# Novel Reader vs Karatu

The clearest difference is update cadence: Karatu at daily against Novel Reader's every 3 weeks. Novel Reader's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Novel Reader ships an update every 3 weeks, Karatu daily. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Novel Reader | Karatu |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/novel-reader-sweet-romance/id1672473449/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **6** | — |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 25 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [朋 尚](https://appshunter.io/developer/1631843526) | [Umar Rufai](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895570634) |

## What reviewers say

### Novel Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/novel-reader-sweet-romance/id1672473449)

Explore a vast library of exclusive novels and manga across numerous genres including romance, fantasy, and sci-fi. Daily updates ensure fresh content, while an active community allows readers and aspiring authors to connect and share stories.

**Highlights:** Massive exclusive novels and manga library, Daily chapter updates, Active reader and author community, Share your own stories and gain fans, Wide range of book and manga genres

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Karatu

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/karatu/id6765975970)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Novel Reader free?

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

### Is Karatu free?

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

### Do Novel Reader or Karatu have ads?

Neither Novel Reader nor Karatu shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Novel Reader or Karatu?

Novel Reader ships an update every 3 weeks, and Karatu daily. Most recently, Novel Reader was updated on October 24, 2026 and Karatu on October 6, 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.*