Comparison

Readest vs ReadAI Smart

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 is a powerful ebook reader designed for deep thinkers and researchers. It offers advanced annotation tools, seamless device syncing, and robust library management with OPDS and Calibre support. Enjoy a distraction-free reading experience with customizable modes and multi-book viewing for enhanced study and analysis.

Highlights
  • OPDS Online Libraries
  • Calibre Integration
  • Sync Across Devices
  • Bookshelf Management
  • Customizable Reading Modes
  • Multi-Book View
  • Advanced Annotations & Highlights
Features
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

ReadAI Smart

Features
Read full description

ReadAI is a smart book reader built for people who want more than just a reading app. Upload your own PDF, EPUB, and FB2 books, read in a clean and comfortable interface, and use AI tools right inside the book. Translate difficult passages, ask questions about what you are reading, listen to text and words, save useful quotes, and build your personal vocabulary as you go. ReadAI helps you stay inside the reading flow while understanding more, remembering more, and coming back to important parts later. Why readers choose ReadAI: • Read your own books in PDF, EPUB, and FB2 • Translate paragraphs and selected text instantly • Ask AI questions about the book while you read • Listen to text and vocabulary with audio support • Save new words to your personal dictionary • Review vocabulary with flashcards and associations • Highlight quotes and keep notes in one place • Search across your books and library • Track reading progress and activity ReadAI is a great fit if you: • Read in English or other languages • Want to combine reading with vocabulary learning • Need one app for reading, translation, and study • Prefer listening to text when a passage feels difficult • Want to save words, notes, and quotes without switching between apps Instead of jumping between an ebook reader, translator, dictionary, notes app, and AI assistant, you get everything in one focused reading experience. Use ReadAI to read with more confidence, understand more of every page, and turn everyday reading into steady learning. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Readest4 screens
ReadAI Smart4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is device support: Readest at 3 against ReadAI Smart's 1. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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 8 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and ReadAI Smart sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and September 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Readest versus ReadAI Smart: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterReadestReadAI Smart
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (178 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews83.9% of reviews—
Number of ratings178 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightlyFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.4 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size67 MB55 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBilingify LLCVladislav Condratiev

In-app purchases

8 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-time4
  • 1 GB$9.99
  • 2 GB$14.99
  • 5 GB$29.99
Show 1 more
  • 10 GB$49.99
2 purchases

ReadAI Smart

Subscriptions2
  • Base Monthly$6.991 Month
  • Pro Yearly$49.991 Year

Questions

Is Readest free?
Readest is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ReadAI Smart free?
ReadAI Smart is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Readest or ReadAI Smart have ads?
Neither Readest nor ReadAI Smart shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Readest or ReadAI Smart?
Readest ships an update fortnightly, and ReadAI Smart fortnightly. Most recently, Readest was updated on September 30, 2026 and ReadAI Smart on September 13, 2026.

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