# SORARI vs Hoshi Reader

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Hoshi Reader at none against SORARI's 2. Hoshi Reader also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (100% vs 71%). SORARI's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 18.0). On price, ratings volume and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SORARI sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Hoshi Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

Hoshi Reader holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 39 and 20 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 71% of SORARI's written reviews are positive against 100% of Hoshi Reader's.

SORARI ships an update every 2 months, Hoshi Reader weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SORARI | Hoshi Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (39 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sorari/id1207167864/reviews) | **[5.0 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hoshi-reader/id6758244332/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **39** | 20 |
| Positive reviews | 71.4% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 30 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [satoshi kumagai](https://appshunter.io/developer/1193484492) | [Manh-Hao Steffen Pham](https://appshunter.io/developer/1871502447) |

## What reviewers say

### SORARI

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sorari/id1207167864)

Access and read Japanese literature from Aozora Bunko. Customize font size, color, and layout for a comfortable reading experience. Discover new and popular books with daily updates and monthly rankings.

**Highlights:** Access Aozora Bunko library, Customizable font size and color, Adjustable margins and line spacing, Beautiful ruby and wordwrap layout, Daily book additions, Monthly popular book rankings

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Front cover | $0.99 | one-time |
| DeleteAds | $1.99 | one-time |


### Hoshi Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hoshi-reader/id6758244332)

This app is a lightweight Japanese EPUB reader designed for immersion learning. It features a pop-up dictionary with deinflection and supports Anki integration for vocabulary mining. Organize your library with bookshelves and track your reading progress.

**Highlights:** Vertical and horizontal reading modes, Yomitan-like pop-up dictionary, Anki mining support, Customizable Anki card format, Reading statistics, Bookshelves for library organization, Customizable themes and fonts

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SORARI free?

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

### Is Hoshi Reader free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SORARI or Hoshi Reader?

Hoshi Reader is rated higher. SORARI averages 4.8 out of 5 from 39 ratings, while Hoshi Reader averages 5.0 from 20 ratings.

### Do SORARI or Hoshi Reader have ads?

SORARI shows ads; Hoshi Reader does not.

### Which is updated more often, SORARI or Hoshi Reader?

SORARI ships an update every 2 months, and Hoshi Reader weekly. Most recently, SORARI was updated on October 15, 2026 and Hoshi Reader on October 5, 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.*