Comparison

Wen Reader vs Leaf

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

Head to head
About

Wen Reader

Features
Read full description

Built out of a genuine love for learning Chinese, Wen Reader gives intermediate readers a clean, modern way to read native-level books while getting context-aware dictionary definitions with a simple long-press. Import your own EPUBs, read with great typography, and stay fully offline. Features: - EPUB Import & Smooth Reading: open standard EPUB files from Files, with fast pagination powered by Readium and adjustable margins, fonts, and line spacing. - Instant Dictionary Pop-Ups: long-press any Chinese text to see an inline definition panel using offline CC-CEDICT data. - Lightweight On-Device ML: context-aware word boundary segmentation and dictionary definition ranking. - Context & Sharing Tools: quickly copy the selected word, sentence, or paragraph, or send text to Pleco or ChatGPT (when installed) for deeper explanation. - Simple, Focused Navigation: tap the book title to browse the table of contents, and Wen Reader automatically saves your reading position as you go. Who is Wen Reader For? - Readers who can understand native Chinese text with some effort. - Learners who want a modern, clean EPUB reading experience without distractions. - Users who benefit from quick dictionary support but do not need the full ecosystem of flashcards, handwriting input, OCR, etc. Privacy - No analytics, no tracking, and no personal data collection. - No external API calls. - Everything stays on your device. Open Source & Licenses - Wen Reader uses open dictionary, models, and library components. - Full license information is available inside the app under About → Licenses. Support - Questions, suggestions, or feedback? Feel free to contact me at oliverzh2000@gmail.com. Or visit github.com/oliverzh2000/wen-reader to open an issue.

About

Leaf

Organize and read your DRM-free EPUB books with customizable reading settings and smart library management. Sync your progress across devices using iCloud and discover new titles through integrated sources.

Highlights
  • Customizable reading experience
  • Smart library organization
  • iCloud sync for progress and settings
  • Offline reading support
  • Import from various sources
  • Public domain classics included
Read full description

Give your books a home of their own. Leaf brings beautiful EPUB reading and thoughtful library management together on iPhone and iPad. Import the DRM-free books you already own, organize them your way, and keep everything in sync with iCloud. READ YOUR WAY Make every book comfortable to read. Choose from carefully selected fonts—including accessibility-friendly options—and fine-tune the font size, line height, margins, letter spacing, word spacing, and alignment. Choose from a collection of color themes, follow your device’s appearance automatically, or give individual books their own settings. A configurable reader footer can show page count, percentage, chapter progress, chapter title, or book title. A LIBRARY THAT FEELS LIKE YOURS Create custom shelves and let Smart Shelves automatically gather books that are In Progress, Unread, Completed, Did Not Finish, or downloaded to your device. Browse by author, series, and genre; search and sort your collection; and edit titles, authors, covers, descriptions, publication details, and more. Rate books, mark the ones you loved, and write down your thoughts when you finish. Leaf remembers reading time, completion dates, and the books you have finished this year—then helps you choose what comes next. PICK UP WHERE YOU LEFT OFF Optional iCloud sync keeps your books, library details, settings, and reading progress available across your iPhone and iPad. No separate Leaf account is required. Download books for offline reading, remove local copies when you need space, and return to your current book from the Home Screen widget. FIND YOUR NEXT BOOK Connect to a self-hosted Grimmory library, browse Project Gutenberg through the built-in Source, add other compatible OPDS sources, or import EPUB files from Files. Leaf also includes a small collection of beautifully produced public-domain classics, so you can begin reading immediately. For readers who also use KOReader on e-ink devices, Leaf can sync reading progress with a compatible KOReader sync server. BUILT FOR IPHONE AND IPAD Leaf is designed for every screen it runs on: a focused reading experience on iPhone and a spacious library on iPad. Your books feel at home wherever you read. Leaf currently supports DRM-free EPUB books. TERMS OF USE https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Wen Reader2 screens
Leaf4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Wen Reader at none against Leaf's 1. Wen Reader also leads on iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.1). Leaf's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months). On price, ads 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

Both are free to download. Leaf sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per year. Wen Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Wen Reader ships an update every 3 months, Leaf weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 13, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Wen Reader versus Leaf: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWen ReaderLeaf
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—4 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Freemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.0 — better26.1
Further details — not scored
Size129 MB51 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperOliver ZhangDeadpan, LLC

In-app purchases

None

Wen Reader

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Leaf

Subscriptions1
  • Leaf Pro Annual7 Days trial$4.991 Year

Questions

Is Wen Reader free?
Wen Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Leaf free?
Leaf is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Wen Reader or Leaf have ads?
Neither Wen Reader nor Leaf shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Wen Reader or Leaf?
Wen Reader ships an update every 3 months, and Leaf weekly. Most recently, Wen Reader was updated on September 13, 2026 and Leaf on September 28, 2026.

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