# Wordshelf vs Thorium Reader

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Wordshelf at 100% against Thorium Reader's 38%. Wordshelf also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.6) and update cadence (every 3 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Wordshelf holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Wordshelf has 112 ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Wordshelf's written reviews are positive against 38% of Thorium Reader's.

Wordshelf ships an update every 3 days, Thorium Reader every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Wordshelf | Thorium Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (112 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wordshelf/id6444873974/reviews)** | [3.6 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thorium-reader/id6745025189/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **112** | 11 |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 37.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 102 MB | 46 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 26.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Sourse Labs LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1535336712) | [Readium](https://appshunter.io/developer/1232183924) |

## What reviewers say

### Wordshelf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wordshelf/id6444873974)

Effortlessly capture, understand, and remember new words encountered while reading or studying. Utilize AI-powered mnemonics and visual aids to enhance retention. Track your vocabulary growth and organize learned words by the book you're reading.

**Highlights:** Scan pages or type words to look up, Definitions, pronunciation, examples, synonyms, etymology, Personalized AI mnemonics and memory images, Words organized by book, Vocabulary progress tracking, Supports 20+ languages

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Thorium Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thorium-reader/id6745025189)

Organize all your ebooks, comics, and manga in a single app. Customize your reading experience with adjustable text, fonts, and themes. Listen to audiobooks and zoom into visual content with ease.

**Highlights:** Unified bookshelf for all content, Adjustable text size and spacing, Multiple font options, Text-to-speech audio playback, Zoom for comics and manga, Offline dictionary and translation, Import EPUB, PDF, CBZ files

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Wordshelf free?

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

### Is Thorium Reader free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Wordshelf or Thorium Reader?

Wordshelf is rated higher. Wordshelf averages 4.8 out of 5 from 112 ratings, while Thorium Reader averages 3.6 from 11 ratings.

### Do Wordshelf or Thorium Reader have ads?

Neither Wordshelf nor Thorium Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Wordshelf or Thorium Reader?

Wordshelf ships an update every 3 days, and Thorium Reader every 3 weeks. Most recently, Wordshelf was updated on October 12, 2026 and Thorium Reader on October 13, 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.*