# Bionic Reading® vs Shiori Reader

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Shiori Reader at 100% against Bionic Reading®'s 26%. Shiori Reader also leads on rating (4.7 vs 2.4) and in-app purchases (none vs 4). Bionic Reading®'s advantage is ratings volume (151 vs 14) and chart position (#203 vs unranked). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Bionic Reading® sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.95 per month. Shiori Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

Shiori Reader holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bionic Reading® has 151 ratings behind it against 14, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 26% of Bionic Reading®'s written reviews are positive against 100% of Shiori Reader's.

Bionic Reading® ships an update every 3 weeks, Shiori Reader weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and August 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bionic Reading® | Shiori Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.4 (151 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bionic-reading/id1644658030/reviews) | **[4.7 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shiori-reader/id6744979827/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **151** | 14 |
| Positive reviews | 26.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#203** | — |
| Size | 52 MB | 310 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bionic Reading AG](https://appshunter.io/developer/1659624105) | [Clint Russell Graviet Jr](https://appshunter.io/developer/1810290576) |

## What reviewers say

### Bionic Reading®

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bionic-reading/id1644658030)

**Currently charting:** #203 Top Free · Magazines & Newspapers (US App Store)

This app enhances reading speed and comprehension by highlighting the most concise parts of words. It offers customizable reading modes to aid users with reading difficulties and improve focus for all.

**Highlights:** Text revision for faster reading, Customizable reading modes, Save reading position across platforms, Bookmarks for favorite pages, Upload files, text, or websites for conversion, Export to EPUB, PDF, WORD, Light and Dark Mode

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bionic Reading® Premium | $2.95 | per month |
| Bionic Reading® Premium Plus | $12.99 | per month |
| Bionic Reading® Premium | $30.49 | per year |
| Bionic Reading® Premium Plus | $128.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Faster reading
- 🔍 Helpful for ADHD and dyslexia
- 👍 Life-changing for some users

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable app
- 🚫 Limited functionality (no PDF support)
- 🔒 Difficult to cancel subscription

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes or freezes
- Subscription issues (unable to upgrade, cancel, or get refunds)
- Conversion errors and failed file uploads

**Requested features**

- Integrate with more platforms (Kindle, web browser)
- Offer one-time purchase option instead of subscription
- Improve customer support and communication


### Shiori Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shiori-reader/id6744979827)

This EPUB reader is designed for Japanese language learners. It offers one-tap dictionary lookups, vocabulary saving, and Anki integration to help users expand their Japanese vocabulary and improve reading comprehension.

**Highlights:** One-tap dictionary lookup, Yomitan dictionary import, Seamless EPUB reading, Vocabulary list saving, Anki integration, Context-aware learning, Smart Japanese text support

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bionic Reading® free?

Bionic Reading® is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Shiori Reader free?

Shiori Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Bionic Reading® or Shiori Reader?

Shiori Reader is rated higher. Bionic Reading® averages 2.4 out of 5 from 151 ratings, while Shiori Reader averages 4.7 from 14 ratings.

### Do Bionic Reading® or Shiori Reader have ads?

Neither Bionic Reading® nor Shiori Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bionic Reading® or Shiori Reader?

Bionic Reading® ships an update every 3 weeks, and Shiori Reader weekly. Most recently, Bionic Reading® was updated on September 23, 2026 and Shiori Reader on August 12, 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.*