# Kotobee Reader vs SmartBook

The clearest difference is rating: SmartBook at 4.4 against Kotobee Reader's 3.6. SmartBook also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). Kotobee Reader's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.4). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SmartBook sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Kotobee Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

SmartBook holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 23 and 27 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of Kotobee Reader's written reviews are positive against 57% of SmartBook's.

Kotobee Reader ships an update every 2 months, SmartBook weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Kotobee Reader | SmartBook |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.6 (23 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kotobee-reader/id1109764395/reviews) | **[4.4 (27 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartbook-dual-language-books/id1278697399/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 23 | **27** |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | **57.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 14 MB | 107 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Vijua](https://appshunter.io/developer/843229887) | [Stanislau Kurs](https://appshunter.io/developer/1278697398) |

## What reviewers say

### Kotobee Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kotobee-reader/id1109764395)

This app provides an ad-free digital reading experience for interactive ebooks. It supports EPUB 3.0, offers note-taking, highlighting, bookmarking, and text-to-speech functionalities. Access a free digital library for offline reading.

**Highlights:** EPUB 3.0 support, Note-taking and highlighting, Bookmarking, Aggregate annotations to PDF, Offline reading, Text-to-speech, Google lookup

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### SmartBook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartbook-dual-language-books/id1278697399)

This app facilitates language learning through bilingual reading. It offers parallel text, tap-to-translate functionality, and audio narration to help users master new languages by reading books and articles. Users can upload their own content or access a library of free dual-language books.

**Highlights:** Parallel book reader, Tap to translate, Real-time translation with Reverso Context, Audio narration, FB2 and EPUB reader, Vocabulary builder, AI translation

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $1.99 | per month |
| Annual subscription | $19.99 | per year |
| Premium PRO | $24.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Kotobee Reader free?

Kotobee Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is SmartBook free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Kotobee Reader or SmartBook?

SmartBook is rated higher. Kotobee Reader averages 3.6 out of 5 from 23 ratings, while SmartBook averages 4.4 from 27 ratings.

### Do Kotobee Reader or SmartBook have ads?

Neither Kotobee Reader nor SmartBook shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Kotobee Reader or SmartBook?

Kotobee Reader ships an update every 2 months, and SmartBook weekly. Most recently, Kotobee Reader was updated on November 2, 2026 and SmartBook on November 3, 2026.

---

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