# Readwise vs Limitless

The clearest difference is ads: Readwise at none against Limitless's shown. Readwise also leads on ratings volume (1.5K vs 7). Limitless's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 72%) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Readwise sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Limitless sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Limitless holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Readwise has 1.5K ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 72% of Readwise's written reviews are positive against 100% of Limitless's.

Readwise ships an update every 2 weeks, Limitless weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Readwise | Limitless |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/readwise/id1476885528/reviews) | **[5.0 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/limitless-absorb-books/id6477563766/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.5K** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | 72.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 110 MB | 63 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.5 | **12.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Readwise, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1476885527) | [Brian Phan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1471831323) |

## 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


### Limitless

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/limitless-absorb-books/id6477563766)

Access key insights from transformative books in minutes through audio or text summaries. Receive personalized guidance from experts and curators to learn smarter and grow your potential. Explore bestselling titles across various genres to expand your knowledge.

**Highlights:** Book summaries in 15 minutes, Audio versions of insights, Hands-free learning with Autoplay, Personalized recommendations, Expert-curated book lists, Neuroscience-based learning format

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Limitless Premium (1 Month) | $9.99 | per month |
| Limitless Premium (1 Year) | $49.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Readwise free?

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

### Is Limitless free?

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

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

Limitless is rated higher. Readwise averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.5K ratings, while Limitless averages 5.0 from 7 ratings.

### Do Readwise or Limitless have ads?

Limitless shows ads; Readwise does not.

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

Readwise ships an update every 2 weeks, and Limitless weekly. Most recently, Readwise was updated on October 17, 2026 and Limitless 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.*