# NSWL vs Freading

The clearest difference is rating: Freading at 4.6 against NSWL's 2.0. Freading also leads on ratings volume (2.9K vs 14) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). NSWL's advantage is update cadence (every 3 months vs every 9 months). On price, review sentiment, 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.

Freading holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Freading has 2.9K ratings behind it against 14, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 22% of NSWL's written reviews are positive against 17% of Freading's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

NSWL ships an update every 3 months, Freading every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NSWL | Freading |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.0 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nswl/id369626219/reviews) | **[4.6 (2.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/freading/id485015785/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 14 | **2.9K** |
| Positive reviews | **22.2% of reviews** | 16.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 9 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 71 MB | 20 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Naxos Digital Services Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/338059162) | [Library Ideas, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/485015788) |

## What reviewers say

### NSWL

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nswl/id369626219)

Stream a vast collection of literary masterpieces brought to life through masterful performances. Explore six centuries of literature from various publishers at an accessible price on this pioneering audio service.

**Highlights:** Listen to literary performances, Access six centuries of masterpieces, Stream from various publishers, Affordable audio service, Pioneering streaming technology

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Freading

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/freading/id485015785)

This app allows users to read EPUB and PDF books downloaded from participating libraries. It supports Adobe DRM and offers a comfortable reading experience with features like page turning and adjustable text size.

**Highlights:** Read EPUB and PDF books, Adobe DRM support, Tap or swipe page turning, Remembers last page read, Selectable text size

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 📚 Wide selection of books
- 🕰 No late fees

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 📱 Difficult to navigate and use
- 🔍 Poor search and discovery
- 📚 Limited book selection
- 🔒 Login and authentication issues

**Reported bugs**

- Books fail to download or open
- App crashes when trying to access downloaded books
- Login process is unreliable and inconsistent

**Requested features**

- Improve app stability and reliability
- Enhance user interface and navigation
- Expand book selection and search capabilities
- Streamline login and authentication process


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NSWL free?

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

### Is Freading free?

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

### Which has better reviews, NSWL or Freading?

Freading is rated higher. NSWL averages 2.0 out of 5 from 14 ratings, while Freading averages 4.6 from 2.9K ratings.

### Do NSWL or Freading have ads?

Neither NSWL nor Freading shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NSWL or Freading?

NSWL ships an update every 3 months, and Freading every 9 months. Most recently, NSWL was updated on October 24, 2026 and Freading on October 26, 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.*