Comparison

Readest vs True Epub

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

Head to head
About

Readest

This app offers a versatile reading experience for various ebook formats, allowing users to manage their library, take notes, listen to audiobooks, and sync progress across devices. It supports OPDS catalogs, Calibre servers, and multiple cloud storage options for seamless access.

Highlights
  • Supports EPUB, PDF, MOBI, AZW3, FB2, CBZ, TXT, Markdown
  • OPDS catalog and Calibre server integration
  • Text-to-speech with offline voices
  • Cross-device sync via cloud services
  • Annotation and note-taking tools
  • Customizable reading settings
  • CarPlay support for audiobooks
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Readest is an ebook reader for people who read a lot, and who want their books, notes and reading position on whatever device is nearest. Open EPUB, PDF, MOBI, AZW3, FB2, CBZ, TXT and Markdown in one library. Pull books from OPDS catalogs or from your own Calibre server. Read, annotate, listen, translate. Made for iPhone and iPad • CarPlay, so you can keep listening on the road with playback controls on the dashboard • Download read-aloud voices per book and listen with no connection at all • Add books from Files, Mail or any share sheet, and read them in place instead of copying them into a second library • Open up to four books at once on iPad and arrange them how you like Reading • Paginated or scrolling, with custom fonts, themes, spacing and margins • Vertical text for CJK books • Contrast and refresh tuned for e-ink screens • Full-text search inside a book Your library • Browse, search and download from OPDS catalogs and public libraries • Connect to Calibre or Calibre-Web, covers and metadata included • Organize with bookshelf groups you can rename Notes • Highlights, bookmarks and structured notes • Copy a highlight together with a deep link back to the passage • Export your annotations Listening and languages • Text-to-speech with downloadable offline voices • Translate a sentence, a page, or an entire book • Wikipedia and dictionary lookup without leaving the page Sync • Readest Cloud, or bring your own: iCloud, Google Drive, OneDrive, WebDAV, S3 • KOReader sync keeps your progress in step with your e-reader • iPhone, iPad, Mac, all other platforms and the web Readest is open source. Support: support@readest.com Privacy Policy: https://readest.com/privacy-policy Terms of Service: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

True Epub

This app allows you to easily open and read EPUB documents. Customize your reading experience by adjusting font size, adding highlights, and taking notes. Import files directly from your device or through the share menu.

Highlights
  • Open EPUB documents
  • Adjustable font size
  • Create highlights
  • Add notes
  • Import via Files app
  • Import via Share menu
Features
Read full description

True Epub is an EPUB reader built to help you open and read EPUB documents faster and more comfortably.
Import EPUBs directly from the Files app using the in-app Open button, or add them via the Share menu.
Adjust the font size for supplementary/reference content, create highlights and notes to capture what matters, and quickly revisit key parts later.

Screenshots

Readest4 screens
True Epub4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: True Epub at 5.0 against Readest's 4.5. True Epub also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 9). Readest's advantage is ratings volume (201 vs 3) and chart position (#192 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Readest sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. True Epub asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

True Epub holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Readest has 201 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Readest versus True Epub: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterReadestTrue Epub
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (201 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews84.2% of reviews—
Number of ratings201 — better3
Update frequencyFortnightlyFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemiumFree — better
Best chart rank#192 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, MaciPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS16.415.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size58 MB5 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBilingify LLCByung-woo Hwang

Customer experience

Readest

All ratings201 ratings
Positive85.6%
Neutral6.0%
Negative8.5%
Written reviews298 reviews
Positive84.2%
Neutral5.7%
Negative10.1%

True Epub

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

9 purchases

Readest

Subscriptions4
  • Subscribe to Plus Plan$4.991 Month
  • Subscribe to Pro Plan$9.991 Month
  • Subscribe to Plus Plan$49.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Subscribe to Pro Plan$99.991 Year
One-time5
  • 1 GB$9.99
  • 2 GB$14.99
  • Full Customization$19.99
Show 2 more
  • 5 GB$29.99
  • 10 GB$49.99
None

True Epub

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Readest free?
Readest is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is True Epub free?
True Epub is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Readest or True Epub?
True Epub is rated higher. Readest averages 4.5 out of 5 from 201 ratings, while True Epub averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.
Do Readest or True Epub have ads?
Neither Readest nor True Epub shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Readest or True Epub?
Readest ships an update fortnightly, and True Epub fortnightly. Most recently, Readest was updated on November 11, 2026 and True Epub on October 31, 2026.

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