# 掌閱iReader vs FlowReader

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: 掌閱iReader at 12.4 against FlowReader's 18.0. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. 掌閱iReader sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and FlowReader sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

掌閱iReader ships an update every 3 weeks, FlowReader every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 掌閱iReader | FlowReader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.3 (180 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ireader/id1050576032/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **180** | — |
| Positive reviews | 28.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 132 MB | 321 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.4** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [HK IReader Technology Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1110639431) | [YiShou Chen](https://appshunter.io/developer/6813108534) |

## 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


### FlowReader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flowreader-read-in-flow/id6814184505)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| FlowReader Pro Lifetime | $11.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 掌閱iReader free?

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

### Is FlowReader free?

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

### Do 掌閱iReader or FlowReader have ads?

Both 掌閱iReader and FlowReader show ads.

### Which is updated more often, 掌閱iReader or FlowReader?

掌閱iReader ships an update every 3 weeks, and FlowReader every 2 weeks. Most recently, 掌閱iReader was updated on November 6, 2026 and FlowReader 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.*