# Bound vs Issa Reader

The clearest difference is price: Issa Reader at Free against Bound's $4.99. Issa Reader also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 months) and rating (5.0 vs 4.6). Bound's advantage is ratings volume (2K vs 1) and chart position (#1 vs unranked). On ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Issa Reader is free to download; Bound costs $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Issa Reader holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bound has 2K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Bound ships an update every 2 months, Issa Reader every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bound | Issa Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.6 (2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bound-audiobook-player/id1041727137/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/issa-reader/id6806803431/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 72.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#1** | — |
| Size | 48 MB | 21 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Deadpan, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1521868530) | [Benjamin Issa](https://appshunter.io/developer/1860745071) |

## What reviewers say

### Bound

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bound-audiobook-player/id1041727137)

**Currently charting:** #1 Top Paid · Book, #199 Top Paid (US App Store)

Listen to your DRM-free audiobooks with a modern interface. Import files from cloud services or your computer, manage your library, and enjoy features like automatic playback saving, adjustable speed, and chapter support.  Includes CarPlay integration and a sleep timer.

**Highlights:** Import from cloud services (Dropbox, OneDrive), Web uploader via WiFi, Automatic playback position saving, Adjustable playback speed (0.5x-3.0x), Chapter support, Sleep timer, CarPlay support

**Features:** Siri integration

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great app!
- 👍 Excellent audiobook player
- 💡 Seamless cloud storage integration
- 🚀 Efficient and reliable
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or bugs
- 🐛 Issues with cloud storage connectivity
- 🐛 Inconsistent playback behavior
- 🐛 Trouble with large audiobook files
- 🐛 Missing features like folders/playlists

**Reported bugs**

- Audiobooks disappearing from library after device restart
- Inability to delete audiobooks from library
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between apps
- Playback issues with multi-part audiobooks
- Problems with web uploader functionality

**Requested features**

- Add support for Apple Watch
- Implement search and filtering options
- Allow bookmarks with notes/labels
- Add Chromecast support
- Introduce dark mode


### Issa Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/issa-reader/id6806803431)

This app synchronizes your ebooks with audiobooks from a self-hosted server, allowing seamless transitions between reading and listening. It features a native typesetting engine, customizable reading options, and advanced playback controls for an immersive experience.

**Highlights:** Seamless read-to-listen transition, Native typesetting engine, Customizable reading faces and themes, Variable speed audiobook playback, CarPlay integration, Offline library access, Home Screen widget

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bound free?

Bound costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Issa Reader free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Bound or Issa Reader?

Issa Reader is rated higher. Bound averages 4.6 out of 5 from 2K ratings, while Issa Reader averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Bound or Issa Reader have ads?

Neither Bound nor Issa Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bound or Issa Reader?

Bound ships an update every 2 months, and Issa Reader every 5 days. Most recently, Bound was updated on October 16, 2026 and Issa Reader on October 2, 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.*