# Polyglot Reader vs Tembo

The clearest difference is update cadence: Tembo at weekly against Polyglot Reader's every 5 weeks. Tembo also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.4). Polyglot Reader's advantage is review sentiment (66% vs 43%). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Polyglot Reader sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Tembo sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Tembo holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 74 and 32 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 66% of Polyglot Reader's written reviews are positive against 43% of Tembo's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Polyglot Reader ships an update every 5 weeks, Tembo weekly. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Polyglot Reader | Tembo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (74 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/polyglot-reader/id1015619263/reviews) | **[4.6 (32 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tembo-bilingual-stories/id6453161211/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **74** | 32 |
| Positive reviews | **65.7% of reviews** | 42.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 137 MB | 23 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Anton Ivanov](https://appshunter.io/developer/594091388) | [Jamie Hunt](https://appshunter.io/developer/1699182042) |

## What reviewers say

### Polyglot Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/polyglot-reader/id1015619263)

Read books in foreign languages and learn new vocabulary. Tap on unknown words for instant translations and save them to flashcards for later study. Supports various document formats and offers pronunciation practice and knowledge tests.

**Highlights:** Read books in multiple formats (PDF, EPUB, TXT), Translate unknown words and phrases instantly, Create flashcards for vocabulary learning, Pronunciation support for words and phrases, Knowledge tests for vocabulary sets, Scan and recognize text from documents

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| Monthly subscription | $7.99 | per month |
| Monthly subscription | $7.99 | per month |
| Monthly subscription | $9.99 | per month |
| Annual subscription | $22.99 | per year |
| Annual subscription | $34.99 | per year |
| Annual subscription | $39.99 | per year |
| Annual subscription | $59.99 | per year |
| Upgrade from advanced to professional version | $3.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade from Starter to Advanced version | $15.99 | one-time |
| Full version | $99.99 | one-time |


### Tembo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tembo-bilingual-stories/id6453161211)

Engage with bilingual stories to enhance your language learning journey. This app offers a variety of stories with instant translations and audio pronunciations to help you improve your skills.

**Highlights:** Bilingual story display, Instant translations, Audio pronunciation guides, Interactive exercises, Multiple languages supported

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plus | $5.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Polyglot Reader free?

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

### Is Tembo free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Polyglot Reader or Tembo?

Tembo is rated higher. Polyglot Reader averages 4.4 out of 5 from 74 ratings, while Tembo averages 4.6 from 32 ratings.

### Do Polyglot Reader or Tembo have ads?

Both Polyglot Reader and Tembo show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Polyglot Reader or Tembo?

Polyglot Reader ships an update every 5 weeks, and Tembo weekly. Most recently, Polyglot Reader was updated on October 24, 2026 and Tembo on October 24, 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.*