Comparison

SideBooks vs Smooth Reader

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

Smooth Reader

This app offers a fast and smooth PDF reading experience, mimicking the feel of physical books. It features a unique "Home View" for enlarged text reading and a dynamic 3D perspective library for easy book discovery and organization.

Highlights
  • Smooth page turning
  • Home View for enlarged text
  • 3D perspective book library
  • Book categorization with tags
  • Smart tags for new/recent books
  • Bookmark management
  • Table of contents support
Read full description

"Smooth Reader" is a fast PDF reader that enables smooth and fast page turning like real printed books. (1)The most distinguished feature is "Home View" function which enables you to read books with large characters. If you set Home View for the area you want to zoom, you can read the area in full screen. Only with flick or tap operation, you can keep reading pages with large characters. (2)In addition, you can get a "3D perspective view" of book cover thumbnails, and the books move by automatically. Thus you can find desired books easily and enjoy as if you walked along the shelf in a real bookstore. (3)Have trouble organizing your books on the shelves? "Smooth Reader" can help you organize many books efficiently and effectively. With the "Book Categories Tags" functions, you can put tags on your favorite books and break them into categories. Your books with the tags are instantly lined up by category on the shelf. Since you can easily create or delete the tags and put multiple tags on one book, you can organize your books into categories in different ways. The books you newly registered or recently read are automatically attached with "New" tags or "Recently Read" tags respectively and organized on the shelf (Functions called "Smart Tags"). 【Functions】 [Supported file format] - PDF [Reading Direction] - Left to Right, Right to Left, or Up to Down [Two-page Spread] - One page or Two-page spread (supporting both horizontal and vertical direction of iPad) [Page turning] - Flick, Tap, or Touch and hold operation(consecutive page turning) (When two-page spread, one-page or two-page turning is possible in one action) [Reading Function] - Page thumbnails using pinch-in operation. (requires iOS 6 or later) - Support of table of contents (outline) embedded in PDF. - Bookmarks (add, jump, delete, edit) - PDF link jump (page, URL, mail address) [Home View Function] - Function to keep reading pages with large characters. If you set Home View for the area you want to zoom, you can keep reading the area in full screen. With drag or flick operation, you can also read pages outside of the area. Only with flick or tap operation, you can keep reading pages with large characters. [File storage] - Storeroom (where all files are stored) - Library (where only tagged files are lined up) [Book categories tags] - Create, delete, rename, and arrange the order - Smart tags feature ("New", "Recently Read") [File info] - Book cover(thumbnail) format or List format - 3D perspective view in Book cover format. - File name, file size, last modified date, total number of pages, current page number, and author name(from PDF property). - In order of file name, last modified date, last access date, registered date, or author name [File management] - File deletion - File rename [File import] - Transfer using the file-sharing function of iTunes. - Download using built-in web browser function - Download using Safari or Mailer via Open-in feature [Other functions] - Retina display support, Help function [Language] - English, Japanese, Chinese(Simplified), Korean * The books in the screenshots above are sample images, they are not included in this app.

Screenshots

SideBooks4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: SideBooks at 72% against Smooth Reader's 25%. SideBooks also leads on price (Free vs $3.99) and rating (4.6 vs 1.0). On ads and in-app purchases 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; Smooth Reader costs $3.99 up front. SideBooks sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Smooth Reader sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

SideBooks holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 1.0. 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 point the same way: 72% of SideBooks's written reviews are positive against 25% of Smooth Reader's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SideBooks ships an update every 9 days, Smooth Reader every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and June 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
SideBooks versus Smooth Reader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSideBooksSmooth Reader
PriceFree — better$3.99
Rating4.6 (97 ratings) — better1.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews72.4% of reviews — better25.0% of reviews
Number of ratings97 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPad
Requires iOS9.0 — better15.5
Further details — not scored
Size32 MB34 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperTatsumi-system Co., Ltd.Personal Media Corp.

Customer experience

SideBooks

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

Smooth Reader

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive25.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative75.0%

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

Smooth Reader

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

SideBooks

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

Smooth Reader

One-time10
  • TRONWARE VOL.178$6.99
  • TRONWARE VOL.173$6.99
  • TRONWARE VOL.176$6.99
Show 7 more
  • TRONWARE VOL.174$6.99
  • TRONWARE VOL.175$6.99
  • TRONWARE VOL.172$6.99
  • TRONWARE VOL.177$6.99
  • TRONWARE VOL.180$6.99
  • TRONWARE VOL.179$6.99
  • TRONWARE VOL.181$6.99

Questions

Is SideBooks free?
SideBooks is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Smooth Reader free?
Smooth Reader costs $3.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, SideBooks or Smooth Reader?
SideBooks is rated higher. SideBooks averages 4.6 out of 5 from 97 ratings, while Smooth Reader averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.
Do SideBooks or Smooth Reader have ads?
Neither SideBooks nor Smooth Reader shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SideBooks or Smooth Reader?
SideBooks ships an update every 9 days, and Smooth Reader every 2 months. Most recently, SideBooks was updated on September 29, 2026 and Smooth Reader on June 5, 2026.

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