Comparison

True Reader vs Heard

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

Head to head
About

True Reader

Features
Read full description

DarkReader - A Minimalist Dark Mode E-Reader for iOS Read your favorite books in a beautiful dark interface designed for comfortable reading. DarkReader is a simple, elegant e-reader that supports multiple file formats and gets out of your way so you can focus on what matters: reading. FEATURES: Multiple Format Support • PDF - Portable Document Format with page-by-page navigation • EPUB - Electronic books with adjustable text • TXT - Plain text files • CBZ/ZIP - Comic book archives • Images - JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP Designed for Reading • Page-by-page navigation with simple tap controls • Tap right side to turn forward, left to go back • Tap center to access controls • Automatic chapter detection and formatting • Adjustable font sizes for comfortable reading Beautiful Dark Theme • Easy on your eyes in any lighting • Black, white, and gray color scheme • Consistent dark interface throughout • Perfect for nighttime reading Smart Progress Tracking • Automatically saves your reading position • Resume exactly where you left off • Visual progress bars in your library • Track multiple books simultaneously Clean & Simple • No ads or distractions • No account required • No data collection or tracking • Fast and lightweight • Intuitive interface PERFECT FOR: • Book lovers who want a clean reading experience • Students reading textbooks and PDFs • Comic book enthusiasts • Anyone who prefers dark mode interfaces • Readers who value simplicity and privacy Import books from Files, iCloud Drive, or any document source on your device. Your books and reading progress are stored locally and privately on your device. Download DarkReader today and rediscover the joy of focused, distraction-free reading.

About

Heard

Features
Read full description

Heard turns timeless books into audiobooks, narrated by a natural neural voice generated right on your device. No streaming, no accounts - just open a book and press play, for free. Because the narration is created on your phone, it works anywhere: on a plane, on the subway, or with the Wi‑Fi off. A CURATED LIBRARY, INCLUDED FREE • 56 classic works of literature — Austen, Dostoevsky, Dickens, Homer, the Brontës, Poe and more • Sourced from Project Gutenberg and in the public domain • Synced reading with Text to Speech • Speed control for speech A READER THAT GETS OUT OF THE WAY • Clean, distraction-free pages with light, dark, and sepia themes • Adjustable font size and serif, sans, or mono typefaces • Pages turn automatically as the narration reads along • Always picks up right where you left off LISTEN HANDS-FREE • Tap play and follow along, or just listen, included with free app • A pocket-safe "Lock Screen" mode dims the display and blocks accidental taps while it reads • Requires a one-time 350MB download HEARD PRO • Every neural voice — choose the narrator you like best • Import your own EPUB files and listen to any book you own • A simple subscription that supports independent, privacy-first development Heard is free to read and listen to the entire built-in library with one voice. Upgrade to Pro anytime to unlock all voices and import your own books. Books included for free: A Christmas Carol, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, A Doll's House, A Room with a View, A Tale of Two Cities, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Anna Karenina, Anne of Green Gables, Around the World in Eighty Days, Beowulf, Crime and Punishment, Don Quixote, Dracula, Emma, Frankenstein, Great Expectations, Gulliver's Travels, Heart of Darkness, Jane Eyre, Les Misérables, Little Women, Middlemarch, Moby Dick, Oliver Twist, Peter Pan, Pride and Prejudice, Robinson Crusoe, Romeo and Juliet, Sense and Sensibility, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Blue Castle, The Call of the Wild, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Enchanted April, The Great Gatsby, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Iliad, The Importance of Being Earnest, The King in Yellow, The Metamorphosis, The Odyssey, The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Scarlet Letter, The Secret Garden, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Three Musketeers, The Time Machine, The War of the Worlds, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Treasure Island, Twenty Years After, Wuthering Heights. — Heard Pro is an auto-renewing subscription, offered monthly or annually. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. The subscription renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period; manage or cancel anytime in your App Store account settings. Terms of Use: https://alana314.github.io/heard-microsite-public/#/terms Privacy Policy: https://alana314.github.io/heard-microsite-public/#/privacy

Screenshots

True Reader3 screens
Heard4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: True Reader at none against Heard's 2. True Reader also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 2 weeks). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Heard sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. True Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

True Reader ships an update every 2 days, Heard every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 6 level
True Reader versus Heard: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTrue ReaderHeard
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 days — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.115.1
Further details — not scored
Size28 MB96 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperJohn Chambersalana. sh

In-app purchases

None

True Reader

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Heard

Subscriptions2
  • Heard Pro Monthly$3.991 Month
  • Heard Pro Annual$29.991 Year

Questions

Is True Reader free?
True Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Heard free?
Heard is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do True Reader or Heard have ads?
Neither True Reader nor Heard shows ads.
Which is updated more often, True Reader or Heard?
True Reader ships an update every 2 days, and Heard every 2 weeks. Most recently, True Reader was updated on October 24, 2026 and Heard on October 25, 2026.

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