Comparison

SideBooks vs bREADER

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

bREADER

This app is an optimized e-book reader for iPhones, supporting various formats like Aozora Bunko, EPUB, and PDF. It offers customizable reading styles, including vertical/horizontal text, auto-scrolling, and adjustable fonts, for a beautiful and user-friendly experience.

Highlights
  • Supports Aozora Bunko, EPUB, PDF, TEXT, JPEG/PNG-ZIP
  • Customizable text size, line spacing, and fonts
  • Vertical/horizontal and auto-scrolling display modes
  • Bookmark, brightness, day/night mode, screen rotation
  • Dictionary integration
  • Create books from clipboard text or URLs
  • Organize books into groups
Features
Read full description

bREADERはiPhoneに最適化された電子書籍リーダーです。 青空文庫やEPUB、PDF等の電子書籍を、縦書き、横書き、オートスクロール表示など自由なスタイルで読むことができます。 ※ iOS 10.1 以上の iPhone が必要です EPUB3形式のファイルにも対応しました。iOS5では、ヒラギノ明朝体での表示も行えます。 【bREADERの特長】 ■多様な電子書籍フォーマットに対応 bREADERは、「青空文庫」の10,000点以上の作品を全て無料で読むことができるのはもちろん、 EPUB形式の電子書籍、PDF、TEXT、JPEG/PNG-ZIPファイル等も閲覧可能 ■iPhoneに最適化されたユーザーインターフェース bREADERは、タッチパネル操作を前提として、素早く、簡単に操作できるように設計されています。 ・ピンチイン/アウトで瞬時に文字サイズや行間の変更が可能 ・画面をしたから上にめくるようにするだけで、簡単にしおりを挟めます。その他輝度調整、昼/夜モード切替、画面回転制御などもワンタッチ ・iOSと同じような操作で文字選択や辞書連携(大辞林、大辞泉、Dict+等)が可能 ・縦書き/横書きに加えて、縦画面/横画面、巻物風に連続して自動スクロールさせて読む機能など、多様な表示モードに対応 ・本棚もピンチイン/アウト操作で拡大縮小が可能(リスト表示モードもあり) ■キレイな版面表示 bREADERは、iPhoneでも極力美しい版面表示ができるように心がけています。 ・「太字」「挿絵」「絵文字」「傍点」「傍線」「縦中横」「割り注」「横組み」など多くの青空文庫注記にも対応し、これまで不可能だった版面表示が可能 ・ぶら下げ、追い出しの禁則処理だけでなく、行末揃えや引用符の自動整形などにも対応し綺麗な版面表示が可能(青空文庫) ・iTunesからお手持ちのフォントを追加可能(TrueType, OpenType Font) ■独自の自炊小説閲覧支援技術「brc」 bREADERは、自分でスキャンした小説を快適に読むための独自技術「brc」を提供しています。 ・小説などをスキャンした画像ファイルを「brc」にドロップするだけで、通暁のテキストのようにピンチ操作でフォントサイズの拡大/縮小できるようにすることが可能 ■本を読み込む、本を作る機能を搭載 bREADERは、Web上にある小説を読み込んだり、クリップボードにコピーしたテキストやURLから簡単に「本」を作ることができます。 ・Open in機能に対応し、本のファイルのURLリンクやDropBox等の他のアプリから連携してインポートすることが可能(ZIP, PDF, EPUB, TXTファイル) ・クリップボードにコピーされたWebサイトのURLや文字列から新しい「本」を作成することが可能 【その他の機能】 ・本棚やリスト表示画面では、自由に選んだ複数の「本」を、1つのグループとしてまとめることができます ・背景色/文字色のテーマ選択や画面の白黒反転ができます ・閲覧画面に時計を表示することができます(ワンタッチでON/OFF可能) ・タッチ位置のガイド表示やタッチ領域の左右反転、本体をひっくり返すだけで反転するよう設定することもできます。

Screenshots

SideBooks4 screens
bREADER2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: SideBooks at Free against bREADER's $3.99. SideBooks also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.0) and ratings volume (97 vs 1). bREADER's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and review sentiment (95% vs 72%). On update cadence, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

SideBooks is free to download; bREADER costs $3.99 up front. SideBooks sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. bREADER asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

SideBooks holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SideBooks has 97 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 72% of SideBooks's written reviews are positive against 95% of bREADER's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SideBooks ships an update every 9 days, bREADER every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
SideBooks versus bREADER: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSideBooksbREADER
PriceFree — better$3.99
Rating4.6 (97 ratings) — better4.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews72.4% of reviews95.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings97 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS9.0 — better10.1
Further details — not scored
Size32 MB48 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperTatsumi-system Co., Ltd.INFOCITY, Inc.

Customer experience

SideBooks

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

bREADER

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews21 reviews
Positive95.2%
Neutral0.0%
Negative4.8%

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

bREADER

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

SideBooks

One-time1
  • Thema extension Add-On$0.99
None

bREADER

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SideBooks free?
SideBooks is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is bREADER free?
bREADER costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, SideBooks or bREADER?
SideBooks is rated higher. SideBooks averages 4.6 out of 5 from 97 ratings, while bREADER averages 4.0 from 1 ratings.
Do SideBooks or bREADER have ads?
Neither SideBooks nor bREADER shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SideBooks or bREADER?
SideBooks ships an update every 9 days, and bREADER every 3 weeks. Most recently, SideBooks was updated on September 29, 2026 and bREADER on September 21, 2026.

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