# SideBooks vs TotalReader

The clearest difference is rating: SideBooks at 4.6 against TotalReader's 4.3. SideBooks also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 weeks). TotalReader's advantage is ratings volume (368 vs 97). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SideBooks sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and TotalReader sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

SideBooks holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 97 and 368 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 74% of SideBooks's written reviews are positive against 69% of TotalReader's.

SideBooks ships an update every 9 days, TotalReader every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SideBooks | TotalReader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (97 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sidebooks/id409777225/reviews)** | [4.3 (368 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/totalreader-epub-djvu-mobi-fb2-reader/id832489932/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 97 | **368** |
| Positive reviews | **73.7% of reviews** | 69.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 32 MB | 130 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 10.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Tatsumi-system Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/409777230) | [LTD DevelSoftware](https://appshunter.io/developer/717594986) |

## What reviewers say

### SideBooks

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sidebooks/id409777225)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Thema extension Add-On | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 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

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

- 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


### TotalReader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/totalreader-epub-djvu-mobi-fb2-reader/id832489932)

This app is a versatile reader supporting a vast array of book, document, comic, and source code formats. It offers advanced customization for reading comfort, cloud integration, and file management tools.

**Highlights:** Wide range of supported formats, Cloud and network service integration, Speech synthesizer, Customizable reading experience, File manager with Wi-Fi transfer, Online book catalogs (OPDS)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Thank the Developer | $0.99 | one-time |
| Appearance Customization | $1.99 | one-time |
| Pro Version | $6.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great reader
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🔍 Supports many file formats
- 💡 Integrates with cloud storage
- 📚 Excellent for reading books

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 💰 Expensive premium version
- 📢 Intrusive ads in free version
- 🔒 Lacks security/privacy features
- 🔧 Poor file management and organization

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on startup
- Unable to open certain file formats
- Cloud storage integration not working
- Ads prevent smooth reading experience
- Purchased features not functioning properly

**Requested features**

- Add more customization options
- Improve cloud storage integration
- Implement better file organization tools
- Provide better support for older devices
- Add text-to-speech and annotation features


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SideBooks free?

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

### Is TotalReader free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SideBooks or TotalReader?

SideBooks is rated higher. SideBooks averages 4.6 out of 5 from 97 ratings, while TotalReader averages 4.3 from 368 ratings.

### Do SideBooks or TotalReader have ads?

Neither SideBooks nor TotalReader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SideBooks or TotalReader?

SideBooks ships an update every 9 days, and TotalReader every 3 weeks. Most recently, SideBooks was updated on October 15, 2026 and TotalReader on October 7, 2026.

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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.*