# Reading Buddy vs Cambridge Reader

The clearest difference is rating: Reading Buddy at 3.7 against Cambridge Reader's 2.5. Reading Buddy also leads on review sentiment (50% vs 10%) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 11.0). Cambridge Reader's advantage is update cadence (every 6 months vs every 20 months) and ratings volume (52 vs 6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Reading Buddy holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cambridge Reader has 52 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of Reading Buddy's written reviews are positive against 10% of Cambridge Reader's.

Reading Buddy ships an update every 20 months, Cambridge Reader every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on August 30, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Reading Buddy | Cambridge Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.7 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reading-buddy/id1474204907/reviews)** | [2.5 (52 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cambridge-reader/id1562324671/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 6 | **52** |
| Positive reviews | **50.0% of reviews** | 10.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 20 months | **Every 6 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 48 MB | 96 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 11.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | [Oxford University Press](https://appshunter.io/developer/439233805) | [Cambridge University Press & Assessment (App)](https://appshunter.io/developer/345571525) |

## What reviewers say

### Reading Buddy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reading-buddy/id1474204907)

This app allows students and teachers to download and read eBooks offline, providing flexible reading opportunities. It features an eBook library with audio support to enhance comprehension and ensure learning at the right pace.

**Highlights:** Downloadable eBooks for offline reading, Access to leveled eBooks, Audio-enhanced eBooks, Offline reading anytime, anywhere, Develop comprehension skills

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Cambridge Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cambridge-reader/id1562324671)

Access your Cambridge University Press ebooks offline on your mobile device. Download videos and audio to prepare for classes. Requires web registration and login details.

**Highlights:** Access Cambridge ebooks offline, Download videos and audio, View enhanced online content, Requires web registration, Supports iOS 11.0+

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Useful textbooks and worked examples
- 👍 App is amazing (rare positive)
- 👍 So easy to use (rare positive)
- 👍 Good app. Works fine (rare positive)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unusable app experience
- 🐛 App is slow and laggy
- 🐛 Randomly goes back a page
- 🐛 Doesn't fit screen properly
- 🐛 Cannot split screen

**Reported bugs**

- Randomly goes back a page
- App doesn't fit screen
- Cannot split screen
- App glitches and freezes
- App crashes frequently

**Requested features**

- Add landscape mode for iPhones
- Allow split screen functionality
- Improve scrolling (horizontal and vertical)
- Fix page loading issues
- Enable note-taking within the app


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Reading Buddy free?

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

### Is Cambridge Reader free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Reading Buddy or Cambridge Reader?

Reading Buddy is rated higher. Reading Buddy averages 3.7 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Cambridge Reader averages 2.5 from 52 ratings.

### Do Reading Buddy or Cambridge Reader have ads?

Neither Reading Buddy nor Cambridge Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Reading Buddy or Cambridge Reader?

Reading Buddy ships an update every 20 months, and Cambridge Reader every 6 months. Most recently, Reading Buddy was updated on August 30, 2026 and Cambridge Reader on September 24, 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.*