Comparison

(Be better) Read vs CustomBooks

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

Head to head
About

(Be better) Read

Features
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** Does your phone always win the night? ** You promise yourself you'll read more, but every night ends with endless scrolling. The book on your nightstand deserves better. (Be better) Read is here to change thatβ€”helping you reclaim your focus and turn reading into a lifelong habit. [ How (Be better) Read Transforms Your Reading ] 1. Your Personal Library (Shelf) Add books instantly with a quick search by title. Customize each book card with beautiful gradient themes to create a digital library that truly feels like your own. 2. Never Break Your Streak Consistency is the key to any habit. Track your current and longest streaks to stay motivated. Before your streak is about to break, (Be better) Read gives you a gentle nudge to keep you on track. 3. Master Your Focus (Focus Mode β€” Pro subscription required) Win the battle against distractions. Using Screen Time integration, you can block distracting apps and categories during your reading session. See how well you stayed focused with your personalized Focus Score. Focus Mode is a premium feature available with the Pro subscription. 4. Smart Nudges (Smart Alarms) We don’t nagβ€”we nudge. Set per-book reminders for your preferred reading time. One tap on the notification takes you directly into your reading session, removing every barrier between you and your book. 5. Capture Every Thought (iPad & Apple Pencil) Experience the feel of writing in the margins. Use your Apple Pencil to take handwritten notes directly within the app. Each note is automatically linked to your book, creating a personal archive of your reading journey. 6. Visualize Your Growth (Insights) Track your progress through a calendar view, weekly summaries, and monthly stats. Set daily goalsβ€”whether it’s 20 pages or 30 minutesβ€”and watch yourself grow from a casual reader into a consistent one. 7. Privacy First, Always We believe your reading history should be private. - No Accounts Required: Start reading immediately without a lengthy sign-up. - Local & Secure: All your data stays on your device or in your personal iCloud storage. - Safe Data: We never store your information on external servers. Start your journey to a better reading life today. Read more. Stay focused. Build the habit. --- Subscriptions Pro unlocks Focus Mode and all premium features. - Pro Monthly: USD 4.99 / month - Pro Annual: USD 29.99 / year Ad Free removes all advertisements. - Ad Free Monthly: USD 1.99 / month - Ad Free Annual: USD 9.99 / year Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage and cancel subscriptions in your Account Settings on the App Store. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://vetiver.notion.site/privacy-policy

About

CustomBooks

Features
Read full description

CustomBookS Take control of your ebook library. A beautiful library shouldn't be ruined by inconsistent covers, incorrect titles, or messy metadata. CustomBookS is designed to help you organize and personalize your EPUB collection with a simple, privacy-focused editing experience. Features Edit EPUB Metadata Change book titles Edit author names Update descriptions Replace book covers Wireless Local Transfer No cables required No cloud uploads Import and export ebooks directly over your local network Build a Cleaner Library Fix incorrect metadata Replace low-quality or inconsistent covers Create a more organized library in Kindle, Apple Books, and other reading apps Simple, Fast, and Private No ads All processing happens locally Designed for ebook lovers and collectors Whether you're a Kindle user, an avid reader, or someone who wants a cleaner and more beautiful ebook collection, CustomBookS gives you full control over your library.

Screenshots

(Be better) Read4 screens
CustomBooks3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: CustomBooks at none against (Be better) Read's 4. CustomBooks also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). (Be better) Read's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 2 weeks). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. (Be better) Read sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. CustomBooks asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

(Be better) Read ships an update every 3 days, CustomBooks every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences Β· 2 level
(Be better) Read versus CustomBooks: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameter(Be better) ReadCustomBooks
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 3 days β€” betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsYesNo β€” better
In-app purchasesYesNo β€” better
DevicesiPhone, iPad β€” betteriPhone
Requires iOS26.017.0 β€” better
Further details β€” not scored
Size76 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMET HKζ°Έιš† 郝

In-app purchases

4 purchases

(Be better) Read

Subscriptions4
  • (Better) Read Ad Free - Monthly$1.991 Month
  • (Even better) Read Pro - Monthly$4.991 Month
  • (Better) Read Ad Free - Annual$9.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • (Even better) Read Pro - Annual$29.991 Year
None

CustomBooks

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is (Be better) Read free?
(Be better) Read is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is CustomBooks free?
CustomBooks is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do (Be better) Read or CustomBooks have ads?
(Be better) Read shows ads; CustomBooks does not.
Which is updated more often, (Be better) Read or CustomBooks?
(Be better) Read ships an update every 3 days, and CustomBooks every 2 weeks. Most recently, (Be better) Read was updated on November 5, 2026 and CustomBooks on October 31, 2026.

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