# Readest vs Athene Reader

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Athene Reader at none against Readest's 9. Athene Reader also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs fortnightly). Readest's advantage is ratings volume (185 vs 6) and rating (4.5 vs 4.3). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Readest holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Readest has 185 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 84% of Readest's written reviews are positive against 80% of Athene Reader's.

Readest ships an update fortnightly, Athene Reader every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Readest | Athene Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (185 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/readest-ebook-reader/id6738622779/reviews)** | [4.3 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/athene-reader/id6811711454/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **185** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | **83.9% of reviews** | 80.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 57 MB | 36 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.4** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bilingify LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1781524090) | [Aditya Sreedhar](https://appshunter.io/developer/6811711456) |

## What reviewers say

### Readest

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/readest-ebook-reader/id6738622779)

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:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Subscribe to Plus Plan | $4.99 | per month |
| Subscribe to Pro Plan | $9.99 | per month |
| Subscribe to Plus Plan | $49.99 | per year |
| Subscribe to Pro Plan | $99.99 | per year |
| 1 GB | $9.99 | one-time |
| 2 GB | $14.99 | one-time |
| Full Customization | $19.99 | one-time |
| 5 GB | $29.99 | one-time |
| 10 GB | $49.99 | one-time |


### Athene Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/athene-reader/id6811711454)

Organize and read your digital books from various sources. Customize your reading experience with adjustable fonts, colors, and layouts. Listen to your books, take notes, and even ask questions about the content with an AI assistant.

**Highlights:** Import books from various sources, Customizable reading interface, Text-to-speech functionality, Note-taking and highlighting, AI-powered content questions, Offline dictionary, iCloud Sync

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Readest free?

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

### Is Athene Reader free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Readest or Athene Reader?

Readest is rated higher. Readest averages 4.5 out of 5 from 185 ratings, while Athene Reader averages 4.3 from 6 ratings.

### Do Readest or Athene Reader have ads?

Neither Readest nor Athene Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Readest or Athene Reader?

Readest ships an update fortnightly, and Athene Reader every 2 days. Most recently, Readest was updated on October 14, 2026 and Athene Reader on October 5, 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.*