# Four Books vs Analects Reader

The clearest difference is monetization model: Analects Reader at free against Four Books's free with in-app purchases. Analects Reader also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs monthly) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.0). Four Books's advantage is ratings volume (5 vs 1). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Four Books sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Analects Reader sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Four Books against 5.0 for Analects Reader. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Four Books has 5 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Four Books ships an update monthly, Analects Reader every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Four Books | Analects Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/four-books-confucian-classics/id6747745289/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/analects-reader/id6801033467/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 84 MB | 276 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Daoxue Academy](https://appshunter.io/developer/1822727493) | [Elliott Bernstein](https://appshunter.io/developer/1830879141) |

## What reviewers say

### Four Books

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/four-books-confucian-classics/id6747745289)

Explore traditional Confucian texts with dual-language presentations and scholarly tools. Features include original Chinese verses alongside English translations, sentence-level parsing for learning Classical Chinese, and a full-screen reader for an optimal reading experience.

**Highlights:** Dual-language presentation (Chinese/English), Sentence-level parsing for learning, Full-screen reader mode, Fast search functionality, Native Apple UI/UX, Offline functionality

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Scholar Pack | $3.99 | one-time |


### Analects Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/analects-reader/id6801033467)

Explore Confucius's Analects with interactive features. Read in original Chinese and English, with tappable characters for detailed meanings, readings, and usage. Offers multiple reading modes and integrated podcast commentary.

**Highlights:** Original Chinese and English text, Tappable characters with detailed meanings, Multiple reading modes (Study, Translation, Chinese, Classical), Integrated podcast commentary with episode guides, Notes saved as Markdown in iCloud Drive, Offline access to Chinese text

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Through the Gate | $3.00 | one-time |
| Up to the Hall | $10.00 | one-time |
| Into the Chamber | $30.00 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Four Books free?

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

### Is Analects Reader free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Four Books or Analects Reader?

Four Books and Analects Reader are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 5 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do Four Books or Analects Reader have ads?

Neither Four Books nor Analects Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Four Books or Analects Reader?

Four Books ships an update monthly, and Analects Reader every 2 weeks. Most recently, Four Books was updated on October 4, 2026 and Analects Reader on October 16, 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.*