# 阅竹 vs BeyondRead

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: 阅竹 at none against BeyondRead's 6. 阅竹 also leads on iOS requirement (13.4 vs 17.0). BeyondRead's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 10 days). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BeyondRead sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. 阅竹 asks for nothing beyond the download.

阅竹 ships an update every 10 days, BeyondRead every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 阅竹 | BeyondRead |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beyondread/id6808016847/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1** |
| Positive reviews | 85.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 45 MB | 15 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.4** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [伟松 张](https://appshunter.io/developer/1612273066) | [章 刘](https://appshunter.io/developer/1810877192) |

## What reviewers say

### 阅竹

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/txtepub/id6502974949)

This application is a cross-platform novel reader that synchronizes your reading progress across all your devices. It supports various ebook formats, including TXT, and offers extensive customization options for a comfortable reading experience. Enjoy a vast library of free novels without any advertisements.

**Highlights:** Cross-platform synchronization, Supports multiple ebook formats (TXT), Customizable reading experience, Vast free novel library, Ad-free reading

**In-app purchases:** none


### BeyondRead

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beyondread/id6808016847)

This app is an EPUB and PDF reader that includes a library of over 20,000 public-domain classics. It offers AI-powered features to explain, translate, or discuss any sentence within a book, and can generate concise AI Digests of entire books. All reading data is stored locally for enhanced privacy.

**Highlights:** AI sentence explanation, translation, and chat, AI book digests, Library of 20,000+ public-domain classics, EPUB, PDF, and MOBI support, Local-first data storage, Customizable reading experience, Quote card creation and sharing

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plus Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| Pro Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Max Monthly | $8.99 | per month |
| AI Top-Up · Small | $0.99 | one-time |
| AI Top-Up · Medium | $2.99 | one-time |
| AI Top-Up · Large | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 阅竹 free?

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

### Is BeyondRead free?

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

### Do 阅竹 or BeyondRead have ads?

Neither 阅竹 nor BeyondRead shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, 阅竹 or BeyondRead?

阅竹 ships an update every 10 days, and BeyondRead every 4 days. Most recently, 阅竹 was updated on October 13, 2026 and BeyondRead on October 9, 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.*