BookPlayer vs Watch Reader
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
BookPlayer
This app provides a dedicated listening experience for audiobooks in M4B, M4A, MP3, and FLAC formats. It offers robust import, management, and playback features, including chapter navigation, variable playback speed, and cloud sync for seamless listening across devices.
- Import audiobooks via AirDrop, Files, iTunes, servers, and zip files
- Manage library with progress tracking, sorting, and playlists
- Advanced playback controls including speed, rewind, and volume boost
- Chapter navigation and lock screen controls
- Cloud sync for cross-device listening
- CarPlay and Apple Watch companion app support
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A wonderful player for your M4B/M4A/MP3/FLAC based audiobooks. Import – Using AirDrop from your Mac or iOS device – From Files and other apps on your device – Via File Sharing in iTunes on your Mac or PC – From your own AudibookShelf or Jellyfin server – Zip files with your folders and books Manage – Maintain and see progress of your books – Mark books as finished – Drag & Drop to sort your library – Create playlists – Automatically play items in turn – Play the first unfinished file by tapping on the playlist artwork – Move files to playlists from the library or import them directly – Edit your book details (title, author, artwork) – Connect to your Hardcover.app account, and track your library progress Listen – Control audio playback from the lock screen, control center or from the companion app on the Apple Watch – Play and navigate books with Chapters – Jump to start of the current book – Change playback speed – Smart rewind – Volume Boost – Support for remote events from headset buttons and the lock screen – Sleep timer with adjustable duration – CarPlay support – VoiceOver support – Dolby Atmos support – Dark mode for night owls – Continue listening across your devices with Cloud Sync, including stand alone playback on your Apple Watch Supported M4B/M4A/MP3 BookPlayer is licensed under GNU General Public License v3.0. The source code and a list of all its contributors can be found on the GitHub page of this project at www.github.com/TortugaPower/BookPlayer You can see our Privacy policy and terms of use in the following links: – https://github.com/TortugaPower/BookPlayer/blob/main/PRIVACY_POLICY.md – https://github.com/TortugaPower/BookPlayer/blob/main/TERMS_CONDITIONS.md For help and ways to contribute to the project see the support section in the Settings screen of BookPlayer or visit www.bookplayer.app If you enjoy BookPlayer, we would be glad if you consider writing a review.
Watch Reader
This app allows you to view text files on your smartwatch. It supports various customization options for text display and offers TTS playback. A companion phone app is required to import files.
- View TXT and EPUB files
- Customizable font, spacing, and colors
- Text-to-Speech (TTS) playback
- iCloud sync for reading progress
- File management via companion phone app
- Support for external font files
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Watch Reader (Watch Reader) is a watch-only text viewer app. You can view the txt file you have by sending it to the watch. First check if you have a watch. (Supported from devices with WatchOS 9.0 or higher installed) It is possible to run the watch app alone, but The phone app is required to import files to the watch app. The steps to import the file are as follows. 1. The phone app checks some text contents in advance and waits to send the file to the watch app. 2. Launch the watch app and import the file to the watch app through “Import File”. 3. iPhone/iPad and Watch must be in close proximity when transferring files using the watch app. ** Watch App Features ** - Supported from devices with WatchOS 9.0 or higher installed (WatchOS 9.0+) - txt file - ePub: Display only text (not supported: image, audio, style (css), chapter) - Font: Watch default font - External font file: Transfer and apply font files in otf and ttf formats to the watch app - font size - letter spacing - line spacing - indent - Alignment (left, right, center, and justification are not supported) - Text color & recommended text color - Background color & recommended background color - Top information: Select one of non-display, progress, and battery - TTS: Background playback after Bluetooth connection - iCloud sync: sync last read location - App lock: If a password is set for the watch app - Clear all caches - Reset settings - Remove continuous blank lines from original file (automatic) - Remove blank lines - Remove a file from the watch app: Swipe left in the file list - App language: Auto / English / Japanese / Korean - Search (Location: Settings - Search) - Designate long-click operation: Unused/TTS/Search - App brightness - Internal speaker playback (background playback is not possible when the internal speaker is set) ** Phone App Features ** - Send files to the watch app - file management - Webdav, SMB, FTP, Synology NAS - If you experience significant noise or stuttering during TTS playback while using AirPods or Bluetooth headsets/earphones, please disconnect them from any other iPhone, iPad, or Bluetooth device and connect them exclusively to your Apple Watch. ** Search for "Watch Reader" on YouTube for a demonstration video
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: BookPlayer at Free against Watch Reader's $3.99. BookPlayer also leads on ratings volume (20K vs 3) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 6 weeks). Watch Reader's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.0). On rating, ads, chart position and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
BookPlayer is free to download; Watch Reader costs $3.99 up front. BookPlayer sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Watch Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.
Watch Reader holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BookPlayer has 20K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 83% of BookPlayer's written reviews are positive against 71% of Watch Reader's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
BookPlayer ships an update every 9 days, Watch Reader every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | BookPlayer | Watch Reader |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $3.99 |
| Rating | 4.8 (20K ratings) | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 82.6% of reviews — better | 70.6% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 20K — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days — better | Every 6 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Paid |
| Best chart rank | #70 | #64 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 81 MB | 69 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Gianni Carlo | kim juyoung |
Customer experience
BookPlayer
Watch Reader
Bugs and requests
BookPlayer
Reported bugs
3 issues- Playback issues with certain audio formats
- Importing problems with large audiobook libraries
- Crashes when deleting books
Requested features
6 requests- Bookmark management
- Percentage completion tracking
- Improved multi-file book handling
- Customizable sleep timer
- iCloud/cloud sync between devices
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- Siri/Shortcuts integration
Watch Reader
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
BookPlayer
- Support Monthly (1 Month)$3.991 Month
- Pro Monthly (1 Month)$4.991 Month
- Support Monthly (1 Month)$6.991 Month
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- Pro Yearly (1 Year)$49.991 Year
- Kind tip$2.99
- Kind Tip$2.99
- Excellent Tip2 variants$4.99
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- Incredible Tip2 variants$9.99
Watch Reader
No in-app purchases









