# Bluefire Reader vs MapleRead SE

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Bluefire Reader at none against MapleRead SE's 3. Bluefire Reader also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.2) and ratings volume (4.1K vs 131). MapleRead SE's advantage is review sentiment (68% vs 55%). On update cadence, ads, chart position and device support there is nothing between them.

Bluefire Reader costs $4.99 and MapleRead SE $8.99 up front. MapleRead SE sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Bluefire Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

Bluefire Reader holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bluefire Reader has 4.1K ratings behind it against 131, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 55% of Bluefire Reader's written reviews are positive against 68% of MapleRead SE's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Bluefire Reader ships an update every 2 months, MapleRead SE every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bluefire Reader | MapleRead SE |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$4.99** | $8.99 |
| Rating | **[4.6 (4.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bluefire-reader/id394275498/reviews)** | [4.2 (131 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mapleread-se/id860169741/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4.1K** | 131 |
| Positive reviews | 55.2% of reviews | **68.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#36** | #101 |
| Size | 21 MB | 30 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Bluefire Productions](https://appshunter.io/developer/394275501) | [Maplepop LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/798017700) |

## What reviewers say

### Bluefire Reader

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

**Currently charting:** #36 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


### MapleRead SE

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mapleread-se/id860169741)

**Currently charting:** #101 Top Paid · Book (US App Store)

This app offers a unique audio-visual reading experience for EPUB and PDF files. It allows for extensive customization of book styles, instant audiobook generation, and immersive reading that syncs audio and text. It also functions as an effective library management tool with cross-device syncing.

**Highlights:** Audio-visual reading experience, EPUB and PDF reader, Pseudo audiobook generation, Immersion reading (audio/text sync), Library management and organization, Cross-device syncing, User-defined customization

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Gratuity Level 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Gratuity Level 2 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Gratuity Level 5 | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Highly customizable reading experience
- 🔒 Robust library management features
- 👍 Seamless integration with Calibre
- 👍 Excellent organization and tagging options
- 👍 Wide range of font and layout customization

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Sync issues between devices
- 🐛 Occasional crashes and performance problems
- 🔍 Complicated interface and setup process
- 🔍 Difficult to import large book libraries
- 🔍 Limited annotation and highlighting options

**Reported bugs**

- Freezing and crashing issues, especially on iOS 14
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between portrait and landscape modes
- Unreliable OPDS server integration and book downloads

**Requested features**

- Automatic reading progress sync across devices
- Improved PDF handling and annotation support
- Expanded highlighting and note-taking capabilities
- Streamlined library import and management
- Cleaner and more intuitive user interface


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bluefire Reader free?

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

### Is MapleRead SE free?

MapleRead SE costs $8.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Bluefire Reader or MapleRead SE?

Bluefire Reader is rated higher. Bluefire Reader averages 4.6 out of 5 from 4.1K ratings, while MapleRead SE averages 4.2 from 131 ratings.

### Do Bluefire Reader or MapleRead SE have ads?

Neither Bluefire Reader nor MapleRead SE shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bluefire Reader or MapleRead SE?

Bluefire Reader ships an update every 2 months, and MapleRead SE every 6 weeks. Most recently, Bluefire Reader was updated on October 4, 2026 and MapleRead SE on October 2, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Bluefire Reader or MapleRead SE?

Bluefire Reader currently peaks at #36 in the App Store charts, and MapleRead SE at #101. 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.*