Comparison

Readeck vs Mandrill

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

Head to head
About

Readeck

Organize your web links with categories, tags, and offline reading capabilities. This app offers a native iOS design with customizable layouts and annotation tools for an enhanced reading experience. It prioritizes user privacy with a self-hosted backend option.

Highlights
  • Organize links by categories and tags
  • Offline reading with background sync
  • Share extension for easy saving
  • Customizable card layout styles
  • Highlight and annotate text
  • Self-hosted backend for privacy
Features
Read full description

Organize all your links with categories, offline support, and native iOS design. The native iOS client for readeck.org brings professional bookmark management to your iPhone and iPad. iOS 26 ready – Optimized for the latest iOS version Smart Organization • Organize bookmarks in categories: All, Unread, Favorites, Archive, Articles, Videos, Pictures • Dynamic tag system with search functionality • Swipe actions for quick management Share Extension • Add URLs directly from Safari and other apps • Works with any app that supports sharing • Automatic metadata extraction Three Card Layout Styles • Compact layout for quick browsing • Magazine style for visual appeal • Natural layout for optimal readability Universal App • Native iOS design with Dark Mode support • iPad support with multi-column split view and sidebar menu • Also available for Mac • Responsive design for all devices Offline Reading • Read articles without internet connection • Automatic background sync keeps unread articles cached • Choose how many articles to cache (5–100) • Pre-download images for offline viewing • Save bookmarks offline via share extension Enhanced Reading Experience • Highlight and annotate text passages with multiple colors • 10+ fonts including Literata, Merriweather, SF Pro and New York • Article view with reading time and word count • Reading progress tracking • Undo delete system with visual progress Privacy & Control • Self-hosted backend - your data stays on your server • Secure OAuth 2.0 login via browser • VPN and private network support (e.g. Tailscale) • HTTP and self-signed certificate support • No tracking or analytics Important Note: This app requires your own Readeck server instance. You must run your own Readeck server or have access to one to use this app.

About

Mandrill

Read full description

Mandrill is a fast, native Markdown reader and editor for iPhone and iPad; beautifully designed. Whether you're reviewing a README on the go, editing notes in your GitHub repo, or reading documentation on your iPad, Mandrill renders Markdown the way it's meant to look. Clean typography. GitHub themes. Zero clutter. GitHub integration: your repos in your pocket Sign in with GitHub and browse your repositories directly from the app. Open any repo, read and edit your Markdown files, and push changes back to GitHub when you're ready without ever touching a terminal or switching apps. Mandrill tracks which files have been modified and surfaces them clearly so you always know what's changed. Open anything Tap + to open a file from your device, browse a local folder, or connect to a GitHub repository. Mandrill shows only your .md files; no noise, no clutter, just the documents you care about. A reader you'll actually enjoy using Mandrill turns plain .md files into clean, typographically polished pages. Headings, lists, blockquotes, fenced code blocks, tables, inline code, bold, italic, and strikethrough, all rendered with care, in the theme you love. GitHub themes built in Choose GitHub Light, GitHub Dark, or System which follows your device's appearance automatically. Code blocks are highlighted per language like Swift, Python, JavaScript/TypeScript, Go, Rust, Java/Kotlin, C, C++, Objective-C, Ruby, Bash, SQL, CSS and more using authentic GitHub palettes. Made for how you read Mandrill gives you real control over your reading experience. Pick your typeface: Sans, Serif, or Mono. Adjust text size with a slider. Set your reading width to Narrow, Wide, or Full. Every setting is there because it matters. Tables, done right Markdown tables render properly with correct alignment, theming, and zero fuss. One-click code copying Every fenced code block ships with a copy button so you can grab snippets without selecting a single character. Fast, even on large files Markdown parsing and syntax highlighting run on a background thread, so the UI stays smooth and responsive on long documents. Private by design Mandrill requires no account to use and collects zero data. The optional GitHub integration connects only to GitHub's own servers we see nothing. No analytics. No third-party SDKs. Your files never leave your device. Highlights - GitHub integration: sign in, browse repos, track modified files, and push to GitHub from your iPhone or iPad - Open files, folders, or GitHub repositories from a single tap - Beautiful Markdown rendering: H1–H6, bold/italic/strikethrough, inline code, fenced code blocks, blockquotes, lists, tables, and horizontal rules - GitHub Light, GitHub Dark, and System themes - Per-language syntax highlighting like Swift, Python, JS/TS, Go, Rust, Java/Kotlin, C/C++/Obj-C, Ruby, Bash, SQL, CSS and more - Typeface picker: Sans, Serif, or Mono - Adjustable text size and reading width - One-click copy on every code block - Off-thread parsing for smooth performance on large files - Works on iPhone and iPad - Zero data collection. No account required to read and edit. Built with love for iOS and iPadOS.

Screenshots

Readeck4 screens
Mandrill4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Readeck at Free against Mandrill's $4.99. Readeck also leads on iOS requirement (18.1 vs 26.0). Mandrill's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 5 weeks). On ads, in-app purchases and device support 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

Readeck is free to download; Mandrill costs $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Readeck ships an update every 5 weeks, Mandrill weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Readeck versus Mandrill: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterReadeckMandrill
PriceFree — better$4.99
Rating4.6 (10 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings10 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.1 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size14 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperIlyas HallakVandan Desai

In-app purchases

None

Readeck

No in-app purchases

None

Mandrill

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Readeck free?
Readeck is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Mandrill free?
Mandrill costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Readeck or Mandrill have ads?
Neither Readeck nor Mandrill shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Readeck or Mandrill?
Readeck ships an update every 5 weeks, and Mandrill weekly. Most recently, Readeck was updated on October 11, 2026 and Mandrill on October 6, 2026.

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