Bulb vs EPUB Reader
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Bulb
Read full descriptionHide full description
Learn languages by reading real books and browsing websites. Tap any word for instant translation, build vocabulary from what you read, and improve your writing with AI feedback. Bulb is for people who want to learn through authentic content instead of gamified drills. Import EPUB books, browse foreign-language websites with built-in translation, and use AI feedback to improve your writing. === HOW IT WORKS === READ REAL BOOKS Import EPUB books in your target language. Tap any word for instant translation and pronunciation. Save words to your vocabulary as you read. Double-tap sentences for full context. Create bookmarks and highlights. BROWSE AND TRANSLATE WEBSITES Read news, articles, and blogs in your target language with built-in translation. Tap unfamiliar words for definitions. Save vocabulary while browsing. Practice with real-world content that interests you. BUILD VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT Every word you look up is saved with its original sentence. Review with spaced repetition flashcards generated from your reading. Practice translating sentences back and forth. Learn words as they are actually used. GET AI WRITING FEEDBACK Write essays, emails, or journal entries and receive detailed analysis of grammar, style, and vocabulary. See specific error patterns with visual charts. Get suggestions tailored to your level. Track your improvement over time. === WHO IT IS FOR === - Professionals improving business English or foreign-language writing for work - Students preparing for language exams with real reading and writing practice - Book lovers who want to read novels and nonfiction in other languages - Learners who prefer authentic content over artificial lessons and gamified drills === SUPPORTED LANGUAGES === English, Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Korean, Arabic, Serbian === KEY FEATURES === - EPUB reader with tap-to-translate - Built-in web browser with instant translation - Automatic vocabulary capture with context - Spaced repetition flashcards - AI essay analysis with grammar, style, and vocabulary feedback - Writing progress tracking with visual charts - iCloud sync across all your iOS devices Built for focused reading, vocabulary, and writing practice without gamified drills. Requires internet connection for AI features and translation. Privacy Policy: https://thebulb.app/privacy Terms of Service: https://thebulb.app/terms
EPUB Reader
This app helps you learn languages by reading books with side-by-side translations. You can tap to translate words or sentences, save vocabulary, and customize your reading experience. It offers a selection of free classic reads and the option to import your own EPUB and TXT files.
- Dual-text translation
- Tap to translate words/sentences
- Save vocabulary with context
- Import EPUB and TXT files
- Customizable reading themes and fonts
- Offline translation after initial download
Read full descriptionHide full description
Duotext translates whole sentences while you read. Keep the original in view and reveal a sentence’s translation with a tap, or keep translations visible with Pro. Read on iPhone and iPad. 24 CLASSIC READS IN YOUR LIBRARY • Three complete starter texts, free to read. • The English language setting starts with three French fables by Jean de La Fontaine, with ready-to-read English translations. • Other language settings start with English stories by Kate Chopin, O. Henry and Oscar Wilde. • Twenty-one more texts with Pro: French stories by Maupassant and fables by La Fontaine for the English language setting; English stories, including stories by Saki, for other settings. TRANSLATION THE WAY YOU WANT IT • Tap to translate — free, in every book: touch the mark after a sentence and its translation appears • Always-on translation under the text, with no tapping at all — with Pro • Choose how the text is split: by line, by sentence, or by paragraph — with Pro • Tap a single word to see what it means in that exact sentence BUILD VOCABULARY FROM REAL BOOKS • Press and hold a sentence to save a word together with the context you met it in • Free: up to 20 saved words. Pro: an unlimited dictionary BRING YOUR OWN BOOKS — WITH PRO • Import EPUB and TXT files • Paste any text • Save an article from the web by link A READER FIRST • Six reading themes, serif, sans serif and rounded fonts, adjustable type size — all free • Covers, reading progress, and your place in the book • Your books stay on your device HOW TRANSLATION WORKS Duotext uses the translation built into iOS, so text is translated on your iPhone. The first time you use a language pair, iOS downloads that language model, which needs an internet connection; after that, translation runs on your device. You can translate into the languages your device supports for translation. No account, no sign-up. WHAT IS FREE AND WHAT IS PRO Free: 3 complete stories, tap to translate in any book, up to 20 saved words, and every theme, font and type size. Duotext Pro adds: 21 more stories, always-on translation under every line, the by line / by sentence / by paragraph layouts, importing your own EPUB and TXT files, pasted text and links, and an unlimited dictionary. SUBSCRIPTION AND PURCHASE Duotext Pro is available as a yearly subscription with a free trial, or as a one-time Lifetime purchase. • Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. • The subscription renews automatically unless auto-renewal is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your Apple Account is charged for renewal within 24 hours before the end of the current period. • You can manage your subscription and turn off auto-renewal in your Apple Account settings. • Any unused portion of a free trial period is forfeited when you purchase a subscription. • Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ • Privacy Policy: https://artsaverin-star.github.io/legal/duotext/privacy.html
Screenshots
Verdict
Bulb and EPUB Reader are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Bulb sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days and EPUB Reader sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Bulb | EPUB Reader |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | — | 1 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days | Every 5 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | — | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 40 MB | 22 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Danis Gaiazov | Iaroslav Saverin |
In-app purchases
Bulb
- Premium Weekly$2.997 Days
- Premium Monthly7 Days trial$6.991 Month
- Premium Annual7 Days trial$49.991 Year
EPUB Reader
- Yearly3 Days trial$14.991 Year
- Lifetime$24.99








