# Anchor Reader vs Dear Reader

The clearest difference is ads: Anchor Reader at none against Dear Reader's shown. Anchor Reader also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.0). Dear Reader's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 weeks). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Anchor Reader ships an update every 5 weeks, Dear Reader every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Anchor Reader | Dear Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Size | 42 MB | 51 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Alexandre Dupre](https://appshunter.io/developer/1876431484) | [Moonsun Yang](https://appshunter.io/developer/6779434903) |

## What reviewers say

### Anchor Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/anchor-reader/id6759027917)

**In-app purchases:** none


### Dear Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dear-reader-reading-journal/id6779434901)

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Anchor Reader free?

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

### Is Dear Reader free?

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

### Do Anchor Reader or Dear Reader have ads?

Dear Reader shows ads; Anchor Reader does not.

### Which is updated more often, Anchor Reader or Dear Reader?

Anchor Reader ships an update every 5 weeks, and Dear Reader every 2 weeks. Most recently, Anchor Reader was updated on October 10, 2026 and Dear Reader on October 2, 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.*