# Reader vs Markdown Maker

The clearest difference is rating: Reader at 5.0 against Markdown Maker's 3.9. Reader also leads on review sentiment (56% vs 45%) and device support (5 vs 2). Markdown Maker's advantage is ratings volume (12 vs 3). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Reader sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Markdown Maker sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Reader holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 12 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 56% of Reader's written reviews are positive against 45% of Markdown Maker's.

Reader ships an update weekly, Markdown Maker every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on August 14, 2026 and August 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Reader | Markdown Maker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reader/id1179373118/reviews)** | [3.9 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/markdown-maker/id1196844528/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **12** |
| Positive reviews | **55.6% of reviews** | 45.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 1 MB | 162 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [The Augmented Text Company LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/459748478) | [Kairoos Solutions SL](https://appshunter.io/developer/978066434) |

## What reviewers say

### Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reader/id1179373118)

This app provides a distraction-free reading and annotation experience for PDF documents on iOS. Seamlessly sync your annotated files with your Mac for further editing and workflow integration via iCloud.

**Highlights:** Distraction-free reading, PDF annotation, iCloud sync with Mac, Companion to macOS app

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ask AI Subscription | $1.99 | one-time |


### Markdown Maker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/markdown-maker/id1196844528)

This app is a powerful yet user-friendly Markdown editor for Apple devices. It offers extensive formatting options, real-time previews, and supports various export formats. Organize, scan documents, and protect your work with security features.

**Highlights:** Markdown syntax highlighting, Real-time preview, Support for extra markups (tables, footnotes, MathML), Export to PDF, HTML, PNG, TXT, iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive sync, Document organization, PDF reader and scanner

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Markdown Unlock All and AI | $1.99 | per month |
| Markdown Maker Upgrade | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Reader free?

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

### Is Markdown Maker free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Reader or Markdown Maker?

Reader is rated higher. Reader averages 5.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Markdown Maker averages 3.9 from 12 ratings.

### Do Reader or Markdown Maker have ads?

Neither Reader nor Markdown Maker shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Reader or Markdown Maker?

Reader ships an update weekly, and Markdown Maker every 2 weeks. Most recently, Reader was updated on August 14, 2026 and Markdown Maker on August 26, 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.*