Reader vs Halo OS
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Reader
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.
- Distraction-free reading
- PDF annotation
- iCloud sync with Mac
- Companion to macOS app
Read full descriptionHide full description
The iOS companion to the macOS Reader PDF viewer. Here you can read with no distractions and annotated, then work further with your documents back on your Mac using iCloud.
Halo OS
Transform your iPhone or iPad into a functional desktop computer. Connect external displays, keyboards, and mice to navigate a web browser and file explorer with ease.
- External monitor support
- Bluetooth keyboard and mouse compatibility
- Web browser
- File explorer
- TXT file reader
- Window management
Read full descriptionHide full description
Initial Project to turn your iPhone/iPad into a computer. How to use this app: - Connect your iPhone/iPad to an external monitor (use Lightning Digital AV Adapter, HDMI (for iPad) or use Apple AirPlay) - Connect Bluetooth Mouse and Bluetooth Keyboard (if you are using iPhone you gonna need to activate Assistive Touch and screen orientation change to Off so you can rotate the iPhone screen) Feature: Web browser File Explorer with a txt file reader. -- How to use the app --- Double click to open files and folders Click the window top bar so that windows became top window Double click top bar will expand the screen
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Reader at 5.0 against Halo OS's 4.3. Reader also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 26 months) and device support (5 vs 3). Halo OS's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and review sentiment (75% vs 56%). On price, ratings volume, ads and iOS requirement 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
Both are free to download. Reader sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Halo OS asks for nothing beyond the download.
Reader holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 8 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 56% of Reader's written reviews are positive against 75% of Halo OS's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Reader ships an update weekly, Halo OS every 26 months. Both last shipped on August 14, 2026.
| Parameter | Reader | Halo OS |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better | 4.3 (8 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 55.6% of reviews | 75.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 3 | 8 — better |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 26 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Vision Pro — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 — better | 15.2 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 1 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | The Augmented Text Company LTD | Tiago Mendes |
Customer experience
Reader
Halo OS
In-app purchases
Reader
- Ask AI Subscription$1.99
Halo OS
No in-app purchases
