# HotNovel vs TopStories

The clearest difference is ratings volume: HotNovel at 217 against TopStories's 45. TopStories's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 14.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. HotNovel sells 7 one-off in-app purchases and TopStories sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for HotNovel against 4.8 for TopStories. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 217 and 45 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 92% of HotNovel's written reviews are positive against 88% of TopStories's.

## The numbers

| Metric | HotNovel | TopStories |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (217 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hotnovel/id6450293281/reviews)** | [4.8 (45 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/topstories-a-virtual-library/id6475161541/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **217** | 45 |
| Positive reviews | **92.0% of reviews** | 88.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days | — |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 54 MB | 78 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [HONG KONG BESTREAD TECHNOLOGY LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1692724450) | [MATERIAL DEVELOPMENTS LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1691979263) |

## What reviewers say

### HotNovel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hotnovel/id6450293281)

Immerse yourself in a world of passion and desire with this romance novel app. Personalize your love stories, connect with a community of readers, and unlock exclusive content. Discover diverse tales celebrating all kinds of love.

**Highlights:** Interactive personalized love stories, Diverse character options, Community of romance lovers, Exclusive content and rewards, Inclusive LGBTQ+ and interracial romances, Weekly writing prompts and contests

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 550 Coins | $4.99 | one-time |
| 1500 Coins | $9.99 | one-time |
| 2000 Coins | $9.99 | one-time |
| 2600 Coins | $19.99 | one-time |
| 4000 Coins | $19.99 | one-time |
| 4500 Coins | $29.99 | one-time |
| 6500 Coins | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 📚 High-quality, engaging story collection
- 💰 Genuinely free reading with ad-supported model
- ⏰ No aggressive paywall tactics or sneaky coin requests
- ✨ Good spelling and grammar quality
- 🎯 Variety of genres and interesting plots

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📺 Mandatory ads after every chapter
- 💸 High coin prices for paid chapters
- 🐛 App crashes and requires reinstallation
- ⏳ Long wait times between free chapter unlocks
- 📉 Reduced free chapter availability (now 2 per 24 hours)

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes and forces users to delete/reinstall
- Free chapter claim button not functioning
- Blank pages appearing instead of chapter content
- Ad delivery system failing (no ads to watch for free chapters)
- Chapter jumps and narrative continuity breaks

**Requested features**

- Increase free chapters per day (at least 3)
- Reduce or eliminate ads between chapters
- Lower coin prices for paid content
- Restore previous free chapter frequency
- Fix chapter ordering and continuity


### TopStories

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/topstories-a-virtual-library/id6475161541)

Dive into a vast collection of fiction tailored to your mood, from romance and paranormal to contemporary stories. Experience enchanting literary adventures anytime, anywhere, and unlock the power of your imagination.

**Highlights:** Personalized fiction library, Mood-based story selection, Diverse genres (romance, paranormal, contemporary), Anytime, anywhere reading, Imaginative storytelling

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| TopStories Coins item 1 | $2.99 | one-time |
| TopStories Coins item 2 | $4.99 | one-time |
| TopStories Coins item 3 | $9.99 | one-time |
| TopStories Coins item 4 | $14.99 | one-time |
| TopStories Coins item 5 | $24.99 | one-time |
| TopStories Coins item 6 | $49.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HotNovel free?

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

### Is TopStories free?

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

### Which has better reviews, HotNovel or TopStories?

HotNovel is rated higher. HotNovel averages 4.8 out of 5 from 217 ratings, while TopStories averages 4.8 from 45 ratings.

### Do HotNovel or TopStories have ads?

Both HotNovel and TopStories show ads.

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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.*