# Summit Reader vs MDNovel

The clearest difference is price: Summit Reader at Free against MDNovel's $8.49. Summit Reader also leads on ratings volume (1.3K vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). MDNovel's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). On device support there is nothing between them.

Summit Reader is free to download; MDNovel costs $8.49 up front. Summit Reader sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. MDNovel asks for nothing beyond the download.

MDNovel holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Summit Reader has 1.3K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Summit Reader ships an update every 3 weeks, MDNovel every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Summit Reader | MDNovel |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $8.49 |
| Rating | [4.8 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/summit-reader/id1307517930/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mdnovel-markdown-read-and-write/id6778456542/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.3K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 85.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 109 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [三英 郑](https://appshunter.io/developer/557534657) | [冰 韩](https://appshunter.io/developer/6778230635) |

## What reviewers say

### Summit Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/summit-reader/id1307517930)

This app offers robust document management with unlimited storage, nested folders, and quick searching. It supports various archive formats, converts PDFs and Word docs to text, and allows easy exporting and customization of document covers. Enjoy a pleasant reading interface with diverse fonts and advanced TXT handling.

**Highlights:** Unlimited document storage, Nested folder organization, Archive format support (zip, rar, 7z), PDF/Word to text conversion, Customizable document covers, Advanced TXT chapter segmentation, Pleasant reading interface

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Extend VIP for 30 Days | $0.99 | one-time |
| Extend Membership for One Year | $4.99 | one-time |
| Extend VIP for Two Years | $7.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime VIP | $11.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Best reading app
- 🚀 Powerful features
- 🎨 Highly customizable
- 💰 Great value for money
- 🔍 Comprehensive search and download options

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and crashes after recent updates
- 🔍 Inconsistent search and download functionality
- 🔌 Battery drain issues during audiobook playback
- 📱 Lack of multi-device sync
- 🚫 Persistent ads even for paid users

**Reported bugs**

- Playback stops unexpectedly when encountering certain symbols
- Horizontal dual-page mode cannot be disabled
- Inability to download new books after recent update
- Imported books not showing up in the library
- Settings menu and navigation buttons not working

**Requested features**

- Add support for Apple CarPlay
- Improve audiobook playback controls
- Introduce a dark mode option
- Allow custom text-to-speech voice selection
- Implement iCloud sync for bookmarks and reading progress


### MDNovel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mdnovel-markdown-read-and-write/id6778456542)

This app offers a professional Markdown writing space with split-screen functionality and immersive reading features. It supports Markdown and Mermaid charts, smart chapter parsing, and secure cloud sync. Personalize your bookshelf with custom covers and enjoy data freedom with easy export options.

**Highlights:** Split-screen writing, Markdown and Mermaid support, Smart chapter parsing, 3D page curl animations, Ultra-fast search, Native cloud sync, Fail-safe background save

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Summit Reader free?

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

### Is MDNovel free?

MDNovel costs $8.49, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Summit Reader or MDNovel?

MDNovel is rated higher. Summit Reader averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.3K ratings, while MDNovel averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Summit Reader or MDNovel have ads?

Summit Reader shows ads; MDNovel does not.

### Which is updated more often, Summit Reader or MDNovel?

Summit Reader ships an update every 3 weeks, and MDNovel every 9 days. Most recently, Summit Reader was updated on October 13, 2026 and MDNovel on October 1, 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.*