# ZenReader vs 石头阅读

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: 石头阅读 at none against ZenReader's 4. 石头阅读 also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). ZenReader's advantage is review sentiment (82% vs 67%). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ZenReader sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per year. 石头阅读 asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for ZenReader against 4.5 for 石头阅读. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 379 and 164 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 82% of ZenReader's written reviews are positive against 67% of 石头阅读's.

ZenReader ships an update every 9 days, 石头阅读 every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 12, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ZenReader | 石头阅读 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (379 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zenreader-read-ebooks-easily/id1660751056/reviews)** | [4.5 (164 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/id6475376125/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **379** | 164 |
| Positive reviews | **81.8% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 60 MB | 73 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [LexyTech Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1643712954) | [磊 于](https://appshunter.io/developer/1723714181) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### 石头阅读

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/id6475376125)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ZenReader free?

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

### Is 石头阅读 free?

石头阅读 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, ZenReader or 石头阅读?

ZenReader is rated higher. ZenReader averages 4.7 out of 5 from 379 ratings, while 石头阅读 averages 4.5 from 164 ratings.

### Do ZenReader or 石头阅读 have ads?

Both ZenReader and 石头阅读 show ads.

### Which is updated more often, ZenReader or 石头阅读?

ZenReader ships an update every 9 days, and 石头阅读 every 2 weeks. Most recently, ZenReader was updated on November 12, 2026 and 石头阅读 on November 4, 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.*