Comparison

Namo Amitabha vs Bookstar

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

Head to head
About

Namo Amitabha

Explore the profound meaning of "Namo Amitabha" within Pure Land Buddhism. This app delves into the concept of Amitabha Buddha's name as the embodiment of boundless kindness, compassion, wisdom, and merits.

Highlights
  • Explanation of Amitabha Buddha's Name
  • Concepts of Pure Land Buddhism
  • Spiritual merits and virtues
  • Boundless kindness and compassion
  • Wisdom and perfections of Buddhahood
Features
Read full description

By accomplishment of his Name, Amitabha—or "Namo Amitabha" as he was called in full by Shakyamuni Buddha—ensured that the direct rewards (all beings or inhabitants in the Land of Bliss, including Amitabha himself) and the circumstantial rewards (all the landscapes and features of the Land of Bliss) were all manifestations of his Name. In Pure Land Buddhism, this is also known as "direct and circumstantial in a single entity." The Name "Namo Amitabha" is the body of Amitabha Buddha, filled with boundless kindness and compassion, perfect and complete wisdom, and splendid merits and virtues. It is also filled with Amitabha’s light, his vow-mind, his supernormal powers and energy, and all the exquisite perfections of Buddhahood.

About

Bookstar

Read full description

Read English books in the original — the ones you actually want to read. Bookstar keeps the translation right under the original text, page after page. Nothing to look up, nothing to type, no reason to put the book down. The safety net is already there. HOW IT WORKS 1. Add your own EPUB — from Files, iCloud, or anywhere on your iPhone.** 2. Read the original. The translation into your language stays below it, passage by passage.* 3. Tap a star to hear that sentence read aloud, and catch how the language actually sounds.* 4. Open Explain on a phrase that feels odd. It tells you what it means in plain words, with an everyday example.* WHAT YOU GET • Your own library — import the EPUB files you already own** • Translation always in view: no pop-ups, no dictionary detours, no losing your place* • Audio for any marked sentence — rhythm and pronunciation, not just meaning* • Translate into 11 languages: Spanish, French, German, Ukrainian, Polish, Portuguese, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Turkish, Russian • A free classic included, so you can start today: The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan • A quiet reader — no streaks, no badges, no feed • Explanations for idioms and odd phrases — the meaning in plain words, and an example you can hear* WHO IT IS FOR • You are around B1–B2 in English, and textbooks stopped being enough • Your favourite author's new book is not translated into your language — and might never be • You moved abroad and need the living language, not classroom phrases • You are preparing for an exam and need real reading plus pronunciation *READING PAST PAGE 10 REQUIRES A SUBSCRIPTION The first 10 pages of a book are free. That includes the included classic and one book you import. Translation and audio are included on those free pages. **ONE IMPORTED BOOK IS FREE You can import one EPUB of your own without a subscription. Adding more of your own books requires Bookstar Premium. BOOKSTAR PREMIUM • Weekly Premium — 1 week — $9.99 • Six Month Premium — 6 months — $49.99 (equivalent to $8.33/month), with a 7-day free trial Prices are in U.S. dollars. In other countries the price is shown in your local currency on this page and on the subscription screen, before any payment is taken. Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase. The subscription renews automatically unless it is canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period, and your account is charged for renewal within 24 hours before the period ends. Any unused part of a free trial is forfeited when you buy a subscription. You can manage or cancel in Settings → [Your Name] → Subscriptions. ABOUT THE BOOKS Bookstar is a reader, not a bookstore. We do not sell, host, or distribute books — you import EPUB files you already own. The one title included with the app is in the public domain. Format: EPUB only. Books must be in English; the translation can be any of the 11 languages above. Terms of Use: https://bookstar.cc/terms Privacy Policy: https://bookstar.cc/privacy

Screenshots

Namo Amitabha3 screens
Bookstar4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Namo Amitabha at none against Bookstar's 3. Namo Amitabha also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 18.2). Bookstar's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 28 months). On price 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. Bookstar sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Namo Amitabha asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Namo Amitabha ships an update every 28 months, Bookstar every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Namo Amitabha versus Bookstar: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNamo AmitabhaBookstar
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 28 monthsEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS8.0 — better18.2
Further details — not scored
Size66 MB41 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSam TsengAnatolii Malynovskyi

In-app purchases

None

Namo Amitabha

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Bookstar

Subscriptions3
  • Monthly$5.991 Month
  • Weekly$6.997 Days
  • Six Months$29.996 Months

Questions

Is Namo Amitabha free?
Namo Amitabha is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Bookstar free?
Bookstar is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Namo Amitabha or Bookstar have ads?
Neither Namo Amitabha nor Bookstar shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Namo Amitabha or Bookstar?
Namo Amitabha ships an update every 28 months, and Bookstar every 5 days. Most recently, Namo Amitabha was updated on November 1, 2026 and Bookstar on October 30, 2026.

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