AudiV vs Plain Reader
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
AudiV
This app allows you to import and play your own audiobooks, podcasts, and recordings. It offers advanced playback features, multiple import options, and optional family linking for parental controls. Enjoy your audio content without subscriptions or ads.
- Import your own audiobooks and podcasts
- Advanced playback controls
- Sleep timer with shake-to-extend
- Variable playback speed
- Cross-device sync (CarPlay, Apple Watch)
- Optional family linking and kid mode
- Private by default, no tracking
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AudiV is the audiobook player you fill yourself. No subscription, no streaming catalog, no ads — just your library, your rules. Drop in audiobooks you already own — DRM-free purchases from Libro.fm or Downpour, your converted Audible library, free LibriVox classics, podcasts, your own recordings — and AudiV reads the embedded chapters, cover art, and metadata for instant playback. THE PLAYER YOU ACTUALLY WANT • Real chapters with titles, scrub-snap, prev / next • Bookmarks with notes • Sleep timer with shake-to-extend • Speed: 0.5× to 4×, learns your per-author preference • Smart Speed: shortens long silences automatically • Crossfade between tracks • Lock-screen, CarPlay, and Apple Watch • Background playback that just works SIDELOAD ANYTHING • Files / iCloud Drive / On My iPhone — direct picker • Wi-Fi Transfer — open the URL on your computer, drag the files in via your browser • AirDrop from a Mac • Apple Watch sync of metadata + position FAMILY LINK (OPTIONAL) If you have kids using a second phone, AudiV can pair the two devices through a 6-character code: • See what they're listening to in real time • Set bedtime windows, daily-minute caps, day-of-week schedules • Lock individual books or set an allow-only list • Send a book straight from your phone to theirs • Engage an emergency lockdown ("dinner!") with an unlock timer • See the whole picture: 7-day chart, listening streak, finished count The kid device only ever transmits the listening data tied to the opaque pairing code. There is no account, no email, no Apple ID needed. Generate a new code anytime and the old data orphans immediately. KID MODE A device-local Kid Mode hides adult-flagged items and locks the app into the player. Disabling Kid Mode requires a 4-digit PIN. Themes designed for older kids ship alongside the standard palettes — Aurora, Galaxy, Wild, Lagoon, Citrus. PRIVATE BY DEFAULT • No analytics SDK • No advertising • No tracking across apps or websites • Listening data never leaves your device unless you explicitly set up Family Link • Speech transcription (optional, per-book) runs entirely on your device — audio never gets uploaded anywhere WHAT YOU NEED TO BRING AudiV doesn't sell audiobooks. You import your own. Recommended sources: • LibriVox — free, public-domain (librivox.org) • Libro.fm — DRM-free MP3 zips, supports indie bookstores • Downpour — DRM-free purchases of new releases • Your converted Audible / personal library Files in m4b, m4a, mp3, aac, wav, flac, ogg, and opus formats import directly. Multi-file books can be merged into a single m4b with free tools like m4b-tool before import. TECHNICAL NOTES • iOS 17+ • ~50 MB install • Audio files live in the app sandbox — included in iCloud + iTunes backup • No in-app purchases. AudiV is free.
Plain Reader
This app provides a distraction-free reading experience for various file formats including EPUB, TXT, PDF, and comics. It allows direct access to files from cloud storage or external drives without importing or creating copies, offering customizable reading settings and text-to-speech functionality.
- Read directly from Files, iCloud Drive, USB
- Customizable text and theme settings
- Text-to-speech in 31 languages
- Supports ZIP and CBZ archives
- Right-to-left reading for manga
- PDF text selection and search
- Distraction-free reading interface
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Plain Reader opens your books, PDFs, comics and image folders right where they are — in Files, iCloud Drive, or on a USB drive or external SSD. No account, no import, no copies. READ, NOTHING ELSE • Menus stay hidden while you read. Tap the center to bring them back. • Pages fill the screen. Swipe, tap the sides, or drag the slider to jump anywhere. • Turn your iPhone or iPad sideways for two-page spreads, with the cover on its own. • Turn pages with a Bluetooth page turner or a keyboard. TXT AND EPUB • Choose the font, size, line spacing, margins and theme — pages reflow to fit. • Listen: books in 31 languages are read aloud by natural voices made on your device. • Table of contents, search and bookmarks. TXT text encoding is detected automatically. COMICS AND MANGA • Opens ZIP and CBZ archives without unpacking them — even ones with thousands of pages. • Right-to-left reading for manga. • A folder of images opens as one book. PDF • Sharp pages, search, table of contents, thumbnails and text selection. • Two-page spreads on wide screens. YOUR FILES STAY YOURS • Files are read in place and never uploaded anywhere. • Bookmarks and your reading position are kept for every book. • Works with iCloud Drive and external storage through the Files app. PLAIN READER PRO Plain Reader is free with a small banner ad. Watch one short video ad to read without banner ads for 2 hours, or to use Listen for 1 hour. Plain Reader Pro removes all ads and adds unlimited Listen, Auto Page Turn, and blocking the apps you pick while you read. Choose a Monthly or Yearly subscription — Yearly starts with a 7-day free trial for new subscribers — or a one-time Lifetime purchase. Restore it on your iPhone and iPad with the same Apple Account. Payment is charged to your Apple Account when you confirm the purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel them in your App Store account settings. Terms of Use: https://ourbeom.com/plainreader/terms Privacy Policy: https://ourbeom.com/plainreader/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: AudiV at none against Plain Reader's 4. AudiV also leads on ads (none vs shown). Plain Reader's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs weekly). On price, 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. Plain Reader sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. AudiV asks for nothing beyond the download.
AudiV ships an update weekly, Plain Reader every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | AudiV | Plain Reader |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 3 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Every 3 days — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 17 MB | 45 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Curtis Waldner | OurBeom |
Customer experience
AudiV
Plain Reader
In-app purchases
AudiV
No in-app purchases
Plain Reader
- Plain Reader Pro (Monthly)$0.991 Month
- Plain Reader Pro (Yearly)7 Days trial$6.991 Year
- Plain Reader Pro$2.99
- Plain Reader Pro (Lifetime)$12.99









