ArchFic vs ArcReader
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ArchFic
Read and listen to fanfiction from Archive of Our Own offline. Translate stories with AI, get update alerts for followed authors and fics, and organize your library. Sync your progress and settings across devices.
- Offline reading of AO3 fanfiction
- AI-powered on-device translation
- Text-to-speech for hands-free listening
- New chapter and author update alerts
- Download and save fics permanently
- Sync library and settings across devices
- Customizable reading themes and fonts
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Read AO3 fanfiction offline — translate and listen anywhere. ArchFic is a fan-made fanfiction reader for Archive of Our Own (AO3). Read fanfiction offline, translate any fic on your device with AI, and listen hands-free with text-to-speech. Get alerted the moment the fics you follow update — the AO3 reader built for the way fans actually read. CONTINUE WHERE YOU LEFT OFF ArchFic remembers your chapter and exact scroll position across every work, so you can jump straight back in from a personalized Continue Reading list. Everything you've opened recently stays in your reading history. FOLLOW AUTHORS & GET NEW-CHAPTER ALERTS Follow your favorite AO3 authors from their profile. New Chapter Alerts notify you the moment a work you follow posts a new chapter, and New Work Alerts tell you when an author publishes something brand-new. The Updates feed gathers every recent update in one tab. NEVER LOSE A FIC AGAIN Download works for offline reading and keep them even if a fic is later deleted, orphaned, or locked on AO3. Save fanfiction to your Library and sort it into Collections you name yourself — Slow Burns, To Read, anything you like. Your AO3 bookmarks, recent reads, and offline downloads all live in one place. SEARCH THE FULL AO3 CATALOG Search works, authors, bookmarks, and tags from Archive of Our Own, or browse by genre: Anime & Manga, Books & Literature, Movies, TV Shows, and Video Games. Filter by rating, word count, completion status, date updated, relationships, and more to find exactly the fanfiction you want. READ ON YOUR TERMS Choose your font, adjust size and line height, and pick from four comfortable themes — White, Sepia, Dark, and Black — made for hours of reading. TRANSLATE AS YOU READ On-device AI translation lets you translate any fic into your language as you read. It works fully offline after a one-time model download, with no per-chapter fees — read fanfiction in any language. LISTEN HANDS-FREE Text-to-speech reads any chapter aloud, like an audiobook for fanfiction. Adjust the speed and voice, then follow along while commuting, cooking, or relaxing. SIGN IN TO SYNC ACROSS DEVICES Sign in to back up your library, collections, follows, and settings to the cloud, then switch phones or reinstall and pick up exactly where you left off. Connect your AO3 account to import your AO3 bookmarks and subscriptions automatically. Metadata only — your fanwork content is never uploaded or stored on our servers. Whether you're binge-reading a slow-burn epic offline on a flight, keeping up with every new chapter from the authors you follow, or just want a faster AO3 reader than the mobile browser, ArchFic is the fanfiction reader made for fans of Archive of Our Own — and archives of our own alike. Built by a fan, for fans who want a better mobile fanfiction reader. ArchFic is an unofficial, fan-made app and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to Archive of Our Own (AO3) or the Organization for Transformative Works. ArchFic accesses publicly available content from AO3 and does not host, store, or redistribute any fanfiction; if you sign in, our servers store only your account metadata (library, follows, settings), never fanwork content. Fanfiction content remains the property of their respective authors. Use is subject to AO3's Terms of Service (archiveofourown.org/tos).
ArcReader
Download and read web novels offline with customizable themes, fonts, and scroll modes. Convert novels to audiobooks with on-device narration and build vocabulary with an integrated dictionary. Sync progress across devices and import EPUB files.
- Download and read web novels offline
- Customizable reader themes and fonts
- On-device text-to-speech narration
- EPUB file import
- Integrated dictionary with flashcards
- Cross-device reading progress sync
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Paste any web novel link. Download every chapter. Read offline anywhere — no account, no subscription required to start. ArcReader is the offline-first reader for Royal Road, WTR-Lab, NovelFire, and dozens more sources. Bring your own link, we handle the rest — whether it's progression fantasy, xianxia, cultivation fiction, LitRPG, isekai, romance, or any English web novel and light novel. Loved by readers who wanted something quieter: no crowded feeds, no coin walls, just your books. Built for readers who want full control: pick your theme, your font, your scroll mode, and read offline whenever you want. POPULAR GENRES ON ARCREADER Progression Fantasy · Cultivation · Xianxia · Wuxia · Xuanhuan · LitRPG · GameLit · Isekai · Reincarnation · Fantasy · Romance · Sci-Fi · Fanfiction · Thriller · Horror · Slice of Life · Harem · Adventure WHY READERS LOVE ARCREADER A reader designed for long sessions Choose between four themes (Light, Dark, Sepia, Black AMOLED). Adjust font size, line spacing, font family, and margins to find your perfect setup. Switch between paginated mode with page-turn animation, or smooth continuous scroll. Listen with on-device narration Built-in neural text-to-speech turns any novel into an audiobook — runs entirely on your device. No internet required, no data costs, no monthly fees for the core feature. Adjustable speed from 0.75x to 2x, lock-screen controls, sleep timer, and auto-advance between chapters. Offline-first reading Downloaded content stays on your device in a local library — not a temporary cache. Read on airplanes, in tunnels, or anywhere connectivity is unreliable. Import your own EPUB files Already have books saved as EPUB? Import them straight into your library and read them with the same themes, fonts, and narration as everything else. Look up words and build vocabulary Tap any word for an instant dictionary definition, then save it as a flashcard. Review your flashcards later to lock in new vocabulary as you read. Highlights and notes Long-press to highlight passages in four colors with optional notes. Review all your highlights for any title in one place. Reading position sync Auto-saves your position every few seconds. Open a book on another device and continue exactly where you left off, after signing in. No sign-up wall Open the app and start reading. Account creation is optional — only needed if you want to sync between devices. EVERYTHING ARCREADER OFFERS - Customizable reader (themes, fonts, layout, scroll modes) - On-device neural text-to-speech with voice selection - Background audio with lock-screen controls and sleep timer - Highlights and notes with color coding - Import your own EPUB files into your library - Built-in dictionary with tap-to-define - Vocabulary flashcards to review and remember new words - Reading progress auto-save and cross-device sync - Daily reading goals and streaks - Reading statistics and history ARCREADER PRO (OPTIONAL SUBSCRIPTION) ArcReader Pro adds: - Premium cloud voices for high-quality narration - Unlimited chapter downloads - Ad-free reading experience ArcReader Pro is available as a monthly or yearly auto-renewing subscription, or a one-time lifetime purchase. The exact price in your local currency is shown in the app and on the App Store before you confirm. Payment is charged to your Apple ID account at purchase confirmation. Subscriptions auto-renew unless turned off in iOS Settings at least 24 hours before the current period ends; renewal is charged within 24 hours before the period ends. Manage or cancel anytime in Settings > Apple ID > Subscriptions. PRIVACY ArcReader stores your reading data on your device. Optional account sync uses encrypted cloud storage. We do not sell your data. Full privacy policy available below. Terms of Service: https://arcreaders.app/terms.html Privacy Policy: https://arcreaders.app/privacy.html
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ArchFic at none against ArcReader's 3. ArchFic also leads on ads (none vs shown). ArcReader's advantage is ratings volume (36 vs 1) and update cadence (every 6 days vs fortnightly). On price, rating, device support and iOS requirement 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
Both are free to download. ArcReader sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. ArchFic asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for ArchFic against 4.9 for ArcReader. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ArcReader has 36 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
ArchFic ships an update fortnightly, ArcReader every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ArchFic | ArcReader |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better | 4.9 (36 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | — | 93.8% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 36 — better |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Every 6 days — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.5 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 109 MB | 135 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Duong Hang | Thien Le |
Customer experience
ArchFic
ArcReader
In-app purchases
ArchFic
No in-app purchases
ArcReader
- ArcReader VIP — Monthly$5.991 Month
- ArcReader VIP — Annual$44.991 Year
- ArcReader VIP - Lifetime$79.99





