# Instaread vs Excerpt Note

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Excerpt Note at none against Instaread's 10. Excerpt Note also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). Instaread's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 18.2). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Instaread sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Excerpt Note asks for nothing beyond the download.

Instaread ships an update every 2 months, Excerpt Note weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Instaread | Excerpt Note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (9.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/instaread-learn-something-new/id1046172976/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **9.3K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 39.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Subscription | — |
| Size | 104 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 18.2 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Instaread, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1046172975) | [Takatoshi Suzuki](https://appshunter.io/developer/1807015043) |

## What reviewers say

### Instaread

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/instaread-learn-something-new/id1046172976)

Access condensed insights from thousands of bestselling nonfiction books in both audio and text formats. Learn key takeaways in 15 minutes or less, with curated content and original series on various topics. Download content for offline access and improve yourself with profound ideas.

**Highlights:** Key insights from bestselling books, Available in audio and text, Learn in 15 minutes or less, Professionally written titles, Instaread Originals series, Download for offline access

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Instaread Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| Instaread Subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| Instaread | $4.99 | per month |
| Instaread | $7.99 | per month |
| Instaread | $8.99 | per month |
| Instaread | $14.99 | per month |
| Instaread | $49.99 | per year |
| Instaread | $79.99 | per year |
| Instaread | $89.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great for learning on the go
- 👍 Excellent customer service
- 💡 Variety of content (books, articles, etc.)
- 🚀 Efficient way to get key insights
- 👍 User-friendly interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and crashes
- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🔒 Difficult to cancel subscription
- 🐛 Unreliable login and access issues
- 🔍 Limited book selection

**Reported bugs**

- App freezing and crashing
- Login and access issues
- Subscription billing problems
- Compatibility issues on older devices

**Requested features**

- Offline audio download option
- Progress tracking and reading history
- Highlight and note-taking features
- Ability to access content on multiple devices
- More affordable pricing options


### Excerpt Note

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/excerpt-note/id6748668835)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Instaread free?

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

### Is Excerpt Note free?

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

### Do Instaread or Excerpt Note have ads?

Both Instaread and Excerpt Note show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Instaread or Excerpt Note?

Instaread ships an update every 2 months, and Excerpt Note weekly. Most recently, Instaread was updated on October 15, 2026 and Excerpt Note on October 12, 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.*