# Readwise vs Build

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Build at none against Readwise's 8. Readwise's advantage is ratings volume (1.5K vs 3) and iOS requirement (15.5 vs 17.6). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Readwise sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Build asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Readwise against 4.7 for Build. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Readwise has 1.5K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Readwise ships an update every 2 weeks, Build fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and June 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Readwise | Build |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/readwise/id1476885528/reviews)** | [4.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/build-a-math/id1521174530/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.5K** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 72.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 110 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.5** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Readwise, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1476885527) | [Weiran Ye](https://appshunter.io/developer/481592104) |

## What reviewers say

### Readwise

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/readwise/id1476885528)

This app helps you retain more of what you read by centralizing and revisiting your highlights from various reading platforms. It uses spaced repetition and active recall techniques to improve memory and offers features like tagging, note-taking, and OCR for physical books.

**Highlights:** Synchronize highlights from multiple platforms, Daily review habit via app and email, Spaced repetition and active recall, Tag, note, and search highlights, OCR for paper book highlights, Convert highlights to flashcards

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

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Readwise Lite Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Readwise Lite Monthly | $6.99 | per month |
| Readwise Full Monthly Plan | $8.99 | per month |
| Readwise Full Monthly | $12.99 | per month |
| Readwise Lite Yearly | $52.99 | per year |
| Readwise Lite Yearly | $66.99 | per year |
| Readwise Full Yearly | $94.99 | per year |
| Readwise Full Yearly | $119.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful spaced repetition
- 📚 Seamless integration with reading apps
- 🔍 Helpful AI-powered features
- 🗓️ Useful daily review routine
- 🧠 Boosts knowledge retention

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🔌 Sync issues with some platforms
- 📱 Subpar mobile app experience
- 🕰️ Lack of flexibility in daily review
- 🔍 Limited search functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent app crashes
- Sync failures with certain accounts
- Unreliable highlight capture

**Requested features**

- Add support for more reading apps
- Improve sync and import capabilities
- Introduce more customization options
- Enhance search and organization tools
- Develop a more intuitive mobile interface


### Build

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/build-a-math/id1521174530)

This app offers short, focused math drills for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. It provides instant feedback and tracks progress through engaging sessions designed for quick practice.

**Highlights:** Short, focused math practice sessions, Master addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, Instant feedback with haptics, color, and sound, Smart question rotation for confidence, Progress tracking and summaries, Works offline, no ads, no accounts

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Readwise free?

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

### Is Build free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Readwise or Build?

Readwise is rated higher. Readwise averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.5K ratings, while Build averages 4.7 from 3 ratings.

### Do Readwise or Build have ads?

Neither Readwise nor Build shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Readwise or Build?

Readwise ships an update every 2 weeks, and Build fortnightly. Most recently, Readwise was updated on September 24, 2026 and Build on June 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.*