# iReadNote vs Persimmon Reader

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Persimmon Reader at none against iReadNote's 5. Persimmon Reader also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). iReadNote's advantage is ratings volume (135 vs 1). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. iReadNote sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Persimmon Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

Persimmon Reader holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: iReadNote has 135 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

iReadNote ships an update monthly, Persimmon Reader every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | iReadNote | Persimmon Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (135 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ireadnote/id6450734655/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/persimmon-reader/id6800041021/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **135** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 94.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Size | 48 MB | 77 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [晓德 江](https://appshunter.io/developer/1694635894) | [Qihang Yang](https://appshunter.io/developer/1798324283) |

## What reviewers say

### iReadNote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ireadnote/id6450734655)

This app offers a highly customizable reading experience for various text and comic formats. It supports over 40 file types, allows for deep personalization of the reading interface, and includes features like smart notes, audiobook streaming, and multi-device sync. Family controls and robust backup options are also provided.

**Highlights:** Supports 40+ file types, Customizable reading interface, Smart notes and highlights, Audiobook playback and sync, Cloud drive and WebDAV import, Multi-device iCloud sync, Family controls

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscriptions | $0.99 | per month |
| Three Monthly Subscriptions | $0.99 | per 3 months |
| Yearly Subscriptions | $3.99 | per year |
| Buy me a drink | $0.99 | one-time |
| Buyout permanent members | $14.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Highly customizable interface and reading settings
- ⚡ Smooth and fast performance
- 📚 Excellent local file reading capabilities
- 🎙️ Advanced text-to-speech with custom voice sources
- 💾 Small app size with rich features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- 📡 Forced internet requirement for local reader
- 🔊 Intrusive and frequent reward video popups
- ❌ Misleading ad close buttons that don't work
- ⚙️ Settings not persisting between sessions

**Reported bugs**

- Reading jumps backward to previous pages unexpectedly
- Search button and text overlap after deleting books
- TTS configuration not saved between sessions
- App crashes when exporting voice configuration
- Voice highlighting out of sync with audio playback

**Requested features**

- iCloud sync for books and reading progress across devices
- Reset sync status option for switching Apple IDs
- Password protection after app backgrounding
- Improved PDF functionality with draggable progress bar and page jumping
- Chapter-based audio stop trigger instead of time-based


### Persimmon Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/persimmon-reader/id6800041021)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iReadNote free?

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

### Is Persimmon Reader free?

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

### Which has better reviews, iReadNote or Persimmon Reader?

Persimmon Reader is rated higher. iReadNote averages 4.8 out of 5 from 135 ratings, while Persimmon Reader averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do iReadNote or Persimmon Reader have ads?

iReadNote shows ads; Persimmon Reader does not.

### Which is updated more often, iReadNote or Persimmon Reader?

iReadNote ships an update monthly, and Persimmon Reader every 2 weeks. Most recently, iReadNote was updated on October 30, 2026 and Persimmon Reader on October 29, 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.*