# 掌閱iReader vs CHM Reader

The clearest difference is rating: CHM Reader at 5.0 against 掌閱iReader's 3.3. CHM Reader also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (43% vs 28%). 掌閱iReader's advantage is ratings volume (180 vs 2) and iOS requirement (12.4 vs 16). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. 掌閱iReader sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and CHM Reader sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

CHM Reader holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: 掌閱iReader has 180 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 28% of 掌閱iReader's written reviews are positive against 43% of CHM Reader's.

掌閱iReader ships an update every 3 weeks, CHM Reader monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 掌閱iReader | CHM Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.3 (180 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ireader/id1050576032/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chm-reader-read-chm-txt/id6758199572/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **180** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 28.0% of reviews | **42.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 132 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.4** | 16 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [HK IReader Technology Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1110639431) | [灿耿 陈](https://appshunter.io/developer/1688324562) |

## What reviewers say

### 掌閱iReader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ireader/id1050576032)

This app offers a comfortable reading experience with a vast library of authorized novels. Explore diverse genres and popular titles, with personalized settings and timely updates. Discover new stories and connect with fellow readers.

**Highlights:** Massive library of authorized novels, Diverse genres including romance, fantasy, and sci-fi, Personalized reading settings (font, background, night mode), Timely updates and notifications for new chapters, Popular novel rankings and recommendations, User-friendly interface with smooth page turning

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 600 iCoins | $0.99 | one-time |
| VIP of 1 month | $3.99 | one-time |
| 3000 iCoins | $4.99 | one-time |
| 6000 iCoins | $9.99 | one-time |
| VIP of 3 months | $10.99 | one-time |
| 12000 Coins | $19.99 | one-time |
| 18000 iCoins | $29.99 | one-time |
| VIP of 12 months | $39.99 | one-time |
| 30000iCons | $49.99 | one-time |
| 60000閲餠 | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 📚 Extensive free book resources available
- ⬆️ File upload feature from PC to phone
- 👁️ Eye-care reading modes
- 🎨 User-friendly interface (in older versions)
- 🔊 Text-to-speech/audio reading functionality (previously)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📺 Excessive advertisements throughout app
- 🐛 App crashes and won't open
- 🌐 Forced traditional Chinese characters only
- 🗑️ Removed text-to-speech audio reading feature
- ❌ Missing simplified Chinese language option

**Reported bugs**

- App won't open or displays blank page
- PDF documents cannot be opened
- TXT file import errors
- iOS 13 compatibility crashes
- Automatic forced updates to traditional Chinese

**Requested features**

- Full-screen page turning functionality
- Landscape view mode
- Simplified Chinese language support
- Text translation/lookup feature
- Automatic scrolling reading mode


### CHM Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chm-reader-read-chm-txt/id6758199572)

This app provides a streamlined and efficient way to read CHM and TXT documents. It offers features like smart table of contents navigation, full-text search, adjustable font sizes, and night mode for a comfortable reading experience.

**Highlights:** Professional CHM format support, Smart Table of Contents navigation, Full-text search, Adjustable font size, Night mode, Bookmark collection

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly members | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Annual Subscription | $4.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Membership | $6.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 掌閱iReader free?

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

### Is CHM Reader free?

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

### Which has better reviews, 掌閱iReader or CHM Reader?

CHM Reader is rated higher. 掌閱iReader averages 3.3 out of 5 from 180 ratings, while CHM Reader averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do 掌閱iReader or CHM Reader have ads?

掌閱iReader shows ads; CHM Reader does not.

### Which is updated more often, 掌閱iReader or CHM Reader?

掌閱iReader ships an update every 3 weeks, and CHM Reader monthly. Most recently, 掌閱iReader was updated on October 26, 2026 and CHM Reader on October 31, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*