Comparison

FlowReader vs PageBack

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

PageBack

Features
Read full description

PAGEBACK THE PLEX FOR BOOKS Bring your books, comics, PDFs and documents together in one organised library. PageBack is built for people who already own their content. Whether your collection lives in Files, iCloud Drive, Calibre, a NAS, or scattered across a dozen folders, PageBack turns it into a beautiful, searchable library you actually want to use. No DRM. No locked ecosystem. No built in bookstore. Just your library, your way. READ EVERYTHING IN ONE PLACE Stop switching between ebook apps, PDF viewers and comic readers. PageBack supports: • EPUB books • PDF documents • CBZ and CBR comics • TXT files • Research papers • Manuals and magazines Every format gets a reading experience designed specifically for it, including reflowable text for ebooks, smooth PDF navigation and guided comic reading. YOUR LIBRARY, AUTOMATICALLY ORGANISED Import a folder of files and let PageBack do the heavy lifting. AI powered organisation automatically: • Identifies books, comics and documents • Finds missing covers and metadata • Detects authors, genres and series • Creates smart collections • Keeps everything organised as your library grows No more mystery files called "book_final_v3.pdf". BUILT FOR SERIOUS READERS PageBack is more than a reader. • Highlights and notes across your library • Reading Memory remembers where you stopped reading • Smart Collections organise content automatically • Reading Radar helps you rediscover forgotten books • Built in audiobook creator for supported text formats Whether you read one book a month or manage thousands of files, PageBack scales with your collection. WORKS WITH THE TOOLS YOU ALREADY USE Import from Files and iCloud Drive. Connect to OPDS servers, WebDAV storage and self hosted libraries. Calibre users welcome. Self hosters welcome. Your files stay yours. READ ANYWHERE WITH PAGEBACK PRO Upgrade to PageBack Pro and take your entire library with you. Sync: • Books and documents • Reading progress • Highlights and notes • Collections and organisation Across all your devices. PageBack Pro £3.99/month • 5GB cloud sync storage PageBack Pro+ £7.99/month • 25GB cloud sync storage • Ideal for large collections and comic libraries OWN YOUR LIBRARY PageBack does not sell books. PageBack does not lock you into a store. PageBack simply gives your existing collection the home it deserves. Terms of Use: https://pageback.app/terms

Screenshots

FlowReader4 screens
PageBack4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: PageBack at 15.1 against FlowReader's 26.0. On price, update cadence, ads 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 PageBack sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

FlowReader ships an update every 6 days, PageBack every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 8 level
FlowReader versus PageBack: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFlowReaderPageBack
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Number of ratings1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 days — betterEvery 9 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS26.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size61 MB66 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBeka DemuradzePaul Edwards

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
2 purchases

PageBack

Subscriptions2
  • PageBack Plus Monthly$3.991 Month
  • Pageback Premium Monthly$7.991 Month

Questions

Is FlowReader free?
FlowReader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PageBack free?
PageBack is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do FlowReader or PageBack have ads?
Neither FlowReader nor PageBack shows ads.
Which is updated more often, FlowReader or PageBack?
FlowReader ships an update every 6 days, and PageBack every 9 days. Most recently, FlowReader was updated on September 24, 2026 and PageBack on September 5, 2026.

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