Comparison

FlowReader vs ArcReader

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

Head to head
About

FlowReader

This app allows you to read EPUB books hands-free with intelligent auto-scrolling. Customize your reading experience and import your own books to enjoy while multitasking.

Highlights
  • Hands-free auto-scrolling
  • Personal EPUB import
  • Precision pace control
  • Immersive focus mode
  • Customizable appearance
  • Reading themes
Features
Read full description

Stop holding your phone. Start holding your focus. WHY FLOWREADER? True Hands-Free Reading: Our intelligent auto-scroll engine moves at your pace, so you can keep your hands on the weights or the whisk. Your Library, Your Way: Import 1 personal EPUB for free. Upgrade to Premium for unlimited personal EPUB imports. Precision Pace Control: Fine-tune scrolling speed to match your comfort level, from a slow crawl to a rapid flow. Immersive Focus Mode: A clean, distraction-free reading environment designed to help you stay in the book. Custom Comfort: Adjust appearance and layout for your environment. Custom reading themes are available with Premium. Whether you’re meal prepping in the kitchen, hitting the treadmill, or relaxing at home, FlowReader turns reading into a seamless hands-free flow. PERFECT FOR The Active Reader: Read while walking or on the treadmill. The Home Chef: Follow recipes or enjoy a book while your hands are busy. The Commuter: Read comfortably without constant swiping. The Minimalist: A lean, gesture-light reading experience. SUBSCRIPTION INFO FlowReader is free to download. Premium features require a separate purchase (subscription or lifetime unlock). Auto-renewable subscription: FlowReader Premium Subscription options: Monthly and Yearly (pricing shown in-app) Lifetime unlock: One-time purchase option Payment is charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase Subscription renews automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period Manage and cancel subscriptions in Apple ID account settings Privacy Policy: https://sites.google.com/view/flowreader-privacypolicy/home Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

ArcReader

Download and read web novels offline with customizable themes, fonts, and scroll modes. Convert novels to audiobooks with on-device narration and build vocabulary with an integrated dictionary. Sync progress across devices and import EPUB files.

Highlights
  • Download and read web novels offline
  • Customizable reader themes and fonts
  • On-device text-to-speech narration
  • EPUB file import
  • Integrated dictionary with flashcards
  • Cross-device reading progress sync
Features
Read full description

Paste any web novel link. Download every chapter. Read offline anywhere — no account, no subscription required to start. ArcReader is the offline-first reader for Royal Road, WTR-Lab, NovelFire, and dozens more sources. Bring your own link, we handle the rest — whether it's progression fantasy, xianxia, cultivation fiction, LitRPG, isekai, romance, or any English web novel and light novel. Loved by readers who wanted something quieter: no crowded feeds, no coin walls, just your books. Built for readers who want full control: pick your theme, your font, your scroll mode, and read offline whenever you want. POPULAR GENRES ON ARCREADER Progression Fantasy · Cultivation · Xianxia · Wuxia · Xuanhuan · LitRPG · GameLit · Isekai · Reincarnation · Fantasy · Romance · Sci-Fi · Fanfiction · Thriller · Horror · Slice of Life · Harem · Adventure WHY READERS LOVE ARCREADER A reader designed for long sessions Choose between four themes (Light, Dark, Sepia, Black AMOLED). Adjust font size, line spacing, font family, and margins to find your perfect setup. Switch between paginated mode with page-turn animation, or smooth continuous scroll. Listen with on-device narration Built-in neural text-to-speech turns any novel into an audiobook — runs entirely on your device. No internet required, no data costs, no monthly fees for the core feature. Adjustable speed from 0.75x to 2x, lock-screen controls, sleep timer, and auto-advance between chapters. Offline-first reading Downloaded content stays on your device in a local library — not a temporary cache. Read on airplanes, in tunnels, or anywhere connectivity is unreliable. Import your own EPUB files Already have books saved as EPUB? Import them straight into your library and read them with the same themes, fonts, and narration as everything else. Look up words and build vocabulary Tap any word for an instant dictionary definition, then save it as a flashcard. Review your flashcards later to lock in new vocabulary as you read. Highlights and notes Long-press to highlight passages in four colors with optional notes. Review all your highlights for any title in one place. Reading position sync Auto-saves your position every few seconds. Open a book on another device and continue exactly where you left off, after signing in. No sign-up wall Open the app and start reading. Account creation is optional — only needed if you want to sync between devices. EVERYTHING ARCREADER OFFERS - Customizable reader (themes, fonts, layout, scroll modes) - On-device neural text-to-speech with voice selection - Background audio with lock-screen controls and sleep timer - Highlights and notes with color coding - Import your own EPUB files into your library - Built-in dictionary with tap-to-define - Vocabulary flashcards to review and remember new words - Reading progress auto-save and cross-device sync - Daily reading goals and streaks - Reading statistics and history ARCREADER PRO (OPTIONAL SUBSCRIPTION) ArcReader Pro adds: - Premium cloud voices for high-quality narration - Unlimited chapter downloads - Ad-free reading experience ArcReader Pro is available as a monthly or yearly auto-renewing subscription, or a one-time lifetime purchase. The exact price in your local currency is shown in the app and on the App Store before you confirm. Payment is charged to your Apple ID account at purchase confirmation. Subscriptions auto-renew unless turned off in iOS Settings at least 24 hours before the current period ends; renewal is charged within 24 hours before the period ends. Manage or cancel anytime in Settings > Apple ID > Subscriptions. PRIVACY ArcReader stores your reading data on your device. Optional account sync uses encrypted cloud storage. We do not sell your data. Full privacy policy available below. Terms of Service: https://arcreaders.app/terms.html Privacy Policy: https://arcreaders.app/privacy.html

Screenshots

FlowReader4 screens
ArcReader4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: FlowReader at none against ArcReader's shown. ArcReader's advantage is ratings volume (36 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 26.0). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases 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. FlowReader sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and ArcReader sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for FlowReader against 4.9 for ArcReader. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ArcReader has 36 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
FlowReader versus ArcReader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFlowReaderArcReader
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better4.9 (36 ratings)
Positive reviews—93.8% of reviews
Number of ratings136 — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 daysEvery 6 days
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS26.015.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size61 MB135 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperBeka DemuradzeThien Le

Customer experience

FlowReader

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

ArcReader

All ratings36 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews16 reviews
Positive93.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative6.3%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

FlowReader

Subscriptions2
  • Flow Reader Premium$2.991 Month
  • Flow Reader Premium7 Days trial$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Premium$39.99
3 purchases

ArcReader

Subscriptions2
  • ArcReader VIP — Monthly$5.991 Month
  • ArcReader VIP — Annual$44.991 Year
One-time1
  • ArcReader VIP - Lifetime$79.99

Questions

Is FlowReader free?
FlowReader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ArcReader free?
ArcReader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, FlowReader or ArcReader?
FlowReader is rated higher. FlowReader averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while ArcReader averages 4.9 from 36 ratings.
Do FlowReader or ArcReader have ads?
ArcReader shows ads; FlowReader does not.
Which is updated more often, FlowReader or ArcReader?
FlowReader ships an update every 6 days, and ArcReader every 6 days. Most recently, FlowReader was updated on September 24, 2026 and ArcReader on September 21, 2026.

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