# ReadMe vs ShelfStream

The clearest difference is ads: ShelfStream at none against ReadMe's shown. ShelfStream also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 67%) and rating (5.0 vs 4.6). ReadMe's advantage is ratings volume (38 vs 2). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ReadMe sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and ShelfStream sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ShelfStream holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ReadMe has 38 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of ReadMe's written reviews are positive against 100% of ShelfStream's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ReadMe | ShelfStream |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (38 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/readme-novel-and-comic-reader/id1438616606/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shelfstream-comic-reader/id6757660174/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **38** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 67.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 75 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [GwangBeom Park](https://appshunter.io/developer/1352862298) | [株式会社リモシア](https://appshunter.io/developer/1639657831) |

## What reviewers say

### ReadMe

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/readme-novel-and-comic-reader/id1438616606)

This app offers a streamlined experience for viewing text files, removing all extraneous features. It allows quick access to documents from cloud storage services and supports compressed files. Users can customize their reading experience with options for line spacing, themes, font size, and paging animation.

**Highlights:** Cloud file downloads (iCloud, Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive), iTunes file upload, Compressed file support (zip), Customizable text reading (line spacing, theme, font size), Paging animation, Bookmarks

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

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Readme Pro | $1.99 | per month |
| Readme Pro | $11.99 | per year |
| A Cup of Coffee | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| iCloud Sync | $3.99 | one-time |
| A Hearty Meal | $3.99 | one-time |
| Heartfelt Support | $6.99 | one-time |
| Readme Pro | $19.99 | one-time |


### ShelfStream

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shelfstream-comic-reader/id6757660174)

This app is a powerful comic and manga viewer that supports a wide range of file formats and cloud storage services. It offers a premium reading experience with intelligent prefetching and multiple viewing modes, along with easy library management.

**Highlights:** Cloud storage integration (iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, Box), NAS and server connection (SMB, WebDAV, FTP/SFTP), Zero load time prefetching, Multiple reading modes (single, spread, vertical scroll), Support for ZIP, CBZ, RAR, CBR, PDF, 7z, Library organization and bookmarks

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Plan | $0.49 | per month |
| Yearly Plan | $5.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ReadMe free?

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

### Is ShelfStream free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ReadMe or ShelfStream?

ShelfStream is rated higher. ReadMe averages 4.6 out of 5 from 38 ratings, while ShelfStream averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do ReadMe or ShelfStream have ads?

ReadMe shows ads; ShelfStream does not.

### Which is updated more often, ReadMe or ShelfStream?

ReadMe ships an update weekly, and ShelfStream weekly. Most recently, ReadMe was updated on October 16, 2026 and ShelfStream on October 2, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*