# Light Novel vs Chereads

The clearest difference is ads: Chereads at none against Light Novel's shown. Chereads also leads on ratings volume (1.9K vs 348) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). Light Novel's advantage is review sentiment (78% vs 55%) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Light Novel sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Chereads sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 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 — 4.5 for Light Novel against 4.5 for Chereads. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chereads has 1.9K ratings behind it against 348, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 78% of Light Novel's written reviews are positive against 55% of Chereads's.

Light Novel ships an update weekly, Chereads every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Light Novel | Chereads |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (348 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/light-novel-offline-reader/id1524146384/reviews)** | [4.5 (1.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chereads/id1595743071/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 348 | **1.9K** |
| Positive reviews | **78.2% of reviews** | 55.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 116 MB | 84 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Thien Le](https://appshunter.io/developer/1617088747) | [Cloudary Holdings Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1234939195) |

## What reviewers say

### Light Novel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/light-novel-offline-reader/id1524146384)

Access thousands of free romance and fantasy novels offline. Download chapters to read anytime, anywhere, with features like AI narration and instant translation. Enjoy daily updates and a customizable reading experience.

**Highlights:** Free unlimited novels, Offline reading, AI audio narration, Instant translation, Daily story updates, Customizable reader settings

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| VIP Monthly | $5.99 | per month |
| VIP Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| 1 Month VIP Membership | $6.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime VIP Membership | $79.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great novel selection
- 💰 Affordable VIP/lifetime membership
- 🎧 Good text-to-speech (TTS) quality
- ✨ Generous login gifts and points system
- 📥 Downloadable chapters for offline reading

**What reviewers complain about**

- 😠 Overbearing ads
- 📉 Limited library selection
- ⚠️ Ads can be intrusive/laggy
- 🚫 Offline viewing issues
- 💸 VIP upgrade feels excessive

**Reported bugs**

- Chapter download failed, points not returned
- Downloaded chapters removed over time
- Ads sometimes unskippable, requiring app restart
- Offline viewing doesn't work
- App counts down ad-free time when not in use

**Requested features**

- More content in read aloud features
- Pronunciation correction in read aloud
- Skipping certain words/phrases in read aloud
- Skipping/highlighting sentences instead of paragraphs
- Fast forward/rewind option for audio


### Chereads

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chereads/id1595743071)

Discover a vast library of intriguing stories across numerous romantic genres and plot settings. Escape into worlds of werewolves, billionaires, and royalty with rapid releases and a reader-centered environment. Connect with other book lovers and share your favorite moments.

**Highlights:** Massive library of books, Multiple romantic genres, Rapid releases, Smart recommendation system, Night mode, Offline reading, Reader comments

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| membership_monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| membership_monthly | $19.99 | per month |
| membership_monthly_chereads_20 | $19.99 | per month |
| 150 coins | $2.99 | one-time |
| 250 coins | $4.99 | one-time |
| 500 coins | $9.99 | one-time |
| 1000 coins | $19.99 | one-time |
| 1500 coins | $29.99 | one-time |
| 2500 coins | $49.99 | one-time |
| 5000 coins | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great for reading
- 👍 Better than most
- 🤩 Just beautiful
- 🤗 Wonderful novels
- 🎨 Great animation

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive
- 🔒 Copyright violation
- 💸 Rip off
- 🕰️ Too hard
- 🐛 Story does not save

**Reported bugs**

- 🐛 Story does not save
- 🐛 App not showing new chapters
- 🐛 Time reading tracker issues
- 🐛 Logged out
- 🐛 Lost account

**Requested features**

- 💰 Wish the chapters were cheaper or it was easier to earn free coins
- 💰 More ways to earn coins throughout the day
- 💰 More coin purchase options


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Light Novel free?

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

### Is Chereads free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Light Novel or Chereads?

Light Novel is rated higher. Light Novel averages 4.5 out of 5 from 348 ratings, while Chereads averages 4.5 from 1.9K ratings.

### Do Light Novel or Chereads have ads?

Light Novel shows ads; Chereads does not.

### Which is updated more often, Light Novel or Chereads?

Light Novel ships an update weekly, and Chereads every 3 weeks. Most recently, Light Novel was updated on October 25, 2026 and Chereads on October 25, 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.*