# PopNovel vs ReadWave

The clearest difference is rating: ReadWave at 5.0 against PopNovel's 4.5. ReadWave also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 72%) and update cadence (weekly vs every 5 weeks). PopNovel's advantage is ratings volume (139 vs 2). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PopNovel sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and ReadWave sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReadWave holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PopNovel has 139 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 72% of PopNovel's written reviews are positive against 100% of ReadWave's.

PopNovel ships an update every 5 weeks, ReadWave weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PopNovel | ReadWave |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (139 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/popnovel/id1588031455/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/readwave/id6758969190/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **139** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 72.2% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 80 MB | 130 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [HK Qingmo Technology limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1530149553) | [BitVisual Technology Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1876099363) |

## What reviewers say

### PopNovel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/popnovel/id1588031455)

Access a vast library of exclusive web novels across various genres. Download chapters for offline reading and enjoy features like update reminders, smart sorting, and community comments. Easily find your next read with powerful search and classification filters.

**Highlights:** Massive exclusive novel library, Offline reading with chapter downloads, Smart library with sorting and update reminders, Community comments and sharing, Powerful book search and classification, Fast-releasing chapters, Reliable account tracking

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 420 Coins | $0.99 | one-time |
| 1260 Coins | $2.99 | one-time |
| 2100 Coins | $4.99 | one-time |
| $7.99 - Coins | $7.99 | one-time |
| 4200 Coins | $9.99 | one-time |
| Premium | $9.99 | one-time |
| 8400 Coins | $19.99 | one-time |
| Premium+ | $19.99 | one-time |
| $29.99 - Coins | $29.99 | one-time |
| 21000 Coins | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great app
- 💎 Interesting and exciting books
- 🌟 Variety of genres
- 📚 Enjoyable stories
- 🤗 Wonderful fictional books

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤔 Expensive chapter costs
- 🐛 Poor translations with grammar/spelling errors
- 🚫 Banned from using the app
- ⏱️ Slow updates
- 💳 Disappearing coins/credits

**Reported bugs**

- Connection errors
- Freezing/crashing issues
- Incompatibility with older devices

**Requested features**

- Lower chapter prices
- Improve translation quality
- Provide more free content
- Faster updates
- Reliable coin/credit system


### ReadWave

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/readwave/id6758969190)

Immerse yourself in captivating stories with this premium novel reading app. Discover a vast library of serialized and complete fiction across various genres, with personalized recommendations and a comfortable, distraction-free reading experience. Unlock exclusive content through membership.

**Highlights:** Wide collection of novels, Smooth reading experience, Smart content recommendations, Bookmark and history management, Regular content updates, Exclusive membership content

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly VIP | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly VIP | $19.99 | per month |
| Yearly VIP | $199.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PopNovel free?

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

### Is ReadWave free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PopNovel or ReadWave?

ReadWave is rated higher. PopNovel averages 4.5 out of 5 from 139 ratings, while ReadWave averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do PopNovel or ReadWave have ads?

Both PopNovel and ReadWave show ads.

### Which is updated more often, PopNovel or ReadWave?

PopNovel ships an update every 5 weeks, and ReadWave weekly. Most recently, PopNovel was updated on October 13, 2026 and ReadWave on October 14, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*