Comparison

Koodo Reader vs Hoshi Reader

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

Head to head
About

Koodo Reader

Manage and read your local e-books with a powerful reader supporting numerous formats. Seamlessly integrate with cloud storage and NAS for cross-platform access. Customize your reading experience with adjustable fonts, themes, and optimized layouts.

Highlights
  • Broad e-book format support
  • Cloud and NAS integration
  • Cross-device library sync
  • Customizable reading interface
  • AI-powered dictionary and translation
  • Night mode and multiple themes
Features
Read full description

Koodo Reader is a powerful e-book reader designed for managing and reading local e-books. It supports a wide range of popular formats, including EPUB, PDF, MOBI, AZW3, TXT, Comics and more. It integrates seamlessly with personal NAS and cloud storage for a smooth cross-platform experience.  With a fully customizable interface, you can adjust fonts, switch between multiple themes, enable night mode, and enjoy optimized layouts for any screen size. Key Features: Broad Format Support: EPUB, PDF, MOBI, AZW3, AZW, TXT, FB2, CBR, CBZ, CBT, CB7, MD, DOCX, HTML, XML, XHTML, MHTML, HTM Cloud Integration: Works with OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, pCloud, Baidu Netdisk, 115 Netdisk, Aliyun Drive, Yandex Disk and Box Network Protocol Compatibility: WebDAV, Self-hosted Docker, SMB, FTP, SFTP and S3-Compatible Object Storage Sync Across Devices: Automatically keeps your library, reading progress, bookshelves, notes, and highlights up to date AI-Powered Tools: Built-in dictionary, translation, and smart summarization

About

Hoshi Reader

This app is a lightweight Japanese EPUB reader designed for immersion learning. It features a pop-up dictionary with deinflection and supports Anki integration for vocabulary mining. Organize your library with bookshelves and track your reading progress.

Highlights
  • Vertical and horizontal reading modes
  • Yomitan-like pop-up dictionary
  • Anki mining support
  • Customizable Anki card format
  • Reading statistics
  • Bookshelves for library organization
  • Customizable themes and fonts
Features
Read full description

Hoshi Reader is a lightweight Japanese EPUB reader with a built-in pop-up dictionary and Anki mining support, made for immersion learning. Main Features: - Vertical (縦書き) and horizontal (横書き) reading modes - Yomitan-like pop-up dictionary with proper deinflection support - Support for all Yomitan term, frequency and pitch dictionaries - Dictionary audio support - AnkiMobile mining support - Fully configurable Anki card format, with most handlebars targeting Lapis implemented - Sasayaki (Audiobooks): Sync audiobooks to book text to read along - Reading statistics - ッツ Reader sync - Bookshelves to organize your library - Customizable theme, font and layout

Screenshots

Koodo Reader4 screens
Hoshi Reader4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Hoshi Reader at 5.0 against Koodo Reader's 3.8. Hoshi Reader also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and update cadence (weekly vs monthly). Koodo Reader's advantage is iOS requirement (15.5 vs 18.0). On price, ads, monetization model 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. Koodo Reader sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Hoshi Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Hoshi Reader holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5 and 20 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 82% of Koodo Reader's written reviews are positive against 100% of Hoshi Reader's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Koodo Reader ships an update monthly, Hoshi Reader weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Koodo Reader versus Hoshi Reader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKoodo ReaderHoshi Reader
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (5 ratings)5.0 (20 ratings) — better
Positive reviews82.2% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings520 — better
Update frequencyMonthlyWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.5 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size72 MB9 MB
Age rating17+4+
Developer亮 郭Manh-Hao Steffen Pham

Customer experience

Koodo Reader

All ratings5 ratings
Positive60.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative20.0%
Written reviews45 reviews
Positive82.2%
Neutral6.7%
Negative11.1%

Hoshi Reader

All ratings20 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Koodo Reader

One-time2
  • 5 million Character Quota$4.99
  • Koodo Reader Pro (1 Year)$5.99
None

Hoshi Reader

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Koodo Reader free?
Koodo Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Hoshi Reader free?
Hoshi Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Koodo Reader or Hoshi Reader?
Hoshi Reader is rated higher. Koodo Reader averages 3.8 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Hoshi Reader averages 5.0 from 20 ratings.
Do Koodo Reader or Hoshi Reader have ads?
Neither Koodo Reader nor Hoshi Reader shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Koodo Reader or Hoshi Reader?
Koodo Reader ships an update monthly, and Hoshi Reader weekly. Most recently, Koodo Reader was updated on October 12, 2026 and Hoshi Reader on October 5, 2026.

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