Comparison

ShortBook² vs Namo eBook Reader

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

ShortBook²

This reader app offers a unique approach to text display on smaller screens, optimizing comfort and reducing eye strain. It allows extensive customization of text layout and includes decorative elements to enhance the reading experience. Supports FB2 format and provides reading statistics.

Highlights
  • Optimized text layout for small screens
  • Customizable text placement options
  • Decorative elements for atmosphere
  • FB2 format support (contents, footnotes, figures)
  • Rich settings with dozens of parameters
  • Reading statistics and monitoring
  • Quick restart after breaks
Features
Read full description

Reading books on portable devices is always a compromise between comfort of reading and text availability. ShortBook² offers an original way of solving this problem with its careful approach to text makeup on the limited screen area of iPhone or iPad. A lot of experiments with various text compositions and interface layouts have jelled the unique match for convenient reading. If you need to read for a long time, with comfort and without any considerable damage to the sight take advantage of the ShortBook² program — a high-end reader. ShortBook² focuses on the layout process, allowing the user to control virtually all text placement options. Moreover, the program analyzes the text and places decorative elements in various places, which not only decorate the book and bring their atmosphere into it, but also simplify the reading process. Thus, in ShortBook², even "picture-free" books look attractive and do not tire with the external monotony while reading, which not only increases reader comfort, but also reduces eye fatigue from the reading process. The program fully supports FB2 electronic books format including contents, footnotes and figures. Any electronic book can be easily converted to this format with free utilities though using a variety of web libraries with books already in this format is much more simple. To meet personal preferences, the application has rich settings, including several dozens of customizable parameters. The book index has several sorting modes allowing to find a required writing easily. Reading can be quickly restarted after a break with one touch of the screen. The reader keeps reading statistics and offers developed means of monitoring the reading process. The application was developed using the latest technologies, therefore it is not available for users of iOS 12 and below. These users can use the classic ShortBook application. ShortBook² is available by subscription. The subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Subscribers gain access to all Short Review materials that will be published during the subscription period. Short Review materials contain reviews of the book market of electronic publications in Russia, book ratings and recommendations for organizing reading. Terms of use of the subscription: http://www.shortki.com/ShortBook/terms.html

About

Namo eBook Reader

This application offers a robust and accurate way to view EPUB2 and EPUB3 ebooks. It supports various layout types, advanced styling, and provides a suite of user-friendly reading tools for a customizable experience.

Highlights
  • EPUB2 and EPUB3 support
  • Reflowable and fixed-layout ebooks
  • HTML5, Javascript, CSS3 rendering
  • Table of contents, bookmarks, memos
  • Customizable themes and fonts
  • Text search and zoom
  • File sharing import
Features
Read full description

Namo Reader supports both EPUB2 and EPUB3. It is easy to use and intuitive, and expresses e-books fast and accurately. 1. Complies with the IDPF EPUB standard. - Supports both reflowable and fixed-layout e-books. - Expresses HTML5, Javascript, and CSS3 completely. - Check out Namo Reader for e-books (reflowable vertical writing e-books, fixed-layout e-books) that are not properly represented by other readers. 2. Provides a variety of user-friendly features. - Table of contents, bookmarks, memos, highlights - Changing themes and fonts, adjusting font size and line height, and controlling brightness - Screen rotation lock - Text search - Zooming in and out - User library settings - A shortcut and a collection of recently read books - Collection functions based on reading situation - Adding e-books by file sharing feature such as AirDrop, open in, iTunes 3. Provides perfect contents security by viewing without decompressing e-books, and enables efficient use of device storage space.

Screenshots

ShortBook²4 screens
Namo eBook Reader4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: ShortBook² at 4.6 against Namo eBook Reader's 2.0. ShortBook² also leads on ratings volume (13 vs 2). Namo eBook Reader's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 14.0). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. ShortBook² sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per year. Namo eBook Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ShortBook² holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ShortBook² has 13 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 40% of ShortBook²'s written reviews are positive against 38% of Namo eBook Reader's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
ShortBook² versus Namo eBook Reader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterShortBook²Namo eBook Reader
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (13 ratings) — better2.0 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews39.7% of reviews — better37.5% of reviews
Number of ratings13 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationSubscriptionFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size67 MB62 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperJury ShortkiARASOFT.Co.,Ltd

Customer experience

ShortBook²

All ratings13 ratings
Positive84.6%
Neutral15.4%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews73 reviews
Positive39.7%
Neutral6.8%
Negative53.4%

Namo eBook Reader

All ratings2 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive37.5%
Neutral25.0%
Negative37.5%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

ShortBook²

Subscriptions1
  • Annual1 Month trial$9.991 Year
None

Namo eBook Reader

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ShortBook² free?
ShortBook² is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Namo eBook Reader free?
Namo eBook Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, ShortBook² or Namo eBook Reader?
ShortBook² is rated higher. ShortBook² averages 4.6 out of 5 from 13 ratings, while Namo eBook Reader averages 2.0 from 2 ratings.
Do ShortBook² or Namo eBook Reader have ads?
Neither ShortBook² nor Namo eBook Reader shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ShortBook² or Namo eBook Reader?
ShortBook² ships an update every 2 months, and Namo eBook Reader every 2 months. Most recently, ShortBook² was updated on November 3, 2026 and Namo eBook Reader on November 3, 2026.

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