Comparison

Manamo vs Plain Reader

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

Head to head
About

Manamo

This app helps you understand and remember what you read by explaining passages and turning them into reviewable flashcards. It supports various file formats and offers spaced repetition for effective learning. You can also import and export study decks.

Highlights
  • In-context explanations of text
  • Flashcard creation from reading
  • Spaced repetition scheduling (FSRS)
  • Import/export Anki, Quizlet decks
  • Library management for EPUB, PDF, MOBI, AZW3
  • AI-powered comprehension assistance
  • Cross-device sync with Pro subscription
Read full description

Manamo is an EPUB and ebook reader that explains what you read and turns it into flashcards you'll actually review. Open a book, a textbook, a paper, or a PDF. Select anything you don't understand and Manamo explains it in context. Turn the parts that matter into cards, then review them on a schedule built to make them stick. UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU READ • Select a word or passage to see what it means right here, in this passage. • Ask about anything in the book. Manamo searches the text and can take you straight to the passage. TURN READING INTO CARDS • Make flashcards from a word, a passage, or a whole chapter. You review every draft before it's saved, and cards made from your reading keep their source. • Study new cards right away, then come back when they're due. REMEMBER IT • FSRS spaced repetition schedules every card toward the memory target you set. • Say or type your answer. The Answer Coach shows what you recalled and what you missed, and you choose the grade. • Quizzes on the cards you keep missing, plus decks, folders, and daily reminders. BRING YOUR DECKS • Import .apkg decks from Anki with their schedules and review history, or cards from a spreadsheet or Quizlet export. • Export any deck to .apkg or a spreadsheet. Your cards stay yours. CATCH UP WHEN YOU COME BACK • Previously: catch up on your current chapter and the chapters before it, newest first. • Open a chapter outline for non-fiction, with key points and original quotes. • So far: a recap up to your place, with more detail after a longer break. YOUR LIBRARY • EPUB, PDF, DRM-free MOBI and AZW3 files, and web pages, with highlights and notes. • Discover free classics, papers, and articles, and keep a Want to read list. FREE TO START Reading, flashcards, spaced repetition, and AI help are free, with AI help that refills on a schedule. Manamo Pro adds much more AI help and syncs your library, highlights, and flashcards across your devices. Pro is billed monthly or yearly; the yearly plan starts with a 7-day free trial for eligible new subscribers. Prices are shown in the app before you subscribe. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the trial or current period ends. Manage or cancel them in Settings > Apple Account > Subscriptions. Privacy Policy: https://arkeve.github.io/manamo-privacy/ Terms of Use: https://arkeve.github.io/manamo-privacy/terms.html

About

Plain Reader

This app provides a distraction-free reading experience for various file formats including EPUB, TXT, PDF, and comics. It allows direct access to files from cloud storage or external drives without importing or creating copies, offering customizable reading settings and text-to-speech functionality.

Highlights
  • Read directly from Files, iCloud Drive, USB
  • Customizable text and theme settings
  • Text-to-speech in 31 languages
  • Supports ZIP and CBZ archives
  • Right-to-left reading for manga
  • PDF text selection and search
  • Distraction-free reading interface
Features
Read full description

Plain Reader opens your books, PDFs, comics and image folders right where they are — in Files, iCloud Drive, or on a USB drive or external SSD. No account, no import, no copies. READ, NOTHING ELSE • Menus stay hidden while you read. Tap the center to bring them back. • Pages fill the screen. Swipe, tap the sides, or drag the slider to jump anywhere. • Turn your iPhone or iPad sideways for two-page spreads, with the cover on its own. • Turn pages with a Bluetooth page turner or a keyboard. TXT AND EPUB • Choose the font, size, line spacing, margins and theme — pages reflow to fit. • Listen: books in 31 languages are read aloud by natural voices made on your device. • Table of contents, search and bookmarks. TXT text encoding is detected automatically. COMICS AND MANGA • Opens ZIP and CBZ archives without unpacking them — even ones with thousands of pages. • Right-to-left reading for manga. • A folder of images opens as one book. PDF • Sharp pages, search, table of contents, thumbnails and text selection. • Two-page spreads on wide screens. YOUR FILES STAY YOURS • Files are read in place and never uploaded anywhere. • Bookmarks and your reading position are kept for every book. • Works with iCloud Drive and external storage through the Files app. PLAIN READER PRO Plain Reader is free with a small banner ad. Watch one short video ad to read without banner ads for 2 hours, or to use Listen for 1 hour. Plain Reader Pro removes all ads and adds unlimited Listen, Auto Page Turn, and blocking the apps you pick while you read. Choose a Monthly or Yearly subscription — Yearly starts with a 7-day free trial for new subscribers — or a one-time Lifetime purchase. Restore it on your iPhone and iPad with the same Apple Account. Payment is charged to your Apple Account when you confirm the purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel them in your App Store account settings. Terms of Use: https://ourbeom.com/plainreader/terms Privacy Policy: https://ourbeom.com/plainreader/privacy

Screenshots

Manamo4 screens
Plain Reader4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Manamo at none against Plain Reader's shown. Manamo also leads on iOS requirement (16.4 vs 18.0). Plain Reader's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs weekly). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model 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. Manamo sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month and Plain Reader sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Manamo ships an update weekly, Plain Reader every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Manamo versus Plain Reader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterManamoPlain Reader
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 3 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.4 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size116 MB45 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKrisan MurugendranOurBeom

Customer experience

Manamo

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Plain Reader

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Manamo

Subscriptions2
  • Manamo Pro$7.991 Month
  • Manamo Pro7 Days trial$59.991 Year
4 purchases

Plain Reader

Subscriptions2
  • Plain Reader Pro (Monthly)$0.991 Month
  • Plain Reader Pro (Yearly)7 Days trial$6.991 Year
One-time2
  • Plain Reader Pro$2.99
  • Plain Reader Pro (Lifetime)$12.99

Questions

Is Manamo free?
Manamo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Plain Reader free?
Plain Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Manamo or Plain Reader have ads?
Plain Reader shows ads; Manamo does not.
Which is updated more often, Manamo or Plain Reader?
Manamo ships an update weekly, and Plain Reader every 3 days. Most recently, Manamo was updated on October 31, 2026 and Plain Reader on November 1, 2026.

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