# DeerReader vs Absorb

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Absorb at none against DeerReader's 1. Absorb also leads on ratings volume (111 vs 2) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.1). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. DeerReader sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per year. Absorb asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for DeerReader against 4.9 for Absorb. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Absorb has 111 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of DeerReader's written reviews are positive against 97% of Absorb's.

DeerReader ships an update every 5 weeks, Absorb monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | DeerReader | Absorb |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/deerreader-audiobook-player/id6748619971/reviews)** | [4.9 (111 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/absorb-for-audiobookshelf/id6760673498/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **111** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 97.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 27 MB | 72 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.1 | **15.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Cloverfield Technologies LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1744210662) | [Nathan Poulson](https://appshunter.io/developer/1885644242) |

## What reviewers say

### DeerReader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/deerreader-audiobook-player/id6748619971)

Organize and listen to your digital audiobooks with a beautiful, intelligent player. Features adaptive UI, fast search, and automatic sorting into collections using AI. Enjoy a seamless listening experience with home screen widget access.

**Highlights:** Adaptive player UI matching audiobook cover, Fast, unified search for books and authors, Home screen widget for instant access, AI-powered automatic organization into collections, Intuitive playback controls, Support for large digital libraries

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Yearly Support Subscription | $9.99 | per year |


### Absorb

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/absorb-for-audiobookshelf/id6760673498)

This app provides a streamlined mobile experience for listening to audiobooks and podcasts from your self-hosted media server. Enjoy features like offline playback, chapter navigation, and listening statistics. It's a free, open-source solution with no ads or data collection.

**Highlights:** Offline listening, Chapter navigation, Sleep timer, Playback speed control, Home screen widgets, Listening statistics, CarPlay support

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is DeerReader free?

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

### Is Absorb free?

Absorb is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, DeerReader or Absorb?

DeerReader is rated higher. DeerReader averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Absorb averages 4.9 from 111 ratings.

### Do DeerReader or Absorb have ads?

Neither DeerReader nor Absorb shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, DeerReader or Absorb?

DeerReader ships an update every 5 weeks, and Absorb monthly. Most recently, DeerReader was updated on October 7, 2026 and Absorb on October 17, 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.*