Shiori Reader vs Hoshi Reader
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Shiori Reader
This EPUB reader is designed for Japanese language learners. It offers one-tap dictionary lookups, vocabulary saving, and Anki integration to help users expand their Japanese vocabulary and improve reading comprehension.
- One-tap dictionary lookup
- Yomitan dictionary import
- Seamless EPUB reading
- Vocabulary list saving
- Anki integration
- Context-aware learning
- Smart Japanese text support
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Read Japanese books with ease - look up words with a tap and expand your vocabulary. Shiori Reader is the ultimate EPUB reader designed specifically for Japanese language learners. With a sleek interface and powerful learning tools, Shiori transforms your reading experience by making Japanese texts accessible and enjoyable. Key Features: • One-tap dictionary lookup - Simply tap any Japanese word to instantly see its meaning, reading, and pitch accent • Dictionary import - Import Yomitan-formatted dictionaries to help expand your Japanese vocabulary • Seamless EPUB reading - Enjoy a fluid reading experience with customizable themes and font settings • Vocabulary building - Save important words to your vocabulary list for later review • Anki integration - Export words directly to AnkiMobile for efficient spaced repetition study • Context-aware learning - See words in their original sentence context to enhance understanding • Smart Japanese support - Advanced support for kanji, furigana, pitch accent, and complex Japanese text • Customizable reading experience - Choose between scroll and page modes, adjust font size and theme colors Perfect for Japanese learners at any level, Shiori Reader bridges the gap between reading authentic Japanese content and building vocabulary. Import your own EPUB files and start improving your Japanese reading skills today.
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.
- 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
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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
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Hoshi Reader at 5.0 against Shiori Reader's 4.7. On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Hoshi Reader holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 14 and 20 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Shiori Reader | Hoshi Reader |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (14 ratings) | 5.0 (20 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 14 | 20 — better |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 310 MB | 9 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Clint Russell Graviet Jr | Manh-Hao Steffen Pham |
Customer experience
Shiori Reader
Hoshi Reader
In-app purchases
Shiori Reader
No in-app purchases
Hoshi Reader
No in-app purchases
