Comparison

Joyshort vs ReadShort

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

Head to head
About

Joyshort

Discover a vast collection of short dramas from around the globe, featuring diverse themes like romance, suspense, and comedy. Enjoy high-definition playback and a personalized viewing experience that recommends content based on your preferences.

Highlights
  • Diverse short drama themes
  • High-definition picture quality
  • Smooth playback
  • Personalized recommendations
  • Convenient interface
  • Viewing history management
Features
Read full description

Welcome to Joyshort — Your New Destination for Immersive Short Dramas! Experience complete, binge-worthy short dramas filled with unexpected twists, emotional moments, and nonstop excitement. Watch addictive short drama shows: billionaire romance, werewolf fated mates, revenge fantasy & mystery love stories.Whether you're commuting, taking a break, or winding down before bed, Joyshort lets you dive into captivating stories anytime, anywhere. Joyshort brings together a vast collection of exclusive original short dramas, featuring romance, fantasy, revenge, mystery, comedy, and more. Every story is fast-paced, emotionally engaging, and designed to keep you watching until the very end. ※ Explore Popular Genres From billionaire romance, werewolf love stories, revenge, and family drama to fantasy adventures, suspense, and comedy, discover stories for every mood and every taste. ※ Smart Personalized Recommendations Our intelligent recommendation engine learns your viewing preferences and helps you discover your next favorite drama. Easily manage your watchlist and viewing history for a personalized entertainment experience. ※ Exclusive Original Stories Enjoy a growing library of exclusive original dramas available only on Joyshort. Discover fresh stories, unforgettable characters, and thrilling plot twists you won't find anywhere else. ※ New Releases Every Week Fresh exclusive dramas and new episodes are added regularly, so there's always something new to enjoy. ※ Daily Rewardss Complete daily tasks to earn Coins and unlock premium episodes for free, making it even easier to enjoy more of your favorite stories. ※ HD Streaming Experience Enjoy crystal-clear video quality and smooth playback for an immersive and uninterrupted viewing experience. ※ Entertainment Anytime Whether you have a few spare minutes or want to relax after a long day, Joyshort makes it easy to enjoy compelling stories whenever you want. Download Joyshort today and start your next binge-worthy adventure! Privacy Policy: https://www.joyshort.com/privacy User Agreement: https://www.joyshort.com/terms

About

ReadShort

Experience novels like never before with AI-narrated drama episodes. Watch stories unfold with expressive voices and cinematic pacing, then dive deeper into the original novels. Discover thousands of stories across all genres, with new content added daily.

Highlights
  • AI-narrated drama episodes
  • Cinematic pacing and expressive voices
  • Seamless switch between watching and reading
  • Vast library of stories and genres
  • Personalized daily story feed
  • New episodes and chapters added daily
  • Flexible consumption options
Features
Read full description

Read Short: Stories Brought to Life by AI Narration Forget reading alone. Read Short transforms novels into immersive AI-narrated drama episodes — expressive voices, cinematic pacing, and storytelling that pulls you in. Watch the story unfold, then go deeper in the original novel. AI Narrator Drama — Feel Every Scene Our AI narrators don't just read the story — they perform it. With expressive delivery, dramatic pacing, and character-driven narration, every episode draws you in from the first line. Romance, suspense, revenge — every genre feels more alive when narration brings it to life. Watch & Read — One Story, Two Ways In Hooked on a narrated episode? Go deeper. Switch seamlessly between watching AI-narrated drama and reading the full original novel — uncover extended plots, full character arcs, and story details only in the book. Thousands of Stories, Every Genre From slow-burn romance and billionaire love stories to gripping revenge arcs and fantasy rebirths — explore a vast library curated for what you actually want to watch and read. New series added every week. Your Daily Story Feed Our smart recommendation system learns your taste and builds a personalized feed of narrated episodes and novels — so every time you open the app, something good is waiting. New Episodes, Every Single Day Follow ongoing series or binge complete ones. Fresh narrated episodes and novel chapters drop daily — you'll never run out. Flexible, On Your Terms Free daily episodes, coin unlocks, or go VIP for unlimited access. Watch a 5-minute episode on your commute or spend an evening in a full novel — Read Short fits how you want to consume stories. Your next favorite story is one episode away. Start watching free. Terms of Service: https://www.readshort.com/support/user-agreement.html Privacy Policy: https://www.readshort.com/support/privacy-agreement.html

Screenshots

Joyshort3 screens
ReadShort4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: ReadShort at 4.4 against Joyshort's 4.1. ReadShort also leads on update cadence (every 10 days vs every 3 weeks). Joyshort's advantage is review sentiment (44% vs 30%) and chart position (#75 vs unranked). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Joyshort sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per 7 days and ReadShort sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ReadShort holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Joyshort has 302 ratings behind it against 56, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 44% of Joyshort's written reviews are positive against 30% of ReadShort's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Joyshort ships an update every 3 weeks, ReadShort every 10 days. Both last shipped on November 5, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Joyshort versus ReadShort: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterJoyshortReadShort
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.1 (302 ratings)4.4 (56 ratings) — better
Positive reviews44.1% of reviews — better30.0% of reviews
Number of ratings302 — better56
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 10 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#75 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS13 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size117 MB110 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperHong Kong Coolya Technology LimitedBUBBLE GROUP HK LIMITED

Customer experience

Joyshort

All ratings243 ratings
Positive75.7%
Neutral0.8%
Negative23.5%
Written reviews93 reviews
Positive44.1%
Neutral1.1%
Negative54.8%

ReadShort

All ratings56 ratings
Positive85.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative14.3%
Written reviews20 reviews
Positive30.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative70.0%

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Joyshort

Subscriptions7
  • Check-in Rewards Pack$14.997 Days
  • Coin Package-A$19.997 Days
  • Weekly VIP$19.997 Days
Show 4 more
  • Coin Package-B$28.997 Days
  • Check-in Rewards Pack$29.997 Days
  • Weekly VIP$29.997 Days
  • Yearly VIP$149.991 Year
One-time3
  • 3500 Coins$9.99
  • 7000 Coins$19.99
  • 10000 Coins$29.99
8 purchases

ReadShort

Subscriptions6
  • Weekly Vip$12.997 Days
  • Weekly Vip7 Days trial$14.997 Days
  • Weekly Vip7 Days trial$16.997 Days
Show 3 more
  • Weekly Vip7 Days trial3 variants$19.997 Days
  • Weekly Vip$19.997 Days
  • Weekly Vip7 Days trial$24.997 Days
One-time2
  • One-time Purchase$4.99
  • One-time Purchase$19.99

Questions

Is Joyshort free?
Joyshort is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ReadShort free?
ReadShort is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Joyshort or ReadShort?
ReadShort is rated higher. Joyshort averages 4.1 out of 5 from 302 ratings, while ReadShort averages 4.4 from 56 ratings.
Do Joyshort or ReadShort have ads?
Neither Joyshort nor ReadShort shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Joyshort or ReadShort?
Joyshort ships an update every 3 weeks, and ReadShort every 10 days. Most recently, Joyshort was updated on November 5, 2026 and ReadShort on November 5, 2026.

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