# Readwise Reader vs XRead

The clearest difference is rating: Readwise Reader at 4.6 against XRead's 3.5. Readwise Reader also leads on ratings volume (593 vs 2) and update cadence (every 9 days vs monthly). XRead's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Readwise Reader sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month and XRead sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Readwise Reader holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Readwise Reader has 593 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 72% of Readwise Reader's written reviews are positive against 67% of XRead's.

Readwise Reader ships an update every 9 days, XRead monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 13, 2026 and November 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Readwise Reader | XRead |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (593 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/readwise-reader/id1567599761/reviews)** | [3.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xread-thread-reader-and-saver/id6748126038/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **593** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | **71.9% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 196 MB | 66 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Readwise, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1476885527) | [Mert OZDIN](https://appshunter.io/developer/1810914068) |

## What reviewers say

### Readwise Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/readwise-reader/id1567599761)

Consolidate all your reading materials, from web articles and newsletters to PDFs and ebooks, into a single, powerful application. Enhance your comprehension with advanced highlighting, text-to-speech narration, and AI-powered insights. Seamlessly integrate your notes with your favorite writing tools.

**Highlights:** Consolidates web articles, newsletters, RSS, Twitter threads, PDFs, EPUBs, Import from Pocket, Instapaper, Feedly, Inoreader, Powerful highlighting for text, images, and links, Text-to-speech narration, AI-powered 'Ghostreader' for questions and simplification, Full-text search, Seamless integration with Readwise and writing tools (Obsidian, Notion)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Reader Monthly Plan | $8.99 | per month |
| Reader Monthly | $12.99 | per month |
| Reader Annual Plan | $95.90 | per year |
| Reader Yearly | $119.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fantastic reading experience
- 👍 Seamless integration with Readwise
- 🎨 Beautiful and intuitive UI
- 📚 All-in-one reading solution
- 🔍 Powerful search and organization

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and performance issues
- 🔍 Cluttered interface for some users
- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🖥️ Lack of iPad-specific features
- 📚 Missing basic reader features (e.g., bookmarks)

**Reported bugs**

- Inconsistent sync between devices
- Unreliable RSS feed updates
- Frequent crashes on iPad
- Issues with resuming reading position

**Requested features**

- Improved PDF and ebook support
- Customizable reading themes and layouts
- Better integration with note-taking apps
- Reading progress and statistics tracking
- Bulk management of saved items


### XRead

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xread-thread-reader-and-saver/id6748126038)

Easily read long tweets and entire threads without interruptions. Paste links to view content in a smooth, distraction-free format, eliminating the need for "Show More" buttons and timeline clutter.

**Highlights:** Paste tweet or thread links, Seamless thread viewing, Distraction-free reading, Minimalist interface, Read long tweets easily

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| XRead Pro Weekly | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| XRead Pro Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| XRead Pro Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| XRead Pro Lifetime | $49.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Readwise Reader free?

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

### Is XRead free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Readwise Reader or XRead?

Readwise Reader is rated higher. Readwise Reader averages 4.6 out of 5 from 593 ratings, while XRead averages 3.5 from 2 ratings.

### Do Readwise Reader or XRead have ads?

Neither Readwise Reader nor XRead shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Readwise Reader or XRead?

Readwise Reader ships an update every 9 days, and XRead monthly. Most recently, Readwise Reader was updated on November 13, 2026 and XRead on November 14, 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.*