI with optional automatic light/dark switching. - Vertical scrolling with auto scroll, guide bars, and edge tapping. - Goodreads integration. - Text-to-speech. - Karaoke (speed reading). - External Bluetooth keyboard and remote control support including customizable key commands for in-book navigation and control. - Side-load your own fonts. - Reading statistics. - Integration with Marvin Side-by-Side (*). - New library viewing modes and management tools. - Quick launch panel on iPad. - Fully customizable, independent, portrait and landscape multi-column modes. - Whole book page numbering. - Substantially improved highlighting. - Footnote popups. - Photo exporer. - Reading journal with photos, tags, and maps. - Extensive import and export tools. (*) Works best on devices that support Split View and Slide Over, and requires the corresponding Marvin SxS app. Visit appstafarian.com for a complete and impressive feature list. Marvin opens DRM-free EPUB books (basic support for 3.0), and CBZ/CBR comics. If you're into DRM-free books, we worked hard to make Marvin the best way to enjoy them. ## Key features - DRM-free EPUB, CBX, CBR support - High-fidelity rendering - Multi-theme UI with auto switching - Vertical scrolling with auto scroll - Goodreads integration - Text-to-speech - Reading statistics ## What do users think of Marvin 3? Overall sentiment: mixed **Pros** - 👍 Highly customizable reading interface - 📚 Excellent library management and organization - ✨ Superior design and aesthetics compared to competitors - 🎯 Extensive annotation and highlighting features - 🔤 Minutely adjustable text size and margins - 🌙 True black dark mode for OLED battery savings - ⚡ Fast and responsive performance - 📖 Support for multiple formats (EPUB, CBR, CBZ) - 🎤 Text-to-speech with word-flash reader capability - 🔗 Dropbox integration for book management - 💾 One-time purchase model (no subscription) - 🛠️ Advanced features like Deep View and metadata editing **Cons** - ⚠️ No longer actively maintained or updated - 🐛 Loses reading position after app restart - ❌ No PDF support - 🔄 Annotations and highlights don't sync across devices - 📱 iOS 16+ compatibility issues - 💰 Additional paid themes beyond base app - 🚫 Limited cloud storage options (Dropbox only) - 📖 Dictionary lookup freezes on iOS 16 - 🎯 Highlighting and annotation UI glitchy on iOS 16 - ⚙️ Steep learning curve for features - 🔌 Crashes with large libraries (100+ books) - 📊 No two-column landscape mode for iPad **Commonly reported bugs** - Reading position resets to earlier location when reopening book - Task switching causes random page jumps - iOS 16 dictionary lookup causes app freeze - Highlighting and annotation menu glitches on iOS 16 - Text selection menu options disappear or overlap - App crashes when importing new books until restart - Position adjustment slider unreliable and buggy - Highlighting text causes page drift into next page - Save image function crashes app - App crashes with large libraries - Sync feature returns iCloud connection error despite being connected - Continuous scroll mode loses position accurately **Most requested features** - Automatic syncing of bookmarks and annotations across devices - PDF format support - iCloud synchronization - Google Drive and OneDrive integration - Two-column display for iPad landscape mode - Custom reading background images - Disable auto-brightness feature - Underline and strikethrough highlighting options - Fine-tuned text-to-speech speed controls - Calibre integration improvements - Flashcard feature for highlights - Better Goodreads integration - Resilio Sync support - Manual library sorting options ## Recent user reviews (10 of 50) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marvin-3/id1086482858/reviews.md ### 5/5 — The Best There Was *2023-01-17, version 3.1.2* Marvin 3 is the best reading app ever created. None of the mediocre store-linked apps that dominate the field even come close. Not Books, certainly not Kindle, and, sadly, none of the many other failed efforts no longer extant due to the corporate monopolies that have rendered eReaders a dead market. Whatever it’s flaws, Marvin 3 is a skilled labor of love unmatched by anything before or since. It’s the last attempt to serve serious readers rather than greedy publishers, a vanishing breed in a world of ever-increasing functional illiteracy. I can’t blame the developer for giving up, but I do wish it were otherwise. I’d gladly pay more for an evolving product than I do for my MS Office or Adobe Creative Suite subscriptions, or any of the other mediocrities that dominate the software industry through rapacious business practices rather than elegant design. A good reader is worth more to me than just about else I buy, and I wouldn’t mind being paying accordingly for something truly wonderful. ### 5/5 — Still the best *2022-11-25, version 3.1.2* It’s sad that the developer of Marvin 3 has abandoned the app, because even without updates for several years it’s the best of available ePub ereaders. The amount of customization available is amazing, and once the user gets the settings tweaked it’s so easy to use. I’ve used almost every ereader available for iOS and some of them are quite good, but none match Marvin 3. ### 1/5 — It seems that the developer has abandoned this app *2022-11-18, version 3.1.2* This was a great app but for several years now the developer has not responded to questions or bug reports. It has a nasty habit, when task switching, of reopening you book at some random past location. If you don't set a bookmark every time you switch, good luck. Now, with ios 16, things like the dictionary lookup no longer work right. After lookup, the app just freezes. Same for Marvin 2 (no surprise there) There are other apps out there and I don't feel that you should reward the developer for his lack of interest by purchasing this. Just my opinion, of course. I have switched to Mapleread. It's not perfect but it works with ios q6 AND the developers respond to questions! ### 4/5 — Notes and annotations *2022-11-07, version 3.1.2* I know it isn’t your fault about the update, I do want to say though that since iOS 16 update trying to add notes and annotations and highlight has been god awful!! No idea what Apple did but it ruined it. 😭😭 I mean I am able to do it still, it’s just takes longer and the options glitch and overlap each other when you try highlighting ### 5/5 — Actually… Still works! *2022-10-17, version 3.1.2* The fact that this App has not been updated for 5 years is unfortunate. Yet, it is remarkable also, because the App remains unrivaled. For those 5 years (and many more before) this has remained absolutely the best App for anyone who cares about the aesthetics of the reading experience, iPhone screen real estate, menu options etc. I’m writing this review to help other readers who, like me, are not thrilled by the alternatives to Marvin. It did seam that the iOS 16 killed Marvin. I, together with other users who wrote about this, thought so, and I started looking for the replacement. Nothing came close, so I decided to toggle Marvin one last time. By accident, I found out that YOU CAN STILL HIGHLIGHT TEXT, and do all the things we’ve been able to do before. You just have to be a little patient. When the “text selection menu“ comes up (from the system, not the app), just tap the arrow on the right. Tap the seemingly blank sections of the menu that will appear, and you’ll get the options you’ve had before - highlights, notes, dictionaries etc) So, although Marvin has been wounded by this iOS 16, it has not been killed. Undoubtedly, this App, clearly abandoned by its developers, will die sooner or later. But, until it dies, it shall remain the best. ### 4/5 — Worked well until iOS 16 *2022-10-14, version 3.1.2* Obviously has not been updated for years, but has nonetheless been the best epub reader in my experience. However since iOS 16, things are starting to go wrong, mostly related to highlighting text and the quick actions panel. Hoping an update will come to fix this. I’d happily to subscribe to an app as good as this, if it were updated to remain functional. ### 5/5 — The Best Reader Among Many! *2022-03-25, version 3.1.2* I am kind of book fanatic and I have used many ePub readers but no other reader can beat Marvin. I have more than 25 hundred ePub books on my iPad in Marvin and I love everything about it except the delete highlight option that has a confirm popup which is kind of annoying. But other than that this is a great app with great capabilities: highlighting, exporting annotations to multiple format (really great!) meta data arranging, slick interface and so many other cool features! Great app...bravo! ### 4/5 — Stanza’s successor *2022-03-06, version 3.1.2* From the many user tweaks, support for imported fonts and great library management, Marvin is IMHO my favorite e-reader for IOS. With over 2000 books on my iPhone, I really appreciate the organizational and display capabilities of its library interface. Truly designed for the ebook OCD/fanatic/collector/power user. Now if I could only import a custom image as a reading background and disable the auto brightness while in the app, it would get 5 stars. Always room for improvement, right. And why is it called Marvin? If I could create an e-reader as good as this, I’d called it “Atoz.” Get it? ### 4/5 — Looses last reading position in the text. *2022-02-20, version 3.1.2* Could you please fix the issue with loosing last reading position in the text after re-opening the application? If app is closed and removed from background and started again the book opens couple of pages before the actual page which was open at the closing moment. It requires to scroll forward for finding the right page. Really annoying. Please fix it. ### 5/5 — Works Great on iPhone 13 Pro Max *2022-01-03, version 3.1.2* Despite four years without an update, multiple versions of iOS and multiple new phones released by Apple, this app works incredibly well. When importing a new book, I can’t open it until the app is closed and relaunched, but that takes, very literally, a matter of moments. This app is well worth the money, even though it’s been years since an update and the developer may well have abandoned it. I prefer this app strongly over my Kindle app and even, at times, over my Kindle Oasis. Take it from a reader: Buy this app!! ## Frequently asked questions about Marvin 3 ### What kind of files does Marvin 3 support? Marvin 3 supports DRM-free EPUB books, including basic support for EPUB 3.0. It also opens CBX and CBR comic book formats. ### What are the key customization features in Marvin 3? Marvin 3 offers unprecedented customization, including a brand new interface, high-fidelity rendering with comprehensive options, multi-theme UI with automatic light/dark switching, vertical scrolling with auto scroll, and customizable multi-column modes. ### Is Marvin 3 free to download and use? Based on the provided information, Marvin 3 is a paid application. There is no mention of free access, in-app purchases, or advertisements. ### What iOS technologies does Marvin 3 support? Marvin 3 supports a wide range of iOS technologies, including Split View, Slide Over, Spotlight, Touch ID, Today Widgets, iCloud, and iPad Pro features. ### What are some unique reading features offered by Marvin 3? Beyond standard reading, Marvin 3 includes features like text-to-speech, karaoke (speed reading), Goodreads integration, reading statistics, a reading journal with photos and maps, and extensive import/export tools. ## Version history (last 1 release) ### 3.1.2 — 2017-10-11 This app has been updated by Apple to display the Apple Watch app icon. This update includes: * New: Improved compatibility with iOS 11 and latest devices. * Fixed: Dropbox connectivity problems. * Updated: Improved Dropbox sync performance. * Updated: Improved performance of image effects in comic viewer. * Fixed: Display artefacts on latest devices and system software. * Updated: Twitter and Facebook share sheets replaced by system share sheet +++ * Miscellaneous performance improvements and fixes. +++ From iOS 11 onwards, native Twitter and Facebook share sheets need to be replaced with the standard system share sheet. To post you will need the official Twitter and/or Facebook apps installed. 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User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-10.*