Reader vs Bound
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
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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.
Bound
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Bound is a powerful and efficient tool for event and deadline management. Its elegant and intuitive interface makes it easy to create and manage deadlines, while its customisable features allow you to tailor it to your preferences. Bound offers useful features like long-pressing deadlines for quick access to options like editing, deleting, or pinning tasks to the top of your list. The Shake device option is also handy for clearing schedules or removing completed tasks. The app's main focus is on deadline management, where you can easily create deadlines with a name, date, and time, and a symbol to make it stand out. Bound's computed property for time left calculates the remaining time until the deadline based on the current date and time, and schedules notifications to remind you of approaching deadlines. The notification system is robust and customisable, allowing you to receive notifications based on your preferences, whether it be approaching deadlines, due deadlines, or both. Let's just say - Bound is a must-have productivity tool for anyone looking to stay organised and meet important events and deadlines.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Bound at none against Reader's 1. Reader's advantage is device support (5 vs 2) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.0). On price, update cadence and ads 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. Bound asks for nothing beyond the download.
Reader ships an update weekly, Bound every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on August 14, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Reader | Bound |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 55.6% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 3 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 2 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Vision Pro — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 1 MB | 1 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | The Augmented Text Company LTD | Robin Naghshbandi |
In-app purchases
Reader
- Ask AI Subscription$1.99
Bound
No in-app purchases









