Comparison

tsundoku reader vs Chapter

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

Head to head
About

tsundoku reader

This app offers a free, universal EPUB reader optimized for quick Japanese reading. It features an integrated, powerful Japanese dictionary and customizable reading settings for an enhanced on-the-go experience.

Highlights
  • Universal EPUB reader
  • Integrated Japanese dictionary
  • Paginated and continuous scroll modes
  • Autosave and progress tracking
  • Customizable font size and themes
  • Toggleable furigana
  • Vertical/horizontal text direction
Features
Read full description

tsundoku reader is the first universal EPUB reader app designed with quick-and-easy Japanese reading at the forefront, for free. Gain access to a powerful Japanese dictionary in milliseconds with the tap of any word. tsundoku is designed to revolutionize on-the-go reading, making any book both quick and convenient. Stop scrolling and start reading today, for free, forever. ______________________ Custom EPUB Reader tsundoku uses a custom EPUB renderer optimized for iOS. Read on your phone similar to a book by using paginated mode, allowing you to swipe between pages as though you’re flipping through, or scroll smoothly through your book with continuous scrolling mode. Powerful Japanese Dictionary Other free reading apps don’t have an integrated dictionary. Specialized reading devices are slow, their dictionaries aren’t thorough, and you always have to carry it with you. With tsundoku, you gain access to JMDict, one of the most complete dictionaries around, in addition to Kanji data from the Kanjidic project, and pitch accents from Wadoku, all in your phone. With the tap of a word, you’ll learn everything there is to know about any word. Autosave and progress tracking tsundoku is designed to be on-the-go. That’s why we prioritize automatic progress saving on every book, always. tsundoku will always track your progress, and wait for you where you last left off. Customizable settings tsundoku is designed to be customizable, to suit your needs for any book in any language. Customize font size, line height, font, paginated and continuous scroll modes, and reader theme. With Japanese, gain access to toggleable furigana, and change between vertical and horizontal text direction. ______________________ Check out the official tsundoku webpage: https://www.evansyu.com/projects/tsundoku Changelog: https://www.evansyu.com/projects/tsundoku/changelog Privacy Policy: https://www.evansyu.com/projects/tsundoku/privacy

About

Chapter

Read full description

Chapter is made for spending more time with your books. Read your EPUBs and PDFs, listen to EPUB books, and keep your library and reading history in one place. READ YOUR WAY Make your EPUB books comfortable to read with adjustable fonts, spacing, and light, dark, or sepia themes. Keep your PDF books alongside them in the same library. LISTEN TO YOUR BOOKS Let Chapter read your EPUB books aloud. Choose a voice and playback speed that suit you, then enjoy the next chapter. A PLACE FOR EVERY BOOK Organize your books into collections and keep track of what you’re reading. Search for titles or add them manually to include your physical books too. PICK UP WHERE YOU LEFT OFF Keep your library and progress in sync across iPhone and iPad with iCloud. Jump back into your current book from the Continue Reading widget. GET TO KNOW YOUR READING HABITS Keep a history of your reading sessions. Chapter Pro adds daily and yearly goals, streaks, activity views, and deeper insights to help you see your progress over time. YOUR READING STAYS PERSONAL Chapter does not collect, sell, or share your personal data. Your reading data stays on your device and, if enabled, in your personal iCloud account. Chapter Pro is available as a one-time purchase. Privacy Policy: https://sergiu-prodan.github.io/Chapter/privacy.html Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

tsundoku reader4 screens
Chapter4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: tsundoku reader at none against Chapter's 3. tsundoku reader also leads on iOS requirement (16.0 vs 26.0). Chapter's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 months). On price, ads and device support 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. Chapter sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. tsundoku reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

tsundoku reader ships an update every 5 months, Chapter fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
tsundoku reader versus Chapter: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parametertsundoku readerChapter
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size207 MB37 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperEvans YuSergiu Prodan

In-app purchases

None

tsundoku reader

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Chapter

Subscriptions2
  • Chapter Pro Monthly7 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • Chapter Pro Yearly7 Days trial$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • Chapter Pro$9.99

Questions

Is tsundoku reader free?
tsundoku reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Chapter free?
Chapter is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do tsundoku reader or Chapter have ads?
Neither tsundoku reader nor Chapter shows ads.
Which is updated more often, tsundoku reader or Chapter?
tsundoku reader ships an update every 5 months, and Chapter fortnightly. Most recently, tsundoku reader was updated on October 24, 2026 and Chapter on October 24, 2026.

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