# Bluefire Reader vs PocketBook Reader

The clearest difference is price: PocketBook Reader at Free against Bluefire Reader's $4.99. Bluefire Reader's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 56) and chart position (#21 vs #152). On rating, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

PocketBook Reader is free to download; Bluefire Reader costs $4.99 up front. PocketBook Reader sells 41 one-off in-app purchases. Bluefire Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Bluefire Reader against 4.5 for PocketBook Reader. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4.1K and 9.8K respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 55% and 54% positive.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bluefire Reader | PocketBook Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.6 (4.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bluefire-reader/id394275498/reviews)** | [4.5 (9.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocketbook-reader/id805488884/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 4.1K | **9.8K** |
| Positive reviews | **55.3% of reviews** | 54.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#21** | #152 |
| Size | 21 MB | 106 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Bluefire Productions](https://appshunter.io/developer/394275501) | [Pocketbook International SA](https://appshunter.io/developer/1536135171) |

## What reviewers say

### Bluefire Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bluefire-reader/id394275498)

**Currently charting:** #21 Top Paid · Book (US App Store)

This application allows users to read EPUB and PDF ebooks on their iPhone or iPad. It supports Adobe® Content Server protected content from various retailers, publishers, and libraries, offering features like bookmarking, notes, and search for a customized reading experience.

**Highlights:** Read EPUB and PDF ebooks, Supports Adobe Content Server protected content, Bookmarking and notes, Search functionality, Customizable reading experience, Collections management

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💻 Excellent ePub reader
- 🌙 Useful night mode
- 📚 Organizes library well
- 🎨 Customizable font and layout
- 🔍 Convenient search and navigation

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 📍 Loses page position when reopening
- 🔍 Inconsistent search and bookmark behavior
- 🔧 Outdated and lacking updates
- 🔒 Adobe DRM integration issues

**Reported bugs**

- Incompatible with latest iOS versions
- Blank pages when opening some books
- Incorrect page numbering and navigation
- Unreliable bookmarking and note-taking

**Requested features**

- Sync reading progress across devices
- Improved highlighting and annotation tools
- Vertical scrolling option
- Customizable highlight colors
- Integrated dictionary/reference lookup


### PocketBook Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocketbook-reader/id805488884)

**Currently charting:** #152 Top Free · Book (US App Store)

This app is a versatile reader supporting 26 book and audio formats, including EPUB, PDF, and audiobooks. It offers features like PDF reflow, text-to-speech, cloud synchronization, and extensive customization options for a comfortable reading experience.

**Highlights:** Supports 26 book and audio formats, PDF Reflow function, Text-to-speech engine, Cloud synchronization service, Customizable interface and reading settings, Adobe DRM support

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

**In-app purchases (41)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| eBook | $0.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class A) | $0.99 | one-time |
| eBook | $1.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class B) | $1.99 | one-time |
| eBook | $2.95 | one-time |
| eBook | $2.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class C) | $2.99 | one-time |
| eBook | $3.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 4.79 | $3.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 4.19 | $3.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class D) | $3.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class Alt5) | $4.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 5.39 | $4.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class F) | $4.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 5.89 | $4.99 | one-time |
| eBook | $4.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 5.09 | $4.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class G) | $5.99 | one-time |
| eBook | $5.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 7.09 | $5.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 7.19 | $5.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 8.29 | $6.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 7.59 | $6.99 | one-time |
| eBook | $7.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 8.89 | $7.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class J) | $8.99 | one-time |
| eBook | $8.99 | one-time |
| eBook | $9.90 | one-time |
| eBook | $9.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class L) | $10.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 13.9 | $11.90 | one-time |
| eBook | $11.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 12.99 | $11.99 | one-time |
| eBook | $12.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class N) | $12.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class O) | $13.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 17.9 | $14.90 | one-time |
| eBook | $14.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class R) | $16.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class T) | $18.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class W) | $21.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Convenient reading experience
- 🚀 Smooth scrolling
- 💡 Customizable settings (font, margin, etc.)
- 🔒 Supports DRM-protected content
- 👍 Intuitive user interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Unreliable cloud sync
- 🐛 Inconsistent page rendering
- 🐛 Buggy text highlighting and annotation
- 🐛 Slow loading times

**Reported bugs**

- Books disappearing from library after login issues
- Inability to open DRM-protected PDFs
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between portrait and landscape modes
- Text-to-speech voice quality issues

**Requested features**

- Ability to organize books into custom folders
- Option to disable quick action zones
- Improved text-to-speech controls (seek, pause, etc.)
- Support for handwritten annotations with Apple Pencil
- Faster page turning and scrolling


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bluefire Reader free?

Bluefire Reader costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is PocketBook Reader free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Bluefire Reader or PocketBook Reader?

Bluefire Reader is rated higher. Bluefire Reader averages 4.6 out of 5 from 4.1K ratings, while PocketBook Reader averages 4.5 from 9.8K ratings.

### Do Bluefire Reader or PocketBook Reader have ads?

Neither Bluefire Reader nor PocketBook Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bluefire Reader or PocketBook Reader?

Bluefire Reader ships an update every 2 months, and PocketBook Reader every 2 months. Most recently, Bluefire Reader was updated on September 23, 2026 and PocketBook Reader on September 24, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Bluefire Reader or PocketBook Reader?

Bluefire Reader currently peaks at #21 in the App Store charts, and PocketBook Reader at #152. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*