Comparison

Immersion Reader vs HelloStory

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

Head to head
About

Immersion Reader

Easily look up Japanese words while reading ebooks with a single tap. Import custom dictionaries and export saved vocabulary for spaced repetition learning. Offers customizable themes for a comfortable reading experience.

Highlights
  • One-tap word lookup in Japanese ebooks
  • Import Yomichan and frequency dictionaries
  • Export vocabulary to Anki
  • Light and dark mode themes
  • Lookup neighboring words
Features
Read full description

Look up Japanese words as you read! Features - One tap to look up words in Japanese Ebooks. Tabs to help you look up neighboring words - Import Yomichan dictionaries and frequency dictionaries - Export saved vocabulary to Anki via Anki Dojo - Light mode, dark mode, and other themes for the dictionary

About

HelloStory

This app helps you improve your Japanese language skills by reading graded stories tailored to your JLPT level. It offers instant translations, native speaker audio, and customizable display modes. Build a personalized vocabulary list with AI-powered flashcards for effective review.

Highlights
  • Graded Japanese stories by JLPT level
  • Bilingual translations for words and sentences
  • Native speaker audio recordings
  • Multiple display modes (Kanji, Hiragana, Romaji)
  • Personalized vocabulary list with AI flashcards
Features
Read full description

HelloStory helps you truly use the Japanese you've learned by reading stories at your level—and it's completely free. As a graded reading app, HelloStory offers a wide variety of stories tailored to different JLPT levels, helping you apply Japanese effectively while mastering natural expressions. Our features help you not only read but truly understand each story: - Dive into Stories of Your Level Enjoy engaging tales across a wide range of topics, crafted by experienced native authors to reflect real, natural Japanese. - Instant Understanding Made Easy Access professional, bilingual translations for every word and sentence—no more guessing, just clear meaning in real time. - Listen and Learn Naturally Immerse yourself in audio recordings by native speakers. Sharpen your listening skills and perfect your pronunciation effortlessly. - Multiple Display Modes Toggle between Kanji, Hiragana, or Romaji to help you recognize and read Japanese characters with confidence. - Save and Master Challenging Words Add tricky vocabulary to your personalized wordlist. Our AI-powered flashcards prioritize what you need most, ensuring focused review and long-term retention. - Completely Free All stories and features are available at no cost—no hidden fees, no clickbait. Start reading to boost your Japanese skills today with HelloStory! ------------------------------------------------ Have any questions? Feel free to contact us at hellostory@yuspeak.com Privacy Policy: https://www.yuspeak.com/hellostory/privacy.html Terms of Use: https://www.yuspeak.com/hellostory/terms.html

Screenshots

Immersion Reader4 screens
HelloStory4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: HelloStory at 5.0 against Immersion Reader's 4.0. HelloStory also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 62%) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). Immersion Reader's advantage is update cadence (every 6 days vs every 2 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support 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. Immersion Reader sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. HelloStory asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

HelloStory holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 26 and 9 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 62% of Immersion Reader's written reviews are positive against 100% of HelloStory's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Immersion Reader ships an update every 6 days, HelloStory every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Immersion Reader versus HelloStory: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterImmersion ReaderHelloStory
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (26 ratings)5.0 (9 ratings) — better
Positive reviews61.5% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings26 — better9
Update frequencyEvery 6 days — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better14.1
Further details — not scored
Size80 MB49 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMathew ChanChong Li

Customer experience

Immersion Reader

All ratings26 ratings
Positive76.9%
Neutral3.8%
Negative19.2%
Written reviews13 reviews
Positive61.5%
Neutral7.7%
Negative30.8%

HelloStory

All ratings9 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Immersion Reader

One-time1
  • Immersion Reader Premium$4.99
None

HelloStory

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Immersion Reader free?
Immersion Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is HelloStory free?
HelloStory is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Immersion Reader or HelloStory?
HelloStory is rated higher. Immersion Reader averages 4.0 out of 5 from 26 ratings, while HelloStory averages 5.0 from 9 ratings.
Do Immersion Reader or HelloStory have ads?
Neither Immersion Reader nor HelloStory shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Immersion Reader or HelloStory?
Immersion Reader ships an update every 6 days, and HelloStory every 2 months. Most recently, Immersion Reader was updated on October 1, 2026 and HelloStory on September 17, 2026.

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