ReadWave vs ARC
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ReadWave
Immerse yourself in captivating stories with this premium novel reading app. Discover a vast library of serialized and complete fiction across various genres, with personalized recommendations and a comfortable, distraction-free reading experience. Unlock exclusive content through membership.
- Wide collection of novels
- Smooth reading experience
- Smart content recommendations
- Bookmark and history management
- Regular content updates
- Exclusive membership content
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ReadWave is a premium novel reading app designed for readers who love immersive storytelling. Whether you enjoy romance, drama, fantasy, suspense, or emotional fiction, ReadWave offers a carefully curated reading experience tailored to your preferences. With ReadWave, you can explore a rich library of serialized novels and complete stories, enjoy smooth and comfortable reading, and unlock exclusive content through membership subscriptions. Key Features: • A wide collection of engaging novels across multiple genres • Smooth and distraction-free reading experience • Smart content recommendations based on reading preferences • Bookmark, reading history, and bookshelf management • Regular content updates with new stories added continuously ReadWave is designed to provide a relaxing and enjoyable reading environment. Whether you read during short breaks or long evenings, ReadWave helps you stay connected to the stories you love. Download ReadWave and start your reading journey today. End User License Agreement (EULA) The End User License Agreement for this app is applicable to Apple's official standard EULA. The complete content can be viewed at: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
ARC
Engage with stories by making choices that shape the narrative and lead to unique endings. Explore various genres, from romance to fantasy, with both short reads and full-length books. An AI companion can help guide your decisions.
- Interactive stories with branching paths
- Short stories for quick reads
- Full-length books with multiple endings
- AI companion for decision guidance
- Audio narration for chapters
- Regularly added new stories
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Stories you don't just read, you control. No gems. No ads. No walls. Try the first chapter of all the books on ARC. One flat price unlocks every chapter of every book. Make choices that change what happens next. Follow branching paths across romance, thriller, fantasy, mystery, and more — with endings that are genuinely yours. Got five minutes? ARC Shorts are complete interactive stories built for your next break. Want to go deeper? Full-length books with multiple endings are waiting. Features: • Interactive stories where your choices matter • 3–10 minute story shorts for quick, immersive reads • Full-length interactive books with multiple endings • Kiro AI companion to guide your decisions • Audio narration available for every chapter • New stories added regularly Pick a story, make your choices, and see where your path leads. Perfect for fans of interactive stories, story-driven games, and readers who want a more immersive experience. Download ARC and start your first story today. Every choice is yours. Every ending is earned. https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: ReadWave at 5.0 against ARC's 4.0. ReadWave also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 75%) and iOS requirement (15 vs 26.0). ARC's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (8 vs 2). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
Both are free to download. ReadWave sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days and ARC sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
ReadWave holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 8 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of ReadWave's written reviews are positive against 75% of ARC's.
ReadWave ships an update weekly, ARC every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ReadWave | ARC |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better | 4.0 (8 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 75.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 8 — better |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 2 weeks |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 130 MB | 26 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | BitVisual Technology Limited | Fishybear LLC |
Customer experience
ReadWave
ARC
In-app purchases
ReadWave
- Weekly VIP$1.997 Days
- Monthly VIP$19.991 Month
- Yearly VIP$199.991 Year
ARC
- ARC Reader7 Days trial$9.991 Month
- ARC Reader Plus7 Days trial$24.991 Month
- ARC Reader7 Days trial$99.991 Year
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- ARC Reader Plus7 Days trial$199.991 Year
