# BUKU vs Epub Reader

The clearest difference is rating: Epub Reader at 4.5 against BUKU's 1.9. Epub Reader also leads on ratings volume (11K vs 10) and chart position (#106 vs unranked). BUKU's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (13.4 vs 15.0). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BUKU sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $33.99 per month and Epub Reader sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Epub Reader holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 1.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Epub Reader has 11K ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two.

BUKU ships an update weekly, Epub Reader every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BUKU | Epub Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.9 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buku/id1098689247/reviews) | **[4.5 (11K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/epub-reader-read-epubchmtxt/id1296870631/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 10 | **11K** |
| Positive reviews | — | 55.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#106** |
| Size | 27 MB | 91 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.4** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Buku](https://appshunter.io/developer/1098689246) | [俐 马](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896144174) |

## What reviewers say

### BUKU

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buku/id1098689247)

Access digital textbooks and study materials on any device. Quickly find information with advanced search, take notes, and mark important passages. This learning environment offers enriched content like practice questions and videos to make studying more effective and enjoyable.

**Highlights:** Digital textbook access, Advanced search functionality, Note-taking and text marking, Cross-platform synchronization, Enriched content (videos, practice questions), Manage and share book lists

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| BUKU | $33.99 | per month |


### Epub Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/epub-reader-read-epubchmtxt/id1296870631)

**Currently charting:** #106 Top Free · Book (US App Store)

This app offers a seamless reading experience for various ebook formats including EPUB, PDF, and CHM. It supports multiple compression formats and provides features like table of contents, note-taking, and bookmarking. Customize your reading with adjustable font sizes.

**Highlights:** Supports EPUB, PDF, CHM, RTF formats, Opens compressed files (ZIP, RAR, 7Zip), Table of Contents navigation, Note-taking functionality, Bookmark management, Customizable font size

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Annual professional version | $3.99 | per year |
| Remove Ads | $0.99 | one-time |
| Passcode Lock | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pro Version | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Fast and responsive
- 💡 Convenient file transfer via WiFi
- 🤩 Great for casual reading

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Loses bookmarks and reading progress
- 🔍 Lacks search functionality
- 🌗 No dark mode option
- 📏 Limited customization options
- 💤 Doesn't remember last read position

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when opening certain files
- Distorts images in some ebooks
- Fails to open ePub files consistently

**Requested features**

- Add dark mode
- Improve bookmark and progress tracking
- Implement search feature
- Increase customization options
- Allow variable screen timeout


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BUKU free?

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

### Is Epub Reader free?

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

### Which has better reviews, BUKU or Epub Reader?

Epub Reader is rated higher. BUKU averages 1.9 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while Epub Reader averages 4.5 from 11K ratings.

### Do BUKU or Epub Reader have ads?

Epub Reader shows ads; BUKU does not.

### Which is updated more often, BUKU or Epub Reader?

BUKU ships an update weekly, and Epub Reader every 2 weeks. Most recently, BUKU was updated on November 2, 2026 and Epub Reader on November 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.*