# Sapling vs iRead

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Sapling at none against iRead's 1. iRead's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 6 weeks). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. iRead sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Sapling asks for nothing beyond the download.

Sapling ships an update every 6 weeks, iRead every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sapling | iRead |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iread-read-aloud-epub-reader/id6786994940/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | — | Freemium |
| Size | 2 MB | 38 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jelle Van Eyck](https://appshunter.io/developer/1812866350) | [Shuhui Sheng](https://appshunter.io/developer/6783579766) |

## What reviewers say

### Sapling

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sapling/id6759935017)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### iRead

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iread-read-aloud-epub-reader/id6786994940)

Listen to your EPUB, TXT, and MOBI books with natural-sounding voices, completely offline. Import your existing library and enjoy background playback with lock screen controls. A Pro version unlocks premium voices with a one-time purchase.

**Highlights:** Listen to EPUB, TXT, MOBI aloud, Natural neural voices, Fully offline operation, Background playback, Import from Files/Share Sheet, Light/dark themes, Library management

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| iRead Pro | $11.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sapling free?

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

### Is iRead free?

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

### Do Sapling or iRead have ads?

Neither Sapling nor iRead shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sapling or iRead?

Sapling ships an update every 6 weeks, and iRead every 3 days. Most recently, Sapling was updated on September 25, 2026 and iRead on October 13, 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.*