Comparison

SideBooks vs KedaReader

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

SideBooks

This app offers a high-performance PDF and comic viewer with realistic paper-turning animations. It supports various viewing directions, enhanced bookshelf management, and secure password protection for your documents. Easily import files from multiple sources and enjoy a customizable reading experience.

Highlights
  • Realistic paper curl animation
  • Multiple viewing directions
  • Enhanced bookshelf management
  • Password protection
  • Dropbox and iTunes file import
  • Supports PDF, ZIP, CBZ, RAR, CBR
Features
Read full description

SideBooks is a high performance, high speed PDF viewer that allows you to enjoy reading with the feel of actual paper. =Features= Curl animation that simulates the actual turning of paper pages has been added to the standard page slide function. Supports viewing from 3 directions, documents that open left to right, right to left and vertically. It provides the optimal environment for viewing any book. All zoom rates have been optimized providing high speed, dynamic screen display. An infinite hierarchy of folders can be created, moved, deleted, renamed, etc. using the enhanced bookshelf management function. Real visual bookshelf function that corresponds to back cover style display. Files can be imported by 3 methods, Network transfer through Dropbox, USB transfer through iTunes and direct transfer from other applications. Books can be protected so others cannot view them by using the password protected locking function. This is a universal application that operates on the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. =Functions= Overall: *Brightness Adjustment *Screen rotates to match the orientation of the device *Screen Rotation Lock *Password Protected Start-up Lock Viewer: *Support PDF,ZIP,CBZ,RAR and CBR format *Page Turning: Choose from slide or curl *Viewing Directions: Choose from opening left to right / right to left / vertically *Page Spacing: Choose form wide / narrow / none *Facing Pages: Choose the pair of facing pages by setting the cover to on or off *Trim function within the range of page display *Cache pre-read function for the previous and next pages *Set the display for each book and remember the page number of the last page read *Text search function (list display type) *Contents function (also supports hierarchy type) *Bookmark function (with editable memos) *Edit handwritten notes *Send to other applications (Open-In) *Send by email *Printing function (Air Print) *In-page link function *Link to outside URL function (built-in browser / Safari / Printing) *Display / Don't Display link buttons *Page turning function using tap or swipe *Expansion / Contraction function using pinch and double tap (1-1024x zoom) *Viewing of encrypted PDF files with password protection *Display / non-display of statusbar when reading Bookshelf: *Display form: Choose form list bookshelf / visual bookshelf *Function to set theme of visual bookshelf with each folder *Bookshelf thema extension pack (Add-On) *Cover editing function (corresponds to the trim) *File editing function: create, move, delete, setting for all books in folder *Bookmark list *Reading history list *Unread list *Edit of mark choose form already read / unread *Book name search function *Network transfer through Dropbox *USB transfer through iTunes *Direct transfer from other applications Special thanks to, "Give My Regards to Black Jack" SHUHO SATO Manga on Web http://mangaonweb.com

About

KedaReader

Read your DRM-free digital comic collections on iOS devices with a rich experience. Supports various archive formats, nested files, and cloud storage integration. Offers advanced reading modes and streaming capabilities for seamless access to your library.

Highlights
  • Supports PDF, ZIP, RAR, CBZ, CBR, EPUB, MOBI, AZW3
  • Reads archives without decompression
  • Supports nested archives and folders
  • Cloud sync via iCloud, Box, Dropbox, OneDrive
  • Connects to Komga, Kavita, Calibre via OPDS
  • Streaming reading from WebDAV/SMB servers
  • AI-based image enhancement
Features
Read full description

This is an image reader dedicated to your DRM-free image collections. If you love comics, you probably have tons of digital comic files sitting on your disk, they may be zip or rar, cbz or cbr, epub, mobi or pdf,or just Folder and image files. Now with KedaReader, you can read all these files on your iOS devices with great experience! The app supports all kinds of files listed above, and it even allows you to nest your files, you can put a Zip file inside a folder, then put another RAR file inside that zip, KedaReader can open them right away, you don't need to flatten them manually. The app also comes with a handy index view to help you jump between folders/archives, just like WinRar on windows! ******Features***** Features: - iCloud is supported, sync files & histories across your devices automatically - Connect to Komga, Kavita or Calibre with OPDS protocol - Controllable by game controllers - Directly access your files on Box, Dropbox and Onedrive - "Texture" rendering will make you feel holding an real book - Special "Zen" read mode, set up your headphone, and read comics in the wonderful virtual world! - Support PDF, ZIP, ZIP64, encrypted ZIP, RAR, encrypted RAR, CBZ, and CBR files - Support Comic Book in EPUB, MOBI, AZW3 formats - Open archive file without decompression - Support nested archive and folders - Split large image, merge small images - Support paging mode and smooth mode - Chose any reading direction you like - Support keyboard control, hold the command key ⌘ to checkout shortcuts - Import comic files in many ways: - A embed HTTP Server - Connect to a WebDAV server - Connect to a SMB server - Directly copy from Files app - Support common img formats: - jpg, png, webP, gif, apng, bmp, avif, heic - Password book to let you manage archive passwords - Guess archive password base on password book - AI based image enhancement (Powered by waifu2x) The most exciting thing about KedaReader is it supports "Streaming Reading", if your server is set up with WebDAV or SMB protocol, then all Zip, Mobi, Epub, RAR files on that server can be open instantly without downloading the whole archive, KedaReader only downloads the part you need! If the network condition is good, you probably won't realize these archive files is store on the server :P Thanks for these authors provide their beautiful icons: Icon made by Freepik from www.flaticon.com Icon made by DinosoftLabs from www.flaticon.com Icon made by Pixel perfect from www.flaticon.com Icon made by mavadee from www.flaticon.com Icon made by smalllikeart from www.flaticon.com Icon made by Those Icons from www.flaticon.com Icon made by Swifticons from www.flaticon.com Icon made by srip from www.flaticon.com Thanks for the preview music provided by: Music by Ray Janssen-Timmen from Pixabay

Screenshots

SideBooks4 screens
KedaReader4 screens

Verdict

The call

SideBooks and KedaReader both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 85% of KedaReader's written reviews are positive against 72% of SideBooks's. SideBooks's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 weeks) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 16.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. SideBooks sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and KedaReader sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for SideBooks against 4.5 for KedaReader. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 97 and 200 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 72% of SideBooks's written reviews are positive against 85% of KedaReader's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SideBooks ships an update every 9 days, KedaReader every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
SideBooks versus KedaReader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSideBooksKedaReader
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (97 ratings) — better4.5 (200 ratings)
Positive reviews72.4% of reviews85.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings97200 — better
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS9.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size32 MB247 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTatsumi-system Co., Ltd.晖铠 陈

Customer experience

SideBooks

All ratings97 ratings
Positive92.8%
Neutral2.1%
Negative5.2%
Written reviews243 reviews
Positive72.4%
Neutral7.8%
Negative19.8%

KedaReader

All ratings200 ratings
Positive90.0%
Neutral1.5%
Negative8.5%
Written reviews240 reviews
Positive85.4%
Neutral4.6%
Negative10.0%

User reviews

SideBooks

From 97 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Smooth page turning
  • 📚 Great for reading comics and manga
  • 🗂️ Excellent folder organization
  • 🔍 Useful search and table of contents features
  • 💻 Seamless Dropbox integration

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes when loading large files
  • 🚫 Limited file format support (no CBZ/CBR)
  • 🔍 Difficult to find and delete books
  • 🔒 Requires Dropbox access, no local file support
  • 🔍 Small thumbnail size makes it hard to browse

KedaReader

From 200 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Best manga reader
  • 👍 Excellent features
  • 🔒 Secure and private
  • 💡 Innovative upscaling
  • 👍 Seamless NAS integration

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
  • 🔋 High battery consumption
  • 🔒 Concerns about paywall and monetization

Bugs and requests

SideBooks

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes when opening certain PDF files
  • Corrupted files cause repeated crashes
  • Dropbox integration issues on some devices

Requested features

6 requests
  • Add support for ePub and other popular formats
  • Implement iCloud/Google Drive integration
  • Allow manual rearrangement of bookshelf
  • Add dark mode and customizable background options
  • Improve bookmark and annotation features
Show 1 more
  • Implement a more intuitive file management system

KedaReader

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Issues with page orientation and rotation
  • Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions
  • Inconsistent behavior when switching Apple IDs

Requested features

6 requests
  • Add reading mode with eye-friendly display
  • Support for EPUB format and text-based books
  • Implement Apple TV and macOS support
  • Add bookmark and favorite features
  • Improve page orientation and rotation handling
Show 1 more
  • Enhance OPDS and WebDAV functionality

In-app purchases

1 purchases

SideBooks

One-time1
  • Thema extension Add-On$0.99
8 purchases

KedaReader

One-time8
  • Buy me an ice cream~$0.99
  • Buy me a milk tea$1.99
  • Buy me a coffee$2.99
Show 5 more
  • Lifetime (Early supporter)$3.99
  • Buy me a happy day~$3.99
  • Buy me a happy week~$8.99
  • Lifetime$9.99
  • Buy me a happy month~$14.99

Questions

Is SideBooks free?
SideBooks is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is KedaReader free?
KedaReader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, SideBooks or KedaReader?
SideBooks is rated higher. SideBooks averages 4.6 out of 5 from 97 ratings, while KedaReader averages 4.5 from 200 ratings.
Do SideBooks or KedaReader have ads?
Neither SideBooks nor KedaReader shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SideBooks or KedaReader?
SideBooks ships an update every 9 days, and KedaReader every 3 weeks. Most recently, SideBooks was updated on September 23, 2026 and KedaReader on September 24, 2026.

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