# Now Reading vs Actually Read

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Now Reading at none against Actually Read's 1. Now Reading also leads on iOS requirement (17.5 vs 26.2). Actually Read's advantage is ratings volume (9 vs 2). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Actually Read sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per month. Now Reading asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Now Reading against 5.0 for Actually Read. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 9 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

Now Reading ships an update weekly, Actually Read every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Now Reading | Actually Read |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/now-reading/id6627332935/reviews) | [5.0 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/actually-read-focus-reader/id6796197302/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **9** |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 8 MB | 46 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.5** | 26.2 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Minsang choi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1762237320) | [Prism32 LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1591711559) |

## What reviewers say

### Now Reading

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/now-reading/id6627332935)

Log books you are currently reading, have finished, or want to read. Display original or custom book covers and share your reading progress with friends through widgets or by swiping through your logged books.

**Highlights:** Track current reads, Archive finished books, Manage wishlist, Display book covers, Share reading progress, Widget support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Actually Read

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/actually-read-focus-reader/id6796197302)

Enhance your reading experience by tracking books, blocking distractions with Deep Focus, and utilizing an AI companion for deeper comprehension. Import your own files or discover public domain books to build a consistent reading habit.

**Highlights:** Track reading progress, Deep Focus distraction blocking, Import EPUBs and PDFs, AI-powered book companion, Summaries and recaps, On-device AI processing

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Actually Read Plus | $9.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Now Reading free?

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

### Is Actually Read free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Now Reading or Actually Read?

Now Reading and Actually Read are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 9 ratings respectively.

### Do Now Reading or Actually Read have ads?

Neither Now Reading nor Actually Read shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Now Reading or Actually Read?

Now Reading ships an update weekly, and Actually Read every 5 days. Most recently, Now Reading was updated on October 8, 2026 and Actually Read on October 13, 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.*