# Smart Notes vs CastReader

The clearest difference is ads: CastReader at none against Smart Notes's shown. CastReader also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs monthly) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). Smart Notes's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.6). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Smart Notes sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days and CastReader sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Smart Notes ships an update monthly, CastReader every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Smart Notes | CastReader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.8 (41 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/castreader-read-aloud-books/id6757636395/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **41** |
| Positive reviews | — | 96.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 81 MB | 164 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mods Addons](https://appshunter.io/developer/1662053256) | [ohsame Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/944872977) |

## What reviewers say

### Smart Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-notes-ai-note-taker/id6757419988)

This intelligent notebook uses AI to capture, organize, and retrieve your notes. It offers voice transcription, document scanning, and smart summarization to help you manage ideas and tasks effortlessly.

**Highlights:** AI-powered voice recording and transcription, Document and whiteboard scanning with OCR, Automatic note categorization and tagging, Summarize notes and generate action items, Convert notes to tasks and reminders, Collaboration and sharing features, iCloud sync across devices

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Plan | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Plan | $3.99 | per month |
| Yearly Plan | $19.99 | per year |


### CastReader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/castreader-read-aloud-books/id6757636395)

This app transforms your reading into an audio experience with natural voices and synced highlighting. It offers AI-powered explanations for complex passages, making difficult texts easier to understand. Listen to books, documents, and web pages while on the go.

**Highlights:** Listen to Kindle books, PDFs, EPUBs, AI explanations for complex text, Synced highlighting with read-aloud, Auto-scroll and resume progress, Background and lock-screen playback, Supports web pages, photos, and pasted text

**Features:** Safari Extension, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| CastReader Pro (Monthly) | $4.99 | per month |
| CastReader Pro (Monthly) | $9.99 | per month |
| CastReader Pro (Yearly) | $34.99 | per year |
| CastReader Pro (Yearly) | $59.99 | per year |
| 120 Clone Voice Minutes | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Smart Notes free?

Smart Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is CastReader free?

CastReader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Smart Notes or CastReader have ads?

Smart Notes shows ads; CastReader does not.

### Which is updated more often, Smart Notes or CastReader?

Smart Notes ships an update monthly, and CastReader every 2 days. Most recently, Smart Notes was updated on October 24, 2026 and CastReader on October 28, 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.*