# MapleRead CX vs Books Reader

The clearest difference is rating: Books Reader at 4.7 against MapleRead CX's 3.4. Books Reader also leads on monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs paid). MapleRead CX's advantage is review sentiment (62% vs 38%). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. MapleRead CX sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Books Reader sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Books Reader holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 24 and 22 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 62% of MapleRead CX's written reviews are positive against 38% of Books Reader's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

MapleRead CX ships an update every 2 months, Books Reader every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 8, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MapleRead CX | Books Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.4 (24 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mapleread-cx/id1128582526/reviews) | **[4.7 (22 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/books-reader-pocket-library/id1550557954/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **24** | 22 |
| Positive reviews | **61.5% of reviews** | 37.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 26 MB | 59 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Maplepop LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/798017700) | [Villow](https://appshunter.io/developer/1550558286) |

## What reviewers say

### MapleRead CX

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mapleread-cx/id1128582526)

This app offers a unique audio-visual reading experience for EPUB ebooks. Customize book styles, generate pseudo audiobooks with various voices, and enjoy immersive reading with synchronized audio and text. It also functions as a powerful library management tool with extensive customization options.

**Highlights:** Audio-visual EPUB reader, Pseudo audiobook generation, Immersion reading (sync audio/text), Customizable book styles and themes, Word lookup and translation, Library management and organization, User-defined fonts and highlight colors

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Upgrade | $6.99 | one-time |


### Books Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/books-reader-pocket-library/id1550557954)

This app provides a seamless e-reading experience, managing your ebook collection and offering customizable reading settings. It supports various formats and includes features like bookmarking, note-taking, and a read/unread tracker.

**Highlights:** Supports multiple ebook formats (epub, fb2, mobi, PDF), Manages and organizes ebook collections, Customizable text size, color, theme, and brightness, Progress tracking and bookmarking, Note-taking and excerpt selection, Read/unread book tracker, Filtering and search functionality

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Regular donation | $1.99 | per month |
| Regular donation | $3.99 | per month |
| Regular donation | $5.99 | per month |
| Regular donation | $9.99 | per month |
| Donation | $1.99 | one-time |
| Donation | $3.99 | one-time |
| Donation | $5.99 | one-time |
| Donation | $9.99 | one-time |
| Custom Fonts & Themes | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MapleRead CX free?

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

### Is Books Reader free?

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

### Which has better reviews, MapleRead CX or Books Reader?

Books Reader is rated higher. MapleRead CX averages 3.4 out of 5 from 24 ratings, while Books Reader averages 4.7 from 22 ratings.

### Do MapleRead CX or Books Reader have ads?

Neither MapleRead CX nor Books Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MapleRead CX or Books Reader?

MapleRead CX ships an update every 2 months, and Books Reader every 3 months. Most recently, MapleRead CX was updated on September 8, 2026 and Books Reader on September 23, 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.*