Storyteller Reader vs Softcover
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!
Softcover
Track your reading progress, manage book lists, and connect with a community of readers. Discover new titles, follow friends, and engage in discussions. Features include detailed statistics, release notifications, and home screen widgets.
- Track reading progress (page/percentage/time)
- Manage reading lists (Currently Reading, Want to Read, Finished)
- Follow friends and explore trending titles
- Community book discussions and curated lists
- Detailed reading statistics and annual goals
- Release notifications for anticipated books
- Home screen widgets for reading progress
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Your favorite book tracking companion is here! Softcover brings the power of Hardcover to your iPhone with a beautifully designed, native iOS experience. Track Everything You Read Manage your Currently Reading, Want to Read, and Finished lists with ease. Update your progress by page, percentage, or time—perfect for both books and audiobooks. Stay Connected Follow friends, explore trending titles, discover curated community lists, and engage with book discussions. Join a vibrant community of passionate readers. Beautiful Home Screen Widgets Keep your reading progress at your fingertips with elegant widgets showing your current books and reading goals. Smart Features • Detailed reading statistics and annual goals • Release notifications for anticipated titles • Comprehensive book search with ratings and reviews • Edition selection Seamlessly Syncs with Hardcover All your reading data stays perfectly in sync with your Hardcover.app account across all your devices. Requires a free Hardcover.app account.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Storyteller Reader at 95% against Softcover's 33%. Storyteller Reader also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.3) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Storyteller Reader holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Storyteller Reader has 44 ratings behind it against 3, 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 33% of Softcover's.
Storyteller Reader ships an update every 2 weeks, Softcover every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Storyteller Reader | Softcover |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (44 ratings) — better | 4.3 (3 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 95.0% of reviews — better | 33.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 44 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 — better | 18.5 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 72 MB | 7 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Shane Friedman | Robin Bolinsson |
Customer experience
Storyteller Reader
Softcover
In-app purchases
Storyteller Reader
No in-app purchases
Softcover
No in-app purchases
