Comparison

Ebook Central vs Open Reader

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Ebook Central

Read downloaded ebooks from your library securely and accessibly, anytime and anywhere. This app offers a modern reading experience with streamlined authentication and an intuitive interface, syncing your progress across devices for uninterrupted research, even offline.

Highlights
  • Offline reading
  • Secure reading experience
  • Streamlined authentication
  • Intuitive interface
  • Cross-device syncing
  • Accessible reading
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

The Ebook Central Reader App makes it easier than ever to read ebooks from your library—anytime, anywhere. It features a secure, accessible and modern reading experience for downloaded Ebook Central titles, with streamlined authentication and an intuitive interface. Whether you’re catching up on reading between classes or on a flight to your next getaway, you can continue your research uninterrupted, even without an internet connection. The Ebook Central app syncs across desktop and mobile devices, making it easy to manage your reading and research when you’re on the go. It’s the perfect companion app to the Ebook Central online platform, which is used to search and select books for download. The Ebook Central app has robust security features to ensure library collections and users' privacy are protected. Download the Ebook Central app today and start researching your way.

About

Open Reader

This app allows you to read your own EPUB, PDF, and CBZ files without converting them. It saves your progress automatically and offers extensive customization for text and background settings. Access your books directly from the Files app and enjoy offline reading.

Highlights
  • Read EPUB, PDF, and CBZ files
  • Automatic page saving
  • Customizable text and backgrounds
  • Offline reading support
  • Direct file access via Files app
  • No ads or in-app purchases
Features
Read full description

Read your own EPUB, PDF and CBZ comic files, and pick up exactly where you stopped. Open Reader keeps your books as ordinary files in Files > On My iPhone > Open Reader. Nothing is converted, hidden in a private library or offloaded to the cloud, so you can see, move and back up your books like any other file. • Your page is saved on every page turn, and survives closing the app, text size changes and relaunching. • EPUB, PDF and CBZ comics all open in this version, with no format locked behind a purchase. • 14 text sizes, plus line spacing, paragraph spacing, margins, justification and font. • Paper, Sepia, Night or Auto backgrounds. • Tap the edge of the page to turn it; the table of contents is one tap away. • Add many books at once, or a whole folder, from the Files app. Open in Open Reader from other apps. • Works offline. Remote images and scripts inside books are blocked. This version is free, with no account, ads, analytics or in-app purchases. Open Reader doesn't sell books and doesn't remove DRM; it opens DRM-free files you already have.

Screenshots

Ebook Central4 screens
Open Reader3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Open Reader at 5.0 against Ebook Central's 1.5. Open Reader also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). Ebook Central's advantage is ratings volume (38 vs 1) and chart position (#167 vs unranked). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Open Reader holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ebook Central has 38 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Ebook Central ships an update every 2 months, Open Reader every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Ebook Central versus Open Reader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEbook CentralOpen Reader
PriceFreeFree
Rating1.5 (38 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings38 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
Best chart rank#167 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone
Requires iOS14.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size50 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperClarivate Analytics (US) LLCPaul Jump

Customer experience

Ebook Central

All ratings37 ratings
Positive10.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative89.2%
Written reviews41 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Open Reader

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Ebook Central

No in-app purchases

None

Open Reader

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Ebook Central free?
Ebook Central is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Open Reader free?
Open Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Ebook Central or Open Reader?
Open Reader is rated higher. Ebook Central averages 1.5 out of 5 from 38 ratings, while Open Reader averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Ebook Central or Open Reader have ads?
Neither Ebook Central nor Open Reader shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Ebook Central or Open Reader?
Ebook Central ships an update every 2 months, and Open Reader every 2 weeks. Most recently, Ebook Central was updated on October 27, 2026 and Open Reader on October 26, 2026.

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