# Read Bean vs Bamboo Reader

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Read Bean at 369 against Bamboo Reader's 1. Read Bean also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.0). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Read Bean sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month and Bamboo Reader sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Read Bean against 5.0 for Bamboo Reader. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Read Bean has 369 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Read Bean ships an update weekly, Bamboo Reader every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Read Bean | Bamboo Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (369 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/read-bean/id6736993989/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bamboo-reader-read-chinese/id6746738856/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **369** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 90.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 9 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 113 MB | 87 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Refond, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1774270517) | [Tifany Pan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1816393725) |

## What reviewers say

### Read Bean

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/read-bean/id6736993989)

Master Chinese with authentic, graded readings and interactive exercises. Tailored lessons adapt to your HSK level, offering vocabulary drills, grammar practice, and AI-powered speaking roleplays. Get instant translation and pronunciation support.

**Highlights:** Authentic graded readings, HSK 1-6 level adaptation, Interactive drills and exercises, AI-powered speaking roleplays, On-demand translation and pronunciation, Spaced repetition flashcards

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Premium | $14.99 | per month |
| 6 Month Premium | $79.99 | per 6 months |
| Annual Premium | $99.99 | per year |
| Annual Premium | $119.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Intuitive UI
- 🚀 Effective learning experience
- 💡 Relevant and engaging content
- 🎉 Helps improve reading comprehension
- 🌟 Better than Duolingo

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Design issues on iPad
- 🔍 Auto-correct issues when searching

**Reported bugs**

- Login screen freezes
- Incompatibility with older devices

**Requested features**

- Full-screen mode for iPad
- Ability to use reading assistance on any website


### Bamboo Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bamboo-reader-read-chinese/id6746738856)

Master Chinese by importing any document, article, or voice recording. Get instant translations, build vocabulary with smart flashcards, and study offline. Supports HSK levels 1-6 for structured learning.

**Highlights:** Import documents, articles, and web content, Instant word translation with pinyin, Smart spaced repetition flashcards, Offline dictionary with 50,000+ entries, Progress tracking for HSK levels, Customizable vocabulary decks

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Premium | $5.99 | per month |
| Yearly Premium | $34.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Premium | $89.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Read Bean free?

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

### Is Bamboo Reader free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Read Bean or Bamboo Reader?

Bamboo Reader is rated higher. Read Bean averages 4.9 out of 5 from 369 ratings, while Bamboo Reader averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Read Bean or Bamboo Reader have ads?

Neither Read Bean nor Bamboo Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Read Bean or Bamboo Reader?

Read Bean ships an update weekly, and Bamboo Reader every 9 days. Most recently, Read Bean was updated on October 13, 2026 and Bamboo Reader 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.*