# ShortBook² vs PureLibro

The clearest difference is monetization model: PureLibro at free with in-app purchases against ShortBook²'s subscription. PureLibro also leads on review sentiment (77% vs 40%) and update cadence (every 10 days vs every 2 months). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ShortBook² sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per year and PureLibro sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for ShortBook² against 4.6 for PureLibro. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PureLibro has 365 ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 40% of ShortBook²'s written reviews are positive against 77% of PureLibro's.

ShortBook² ships an update every 2 months, PureLibro every 10 days. Both last shipped on October 21, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | ShortBook² | PureLibro |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shortbook/id1499866684/reviews) | **[4.6 (365 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/purelibro-ebook-reader/id1546612448/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 13 | **365** |
| Positive reviews | 39.7% of reviews | **76.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 67 MB | 42 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Jury Shortki](https://appshunter.io/developer/295094305) | [添欢 谢](https://appshunter.io/developer/1497426499) |

## What reviewers say

### ShortBook²

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shortbook/id1499866684)

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:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Annual | $9.99 | per year |


### PureLibro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/purelibro-ebook-reader/id1546612448)

This app offers a comprehensive reading experience for various digital book and comic formats. It features AI-powered image enhancement, cloud synchronization, extensive customization options, and robust privacy controls. Enjoy hands-free reading and track your progress with detailed statistics.

**Highlights:** Supports TXT, EPUB, MOBI, PDF, CBZ, CBR and more, AI-powered image enhancement for comics, iCloud sync across devices, Hands-free auto reading mode, Extensive customization of fonts, layout, and appearance, Advanced privacy features with password and Face ID, Detailed reading statistics and library management

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 monthly subscription | $0.99 | per month |
| 3 monthly subscription | $1.99 | per 3 months |
| yearly subscription | $5.99 | per year |
| Pro Special Offer | $12.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Pro Version | $12.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Pro Version | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent rendering and image quality
- 👍 Clean and intuitive user interface
- 🔒 Supports a variety of file formats
- 💡 Customizable reading experience
- 🚀 Fast and responsive app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Some issues with text formatting and italics
- 💡 Lack of multi-device sync and progress tracking
- 🐛 Occasional crashes or performance issues
- 💡 Limited font and theme customization options
- 🐛 Localization problems with menus and settings

**Reported bugs**

- Inconsistent behavior when switching between reading modes
- Issues with loading and rendering large books or comics
- Problems with the reliability of the built-in web browser
- Bugs related to the iCloud sync and backup functionality

**Requested features**

- Add support for more text-to-speech options
- Implement bulk import and management of books
- Introduce multi-device sync and reading progress tracking
- Expand font and theme customization capabilities
- Improve localization and translation of the app


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ShortBook² free?

ShortBook² is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is PureLibro free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ShortBook² or PureLibro?

PureLibro is rated higher. ShortBook² averages 4.6 out of 5 from 13 ratings, while PureLibro averages 4.6 from 365 ratings.

### Do ShortBook² or PureLibro have ads?

Neither ShortBook² nor PureLibro shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ShortBook² or PureLibro?

ShortBook² ships an update every 2 months, and PureLibro every 10 days. Most recently, ShortBook² was updated on October 21, 2026 and PureLibro on October 21, 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.*