# Sakura Reader vs Inkstead

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Sakura Reader at none against Inkstead's 2. Sakura Reader also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Inkstead sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per year. Sakura Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

Sakura Reader ships an update every 4 days, Inkstead every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sakura Reader | Inkstead |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sakura-reader/id6759867397/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **3** | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 30 MB | 21 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.1 | **26.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Justin Xin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1423154796) | [Ivo Nunes](https://appshunter.io/developer/1871241076) |

## What reviewers say

### Sakura Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sakura-reader/id6759867397)

A modern RSS reader offering multiple display styles for news, blogs, and podcasts. Features on-device AI summaries, content grouping, and easy feed discovery. Read offline with cached content and built-in translation.

**Highlights:** Multiple display styles for content consumption, On-device AI-generated article summaries, Automatic content grouping by topic, Easy feed discovery via Share Sheet, Offline reading with cached content, Built-in podcast player with background audio, Customizable feed presentation

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Inkstead

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/inkstead/id6772740562)

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Inkstead Plus | $12.99 | per year |
| Inkstead Plus Lifetime | $49.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sakura Reader free?

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

### Is Inkstead free?

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

### Do Sakura Reader or Inkstead have ads?

Neither Sakura Reader nor Inkstead shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sakura Reader or Inkstead?

Sakura Reader ships an update every 4 days, and Inkstead every 3 weeks. Most recently, Sakura Reader was updated on September 21, 2026 and Inkstead 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.*