# Reader vs ReadTool

The clearest difference is update cadence: Reader at every 4 weeks against ReadTool's every 24 months. ReadTool's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Reader ships an update every 4 weeks, ReadTool every 24 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Reader | ReadTool |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 weeks** | Every 24 months |
| Size | 2 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [小康 刘](https://appshunter.io/developer/438044743) | [FAMEINK PTE. LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1746028804) |

## What reviewers say

### Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reader-plain-text-ereader/id1021086856)

**Features:** Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases:** none


### ReadTool

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/readtool-offline-reader/id6451404740)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Reader free?

Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is ReadTool free?

ReadTool is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Reader or ReadTool have ads?

Neither Reader nor ReadTool shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Reader or ReadTool?

Reader ships an update every 4 weeks, and ReadTool every 24 months. Most recently, Reader was updated on November 6, 2026 and ReadTool on October 9, 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.*