# tsundoku reader vs Bare Reader

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: tsundoku reader at none against Bare Reader's 1. Bare Reader's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 5 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Bare Reader sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. tsundoku reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

tsundoku reader ships an update every 5 months, Bare Reader every 5 days. Both last shipped on October 9, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | tsundoku reader | Bare Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tsundoku-reader/id6759117674/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1** | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 207 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Evans Yu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1876629445) | [Nathaniel Rayestu Abdulrachman](https://appshunter.io/developer/6785020837) |

## What reviewers say

### tsundoku reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tsundoku-reader/id6759117674)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Bare Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bare-reader/id6787130680)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Support Development | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is tsundoku reader free?

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

### Is Bare Reader free?

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

### Do tsundoku reader or Bare Reader have ads?

Neither tsundoku reader nor Bare Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, tsundoku reader or Bare Reader?

tsundoku reader ships an update every 5 months, and Bare Reader every 5 days. Most recently, tsundoku reader was updated on October 9, 2026 and Bare Reader on October 9, 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.*