# Reader vs Bound

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Reader | Bound |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reader/id1179373118/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **3** | — |
| Positive reviews | 55.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 1 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [The Augmented Text Company LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/459748478) | [Robin Naghshbandi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1684986624) |

## 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 |


### Bound

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bound-on-time-every-time/id6448568471)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Reader free?

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

### Is Bound free?

Bound is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Reader or Bound have ads?

Neither Reader nor Bound shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Reader or Bound?

Reader ships an update weekly, and Bound every 2 weeks. Most recently, Reader was updated on August 14, 2026 and Bound on September 8, 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.*