Storyteller Reader vs Tonspur
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Storyteller Reader
This app allows you to read EPUB ebooks with guided narration on your device. It supports immersive reading features and can sync with a self-hosted backend for automatic audiobook and ebook alignment.
- Read EPUB books
- Guided narration support
- Immersive reading
- Self-hosted backend pairing
- Automatic audiobook/ebook alignment
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Storyteller is a self-hosted platform for creating and reading ebooks with guided narration. You can use the app to read any EPUB books, including those with Media Overlays (also called “immersive reading” or “guided narration”) on your device, or you can pair it with the Storyteller self-hosted backend server, which can automatically align audiobooks and ebooks for immersive reading!
Tonspur
Listen to your personal audiobook collection with this companion app. Enjoy features like adjustable playback speed, a sleep timer, and easy chapter navigation. Download books for offline listening and sync your progress across devices.
- Variable playback speed
- Sleep timer
- Offline listening
- Chapter navigation
- Progress syncing
- CarPlay support
- Multi-library support
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Listen to your personal audiobook collection with Tonspur, the companion app for Audiobookshelf. Tonspur makes it easy to enjoy the audiobooks you own. Adjust playback speed to match your preference, set a sleep timer for bedtime listening, and jump between chapters with a simple tap. Download books to listen offline, and sync your progress across all your devices including iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and CarPlay. Connect to multiple libraries and switch between them effortlessly. Whether you're at home, in the car with CarPlay, or on the go, your audiobooks are always ready when you are. FEATURES: * Support for podcasts and eBooks * Variable playback speed and automatic sleep timer * Download books for offline listening * Easy chapter navigation * Multi-User Support * Easily switch between libraries * CarPlay support * Automatic progress syncing * Statistics * Widgets * Pinned Genres and Playlists * Integrated Equalizer
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Storyteller Reader at none against Tonspur's 1. Storyteller Reader also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.7) and review sentiment (95% vs 83%). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Tonspur sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Storyteller Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.
Storyteller Reader holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Storyteller Reader has 44 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 95% of Storyteller Reader's written reviews are positive against 83% of Tonspur's.
Storyteller Reader ships an update every 2 weeks, Tonspur every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Storyteller Reader | Tonspur |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (44 ratings) — better | 4.7 (6 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 95.0% of reviews — better | 83.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 44 — better | 6 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 — better | 26.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 72 MB | 32 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Shane Friedman | Tim Olbrich |
Customer experience
Storyteller Reader
Tonspur
In-app purchases
Storyteller Reader
No in-app purchases
Tonspur
- Downloads$8.99
