# Serial Reader vs Gutenberg | eBook Reader

The clearest difference is ads: Serial Reader at none against Gutenberg | eBook Reader's shown. Serial Reader also leads on review sentiment (95% vs 70%) and rating (4.8 vs 4.5). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Serial Reader sells 5 one-off in-app purchases and Gutenberg | eBook Reader sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Serial Reader holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Serial Reader has 4.1K ratings behind it against 745, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 95% of Serial Reader's written reviews are positive against 70% of Gutenberg | eBook Reader's.

Serial Reader ships an update every 3 months, Gutenberg | eBook Reader every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Serial Reader | Gutenberg | eBook Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (4.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/serial-reader-daily-book-bits/id1077180804/reviews)** | [4.5 (745 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gutenberg-ebook-reader/id1289618861/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4.1K** | 745 |
| Positive reviews | **94.9% of reviews** | 69.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 29 MB | 48 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Michael Schmitt](https://appshunter.io/developer/832063887) | [Webron Software LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1071126548) |

## What reviewers say

### Serial Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/serial-reader-daily-book-bits/id1077180804)

Read classic literature in daily, manageable segments. This app breaks down over 900 books into daily issues, each readable in 20 minutes or less, helping you build reading habits and tackle lengthy classics. Customize your reading experience with various themes, fonts, and sync options.

**Highlights:** Daily book installments, Over 900 classic books, Serialize your own EPUBs, Sync with Goodreads/Readwise, Word lookup, Reading streaks and badges

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tip Jar - Essay | $1.99 | one-time |
| Serial Premium | $2.99 | one-time |
| Tip Jar - Short Story | $4.99 | one-time |
| Tip Jar - Novel | $9.99 | one-time |
| Tip Jar - Epic | $14.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Bite-sized reading
- 📚 Wide selection of classics
- 👍 Simple and intuitive interface
- 💰 Free with affordable premium upgrade
- 🎉 Motivating achievements and badges

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Sync issues across devices
- 🔍 Limited customization options
- 🕰️ Inflexible delivery schedule
- 🤔 Lack of modern/non-classic book selection

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when changing fonts
- Issues with new chapter delivery not working

**Requested features**

- Add more modern/non-classic book options
- Improve sync functionality across devices
- Allow more customization of reading experience
- Provide flexible delivery schedule options


### Gutenberg | eBook Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gutenberg-ebook-reader/id1289618861)

Access a vast library of public domain e-books and audiobooks from around the world. Explore tens of thousands of titles across numerous languages and categories, including classics and popular works.

**Highlights:** Vast public domain e-book library, Extensive audiobook collection, Thousands of titles available, Multiple languages supported, Categorized book selection, Top 50 e-books listed

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $1.99 | per month |
| Weekly Subscription | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Subscription | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Yearly Subscription | $24.99 | per year |
| Premium | $39.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Premium | $39.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 📚 Extensive collection of classic literature
- 💰 Free access to thousands of books
- 👍 Easy to use interface
- 📖 Page-turning feature mimics physical books
- 🌙 Night mode for comfortable reading

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Search function is unreliable and confusing
- 📱 Poor book organization and browsing
- 💔 Missing many books found on Project Gutenberg website
- 📺 Excessive and intrusive advertisements
- ⚙️ Limited customization options for book format

**Reported bugs**

- Search returns no results or irrelevant results
- Books listed on Project Gutenberg not appearing in app
- App fails to download certain books
- Reading progress not saved between sessions
- Continuous scroll instead of page-by-page display

**Requested features**

- Improved search functionality with better filtering
- Better book organization and categorization system
- Dictionary/word definition feature
- Improved paragraph spacing and text formatting
- Page-by-page navigation instead of chapter-based


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Serial Reader free?

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

### Is Gutenberg | eBook Reader free?

Gutenberg | eBook Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Serial Reader or Gutenberg | eBook Reader?

Serial Reader is rated higher. Serial Reader averages 4.8 out of 5 from 4.1K ratings, while Gutenberg | eBook Reader averages 4.5 from 745 ratings.

### Do Serial Reader or Gutenberg | eBook Reader have ads?

Gutenberg | eBook Reader shows ads; Serial Reader does not.

### Which is updated more often, Serial Reader or Gutenberg | eBook Reader?

Serial Reader ships an update every 3 months, and Gutenberg | eBook Reader every 6 weeks. Most recently, Serial Reader was updated on September 30, 2026 and Gutenberg | eBook Reader on September 28, 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.*