# PlainZen vs Gutenberg Reader PRO

The clearest difference is rating: PlainZen at 5.0 against Gutenberg Reader PRO's 3.1. PlainZen also leads on price ($1.99 vs $5.99). Gutenberg Reader PRO's advantage is update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 13 months) and review sentiment (29% vs 0%). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

PlainZen costs $1.99 and Gutenberg Reader PRO $5.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

PlainZen holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Gutenberg Reader PRO has 10 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 0% of PlainZen's written reviews are positive against 29% of Gutenberg Reader PRO's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

PlainZen ships an update every 13 months, Gutenberg Reader PRO every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 10, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PlainZen | Gutenberg Reader PRO |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$1.99** | $5.99 |
| Rating | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plainzen/id366968925/reviews)** | [3.1 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gutenberg-reader-pro-no-ads/id1410500581/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **10** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **28.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 13 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#96** |
| Size | 6 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Vicente Malixi](https://appshunter.io/developer/355896066) | [Haven Tran](https://appshunter.io/developer/1291655261) |

## What reviewers say

### PlainZen

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plainzen/id366968925)

This tutorial explains Zen in simple terms, focusing on its practical application in daily life. It demystifies Zen by avoiding jargon and historical details, emphasizing how it works and improves well-being for anyone, regardless of background. The app includes features to bookmark your progress and navigate through various topics.

**Highlights:** Plain language Zen explanation, Focus on practical application, Avoids jargon and rituals, Bookmark functionality, Table of contents navigation, Covers core Zen concepts

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Gutenberg Reader PRO

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gutenberg-reader-pro-no-ads/id1410500581)

**Currently charting:** #96 Top Paid · Book (US App Store)

Access over 100,000 free public domain eBooks from Project Gutenberg. Enjoy a customizable, ad-free reading experience with features like text-to-speech, offline downloads, and note-taking.

**Highlights:** 100,000+ Free eBooks, Ad-free reading experience, Offline downloads, Text-to-Speech (TTS) audio, Customizable reading settings, Bookmark, highlight, and notes

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PlainZen free?

PlainZen costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Gutenberg Reader PRO free?

Gutenberg Reader PRO costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, PlainZen or Gutenberg Reader PRO?

PlainZen is rated higher. PlainZen averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Gutenberg Reader PRO averages 3.1 from 10 ratings.

### Do PlainZen or Gutenberg Reader PRO have ads?

Neither PlainZen nor Gutenberg Reader PRO shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PlainZen or Gutenberg Reader PRO?

PlainZen ships an update every 13 months, and Gutenberg Reader PRO every 6 weeks. Most recently, PlainZen was updated on September 10, 2026 and Gutenberg Reader PRO on September 24, 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.*