# Glasses vs Readers

The clearest difference is rating: Glasses at 4.8 against Readers's 3.7. Glasses also leads on review sentiment (93% vs 67%) and ratings volume (8.1K vs 18). Readers's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Glasses sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Readers sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Glasses holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Glasses has 8.1K ratings behind it against 18, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 93% of Glasses's written reviews are positive against 67% of Readers's.

Glasses ships an update every 2 months, Readers every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Glasses | Readers |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (8.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/glasses/id308325486/reviews)** | [3.7 (18 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/readers-magnifying-glass/id1551911901/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **8.1K** | 18 |
| Positive reviews | **92.8% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 9 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **17** |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Yodel Code](https://appshunter.io/developer/300913140) | [A & A Design Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1222491747) |

## What reviewers say

### Glasses

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/glasses/id308325486)

Magnify small text and objects with your phone's camera, even in low light. Use the front camera as a handy mirror for quick touch-ups. Save and archive images for later viewing.

**Highlights:** Digital magnifier with flashlight, Up to 12x magnification, Front-facing camera as a cosmetic mirror, Quick zoom by double-tapping, Continuous zoom by swiping, Freeze image with tap and hold, Image archiving and saving

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Patron | $1.99 | one-time |
| Backer | $2.99 | one-time |
| Hero | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🔍 Excellent magnification
- 💡 Convenient for reading small print
- 🔦 Integrated flashlight feature
- 📸 Ability to take photos of magnified content

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
- 🔋 Concerns about high battery consumption
- 🔍 Lack of brightness control
- 🔍 Limited zoom range

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes or freezes during use
- Difficulty returning to live view after taking a snapshot

**Requested features**

- Ability to save and retrieve magnified images
- Option to adjust brightness/contrast
- Support for higher zoom levels
- Compatibility improvements for newer devices


### Readers

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/readers-magnifying-glass/id1551911901)

This app functions as a digital magnifying glass, assisting with reading small print on menus, medicine bottles, and device serial numbers. It includes a flashlight and adjustable zoom for clarity.

**Highlights:** Digital magnifying glass, Adjustable zoom (1.0X - 2.0X), Built-in LED flashlight, High contrast mode, Freeze image functionality

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Readers - Ad Free | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Glasses free?

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

### Is Readers free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Glasses or Readers?

Glasses is rated higher. Glasses averages 4.8 out of 5 from 8.1K ratings, while Readers averages 3.7 from 18 ratings.

### Do Glasses or Readers have ads?

Neither Glasses nor Readers shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Glasses or Readers?

Glasses ships an update every 2 months, and Readers every 3 months. Most recently, Glasses was updated on October 31, 2026 and Readers 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.*