# ZRead vs Afterglow

The clearest difference is rating: Afterglow at 5.0 against ZRead's 3.0. Afterglow also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4). ZRead's advantage is iOS requirement (17 vs 26.4). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ZRead sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Afterglow asks for nothing beyond the download.

Afterglow holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.

ZRead ships an update every 9 days, Afterglow weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ZRead | Afterglow |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zread-epub-reader/id6758880626/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/afterglow-epub-reader/id6767642581/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2** | 1 |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 15 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17** | 26.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [光泽 赖](https://appshunter.io/developer/1873981179) | [Mohammad Qureshi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1856351525) |

## What reviewers say

### ZRead

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zread-epub-reader/id6758880626)

A versatile reader for ebooks, PDFs, and comics. Supports numerous file formats including EPUB, MOBI, and CBZ. Offers a clean reading experience with privacy in mind.

**Highlights:** EPUB, PDF, TXT, FB2, MOBI, AZW support, CBZ, CBR, CB7 comic format support, Custom source integration, Privacy-focused design, Clean reading interface

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ZRead Pro Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| ZRead Pro Yearly | $6.99 | per year |
| Founding Member | $6.99 | one-time |
| ZRead Pro Lifetime | $12.99 | one-time |


### Afterglow

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/afterglow-epub-reader/id6767642581)

Experience ebooks with a personalized ambiance, intelligently generated from cover art. Enjoy a clean interface with customizable typography and layout for comfortable reading in light or dark modes.

**Highlights:** Ebook reading interface, Cover Tone themes, Customizable ambience, Typography controls, Layout controls, Light and dark modes

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ZRead free?

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

### Is Afterglow free?

Afterglow is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, ZRead or Afterglow?

Afterglow is rated higher. ZRead averages 3.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Afterglow averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do ZRead or Afterglow have ads?

Neither ZRead nor Afterglow shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ZRead or Afterglow?

ZRead ships an update every 9 days, and Afterglow weekly. Most recently, ZRead was updated on October 31, 2026 and Afterglow on November 5, 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.*