# Readwise vs Tendrite

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Readwise at 1.5K against Tendrite's 1. Readwise also leads on iOS requirement (15.5 vs 26.0). Tendrite's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Readwise sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Tendrite sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Tendrite 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 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Readwise | Tendrite |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/readwise/id1476885528/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tendrite/id6755726442/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.5K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 72.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 110 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.5** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Readwise, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1476885527) | [RAW PLUS DRY LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1687393844) |

## 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


### Tendrite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tendrite/id6755726442)

This app transforms dense scientific papers into easily digestible knowledge cards. It uses AI to extract key insights, offering simplified explanations, analogies, and sources. Organize research into reading paths and discover new topics with personalized recommendations.

**Highlights:** AI-powered knowledge cards, Simplified explanations, Real-world analogies and sources, Organized reading paths, Personalized paper recommendations, Technical glossary, Multiple input methods

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tendrite Pro Monthly | $7.99 | per month |
| Tendrite Pro Yearly | $79.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Readwise free?

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

### Is Tendrite free?

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

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

Tendrite is rated higher. Readwise averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.5K ratings, while Tendrite averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Readwise or Tendrite have ads?

Neither Readwise nor Tendrite shows ads.

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

Readwise ships an update every 2 weeks, and Tendrite every 2 weeks. Most recently, Readwise was updated on October 15, 2026 and Tendrite on September 19, 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.*