# Natural Reader vs ZenReader

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ZenReader at 82% against Natural Reader's 0%. ZenReader also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.7) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 6 months). Natural Reader's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Natural Reader sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and ZenReader sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ZenReader holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ZenReader has 379 ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of Natural Reader's written reviews are positive against 82% of ZenReader's.

Natural Reader ships an update every 6 months, ZenReader every 9 days. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Natural Reader | ZenReader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.7 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/natural-reader/id1645064944/reviews) | **[4.7 (379 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zenreader-read-ebooks-easily/id1660751056/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 13 | **379** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **81.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 14 MB | 60 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PremiumAi Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1865407557) | [LexyTech Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1643712954) |

## What reviewers say

### Natural Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/natural-reader/id1645064944)

Access over 1 million free novels with an ad-free reading experience. Enjoy customizable fonts, night mode, and AI-powered recommendations. Seamlessly read offline and get real-time chapter updates on a growing library of exclusive content.

**Highlights:** Over 1 million free novels, Ad-free reading experience, Night mode and customizable fonts, Offline reading support, AI-driven book recommendations, Real-time chapter updates

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 连续包月阅读会员 | $0.99 | per month |
| 连续包月阅读会员 | $0.99 | per month |
| 连续包年阅读会员 | $3.99 | per year |
| 永久解锁 | $14.99 | one-time |


### ZenReader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zenreader-read-ebooks-easily/id1660751056)

This app is a versatile ebook reader and document manager supporting numerous file formats. It offers a customizable reading interface, note-taking capabilities, text-to-speech functionality, and robust library management features. Track your reading progress and protect your privacy with advanced security options.

**Highlights:** Supports EPUB, MOBI, PDF, TXT, ZIP, RAR, and more, Customizable reading interface with night mode, Note-taking, highlighting, and dictionary integration, Text-to-speech with multiple language options, Wi-Fi transfer, iCloud, and AirDrop import, Gesture and facial recognition for privacy, Reading statistics and goal setting

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1年订阅 | $6.99 | per year |
| 限时特惠 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Pro专业版 | $14.99 | one-time |
| Pro渠道优惠 | $39.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and intuitive user interface
- 📚 Excellent TXT file reading capabilities
- 🔄 Seamless synchronization across Apple devices
- ⚡ Smooth and responsive performance
- 🎨 Beautiful and minimalist design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Text replacement fails intermittently
- 🐛 Chapter segmentation issues and duplicates
- 🐛 File parsing errors on some formats
- 🐛 Screen lock stops audiobook playback
- 🐛 Voice narration changed to Cantonese after iOS 18 update

**Reported bugs**

- Text replacement shows success but reverts after reopening
- Duplicate chapters in segmentation
- File parsing errors on valid documents
- Audiobook stops when screen locks
- Voice narration language changed to Cantonese after iOS 18

**Requested features**

- Simplified audiobook playback controls
- Flexible audiobook starting point selection
- Include audiobook listening time in statistics
- English language UI support
- Direct TXT file editing capability


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Natural Reader free?

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

### Is ZenReader free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Natural Reader or ZenReader?

ZenReader is rated higher. Natural Reader averages 3.7 out of 5 from 13 ratings, while ZenReader averages 4.7 from 379 ratings.

### Do Natural Reader or ZenReader have ads?

ZenReader shows ads; Natural Reader does not.

### Which is updated more often, Natural Reader or ZenReader?

Natural Reader ships an update every 6 months, and ZenReader every 9 days. Most recently, Natural Reader was updated on November 3, 2026 and ZenReader on November 3, 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.*