# TheMadNote vs Octavo Reader

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Octavo Reader at none against TheMadNote's 2. Octavo Reader also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 2 weeks). TheMadNote's advantage is iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.5). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. TheMadNote sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Octavo Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

TheMadNote ships an update every 2 weeks, Octavo Reader daily. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TheMadNote | Octavo Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Daily** |
| Size | 147 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 18.5 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Imal Faruk](https://appshunter.io/developer/993053359) | [Desheng Xu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1833833819) |

## What reviewers say

### TheMadNote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/themadnote/id6462903120)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| Yearly subscription | $19.99 | per year |


### Octavo Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/octavo-reader/id6751176618)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TheMadNote free?

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

### Is Octavo Reader free?

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

### Do TheMadNote or Octavo Reader have ads?

Neither TheMadNote nor Octavo Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, TheMadNote or Octavo Reader?

TheMadNote ships an update every 2 weeks, and Octavo Reader daily. Most recently, TheMadNote was updated on October 3, 2026 and Octavo Reader on October 9, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*