Comparison

True Reader vs Pera

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

Head to head
About

True Reader

Enjoy your favorite books in a comfortable, minimalist dark interface. This e-reader supports multiple file formats and offers intuitive navigation, adjustable text, and smart progress tracking for a focused reading experience.

Highlights
  • Multiple file format support (PDF, EPUB, TXT, CBZ/ZIP, Images)
  • Intuitive tap controls for page navigation
  • Adjustable font sizes
  • Automatic chapter detection
  • Smart reading progress tracking
  • Clean, distraction-free interface
  • Local storage and privacy focused
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

Pera

Read full description

Build a bookshelf worth showing off, then actually open every book on it. Most book trackers are just a catalog: they cannot open the book. Pera holds the real file, so your shelf builds itself from the real book: spine thickness pulled from word count, a foil edge when you finish it, a tap that opens straight into the page you left off. A SHELF BUILT FROM THE REAL BOOK Import PDF, EPUB, TXT and Markdown, or bring your whole library over from Goodreads in one CSV. Covers come straight from the book file when it has one, any other cover is a quick search away, and spines are sized to the book's real length. No busywork. SCAN THE SPINES YOU OWN Point your camera at a real book and its spine lands on your shelf, styled to match. For everything else, pick your wood, your wallpaper, string up fairy lights. Warm cottage light or moody dark academia, it is your shelf, not a template. TAP A SPINE, START READING Underneath the shelf is a real reader. Read the normal paginated way, or switch to one word at a time, anchored to its pivot letter so your eyes stop jumping line to line. Digital books open right where you left off, paper books get their own reading timer, and Pera tracks the time you actually spend reading. ON YOUR HOME SCREEN Put your bookcase on your home screen, so your shelf is the first thing you see when you unlock your phone. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Your shelf and your library live on your device, not on a server, and nothing about what you read ever leaves it. The one exception is a book or cover search you start yourself: the title you type goes to public book databases to find a match. Pera also collects anonymous usage analytics and crash reports to improve the app. PERA ACCESS Pera requires a Pera Access subscription to use. Yearly: $34.99 per year, starting with a 1-week free trial. Monthly: $5.99 per month. Prices are in US dollars and may vary by region. The yearly free trial converts to a paid year unless cancelled at least 24 hours before it ends. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel in your Apple Account settings. Terms of Use: https://www.adarkeser.com/pera/terms Privacy Policy: https://www.adarkeser.com/pera/privacy

Screenshots

True Reader3 screens
Pera4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: True Reader at none against Pera's 2. True Reader also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs fortnightly). 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. Pera sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. True Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

True Reader ships an update every 2 days, Pera fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
True Reader versus Pera: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTrue ReaderPera
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 days — betterFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.115.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size28 MB44 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJohn ChambersMEHMET ADAR KESER

In-app purchases

None

True Reader

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Pera

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly$5.991 Month
  • Yearly7 Days trial$34.991 Year

Questions

Is True Reader free?
True Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Pera free?
Pera is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do True Reader or Pera have ads?
Neither True Reader nor Pera shows ads.
Which is updated more often, True Reader or Pera?
True Reader ships an update every 2 days, and Pera fortnightly. Most recently, True Reader was updated on October 28, 2026 and Pera on October 25, 2026.

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