Bookov vs Second Reading
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side ā with what reviewers say about each.
Bookov
This app allows you to import and read your own EPUB, FB2, and PDF books with customizable typography and themes. It also offers AI-powered summaries, quote saving, and a distraction-free reading experience, prioritizing user privacy and data ownership.
- Import EPUB, FB2, PDF files
- Customizable reading experience
- AI-powered book summaries
- Save quotes and notes
- Organize books into custom shelves
- Privacy-focused, local data storage
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Bookov is reading app designed for book lovers who want to own their personal collection, not rent it. Import your EPUB, FB2, and PDF books to read with beautiful typography, or discover new titles to add to your wishlist. Or add them manually. YOUR LIBRARY, YOUR WAY ⢠Add any book to your library without purchasing or uploading ⢠Create custom bookshelves organized by author, genre, or your own categories ⢠Import your existing book files in EPUB, FB2, and PDF formats ⢠Generate AI summaries for any book ⢠All your data belongs to you - stored locally on your device BEAUTIFUL READING EXPERIENCE ⢠Choose from 8 carefully selected fonts: PT Serif, Inter, Spectral, IBM Plex Sans, and more ⢠Customize margins, line spacing, and text size for perfect readability & aesthetics ⢠4 color themes: White, Sepia, Gray, and Dark mode ⢠Smart pagination that perfectly fills every page AI-POWERED SUMMARIES ⢠Generate AI summaries of any book in your library ⢠Choose your style: quick overview, deep analysis, or key ideas ⢠Customize language and format to match your preferences SAVE QUOTES & NOTES ⢠Highlight and save quotes as you read ⢠Add your thoughts to quotes ⢠Access all your saved quotes in one place DESIGNED FOR READERS ⢠Lightning-fast performance on books of any size ⢠Resumes exactly where you left off ⢠Seamless page turning with natural gestures ⢠Clean, distraction-free interface that gets out of your way PRIVACY & OWNERSHIP ⢠No tracking, no ads ⢠Your books and data stay on your device ⢠We believe in "file over app" philosophy ⢠You own your library, not us BUILT FOR iOS Native iOS app crafted specifically for iPhone. No web wrappers, no compromises - just a premium reading experience that feels right at home on your device. --- Perfect for readers who want: - Complete control over their book collection - Professional typography and reading experience - Privacy and data ownership - Support for multiple book formats - Beautiful, customizable interface Download Bookov and start building the personal library you've always wanted. BOOKOV PRO Bookov Pro is an optional auto-renewing subscription. It unlocks your full reading history and statistics, the premium app icons, and 30 AI credits every month. ⢠Bookov Pro Monthly ā US$6.99 per month ⢠Bookov Pro Annual ā US$49.99 per year Prices may vary by region. Every plan starts with a 7-day free trial. Payment is charged to your Apple Account when the trial ends, and the subscription renews automatically unless it is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel anytime in Settings ā Apple Account ā Subscriptions. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://web.bookov.app/privacy-policy
Second Reading
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You read something great on your Kindle and highlighted it. Now what? Second Reading imports the highlights you saved on your Kindle and gives them somewhere to live: a customizable Home Screen widget, a searchable library, and a cozy daily page worth returning to. Every highlight arrives on a color of its own, so no two quite feel the same. No account is needed. No analytics collected. Your library stays on your device and on your other devices too, through your own iCloud, if you turn it on. HOME SCREEN WIDGET Small, medium, or large. Rotates hourly or daily, in your choice of four typefaces, and shifts color as it goes. Pin a single shade if you would rather it sat still beside your wallpaper, or pick a neutral and have no color there at all. Tap a highlight to open it in the app. Show only your favorites if you would rather see only a few quotes. TODAY One highlight, full page, nothing competing for attention ā on a field of color that changes along with it. Pull another whenever you like, mark a favorite, or share it. YOUR LIBRARY Every book you have highlighted, sorted by title, author, or most recently read. Turn a book off to keep it out of the rotation without deleting anything ā or turn off a single highlight and leave the rest of the book showing. SEARCH Full-text search across everything you have imported, including books you have switched off. RE-IMPORTING IS SAFE Import your clippings file as often as you like. Second Reading works out what is genuinely new, leaves the edits you have made alone, and asks which version to keep only in the rare case where it cannot tell. QUOTES OF YOUR OWN Type in a line from a paper book and keep it alongside the rest. BUILT FOR IPHONE AND IPAD One app, both devices, with a layout that uses the space it is given. CROSS-DEVICE SYNC Off until you switch it on. Turn it on and your highlights, notes and favorites stay in step across your iPhone and iPad, through your own iCloud account with no server of ours in the middle. PRIVACY Second Reading is privacy focused. There is no server, no account, no tracking, and no third-party SDK collecting anything. Nothing you import ever leaves your device unless you choose to sync with your iCloud account. Free. No subscription, no in-app purchases, no advertising. Second Reading is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to Amazon. "Kindle" is used only to describe the highlights file the app reads.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Second Reading at none against Bookov's 7. Bookov's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 weeks). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Bookov sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. Second Reading asks for nothing beyond the download.
Bookov ships an update every 5 days, Second Reading every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 16, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Bookov | Second Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 85.7% of reviews | ā |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days ā better | Every 2 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No ā better |
| Monetization | Free | ā |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Further details ā not scored | ||
| Size | 104 MB | 8 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Kirill Oleinichenko | Nicholas Kinloch |
In-app purchases
Bookov
- 10 AI Credits$0.99
- 50 AI Credits$2.99
- Supporter$4.99
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- 250 AI Credits$9.99
- Believer$19.99
- 1000 AI Credits$29.99
- Evangelist$49.99
Second Reading
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Bookov free?
Is Second Reading free?
Do Bookov or Second Reading have ads?
Which is updated more often, Bookov or Second Reading?
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