# KMReader vs Absorb

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Absorb at none against KMReader's 2. Absorb also leads on ratings volume (172 vs 32) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). KMReader's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 5 weeks). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. KMReader sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Absorb asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for KMReader against 4.9 for Absorb. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Absorb has 172 ratings behind it against 32, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of KMReader's written reviews are positive against 97% of Absorb's.

KMReader ships an update weekly, Absorb every 5 weeks. Both last shipped on November 5, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | KMReader | Absorb |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (32 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kmreader/id6755198424/reviews) | **[4.9 (172 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/absorb-for-audiobookshelf/id6760673498/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 32 | **172** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 97.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 46 MB | 65 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [川 彭](https://appshunter.io/developer/1743612156) | [Nathan Poulson](https://appshunter.io/developer/1885644242) |

## What reviewers say

### KMReader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kmreader/id6755198424)

This app provides a native reading experience for Komga libraries across Apple devices. It offers robust features for browsing, downloading, and managing your collection, with advanced reader options and offline capabilities.

**Highlights:** Native readers for multiple formats (DIVINA, EPUB, GIF, WebP, PDF), Advanced metadata filtering and saved searches, Robust offline reading with per-series policies, Multi-server support and Komga admin tools, Spotlight indexing and iOS widgets for quick access, Incognito mode and Live Activities for reading, Localized UI in multiple languages

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Coffee | $0.99 | per month |
| Yearly Coffee | $5.99 | 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 KMReader free?

KMReader 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, KMReader or Absorb?

Absorb is rated higher. KMReader averages 4.8 out of 5 from 32 ratings, while Absorb averages 4.9 from 172 ratings.

### Do KMReader or Absorb have ads?

Neither KMReader nor Absorb shows ads.

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

KMReader ships an update weekly, and Absorb every 5 weeks. Most recently, KMReader was updated on November 5, 2026 and Absorb on November 5, 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.*