# Freading vs Talebird

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Talebird at 100% against Freading's 17%. Talebird also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 9 months). Freading's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ratings volume (2.9K vs 2). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Talebird sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Freading asks for nothing beyond the download.

Talebird holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Freading has 2.9K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 17% of Freading's written reviews are positive against 100% of Talebird's.

Freading ships an update every 9 months, Talebird every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Freading | Talebird |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (2.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/freading/id485015785/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/talebird-personalized-stories/id6770953108/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.9K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 16.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 20 MB | 155 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Library Ideas, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/485015788) | [Zsolt Bencze](https://appshunter.io/developer/391740016) |

## What reviewers say

### Freading

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/freading/id485015785)

This app allows users to read EPUB and PDF books downloaded from participating libraries. It supports Adobe DRM and offers a comfortable reading experience with features like page turning and adjustable text size.

**Highlights:** Read EPUB and PDF books, Adobe DRM support, Tap or swipe page turning, Remembers last page read, Selectable text size

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 📚 Wide selection of books
- 🕰 No late fees

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 📱 Difficult to navigate and use
- 🔍 Poor search and discovery
- 📚 Limited book selection
- 🔒 Login and authentication issues

**Reported bugs**

- Books fail to download or open
- App crashes when trying to access downloaded books
- Login process is unreliable and inconsistent

**Requested features**

- Improve app stability and reliability
- Enhance user interface and navigation
- Expand book selection and search capabilities
- Streamline login and authentication process


### Talebird

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/talebird-personalized-stories/id6770953108)

Create personalized bedtime stories where your child is the illustrated hero. Explore daytime discoveries that answer curious questions. Enjoy original tales designed for family life, with options for car rides and different reading styles.

**Highlights:** Personalized illustrated stories, Child as the hero, Daytime educational discoveries, Car-friendly playback, Multiple reading styles, No account setup required

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| TaleBird Plus | $7.99 | per month |
| TaleBird Studio | $19.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Freading free?

Freading is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Talebird free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Freading or Talebird?

Talebird is rated higher. Freading averages 4.6 out of 5 from 2.9K ratings, while Talebird averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Freading or Talebird have ads?

Neither Freading nor Talebird shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Freading or Talebird?

Freading ships an update every 9 months, and Talebird every 4 days. Most recently, Freading was updated on October 26, 2026 and Talebird on October 10, 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.*