# Immersion Reader vs HelloStory

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.

Both are free to download. Immersion Reader sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. HelloStory asks for nothing beyond the download.

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.

Immersion Reader ships an update every 6 days, HelloStory every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Immersion Reader | HelloStory |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (26 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/immersion-reader/id6443721334/reviews) | **[5.0 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hellostory-japanese-stories/id6746239421/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **26** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | 61.5% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 80 MB | 49 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 14.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mathew Chan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1441199099) | [Chong Li](https://appshunter.io/developer/933612154) |

## What reviewers say

### Immersion Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/immersion-reader/id6443721334)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Immersion Reader Premium | $4.99 | one-time |


### HelloStory

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hellostory-japanese-stories/id6746239421)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked 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 October 4, 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.*