Comparison

Rishi Reader vs Sonarplay

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

Head to head
About

Rishi Reader

Features
Read full description

Rishi turns the books on your devices into conversations. Read your EPUB and PDF library on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, then ask questions, get summaries, or talk through a passage out loud β€” all without leaving the page. Bring your own books. Drop EPUB or PDF files into Rishi and they live in a fast, searchable library with covers, progress, and a Reading Now shelf. Highlights and notes follow you across devices. Read the way you like. A focused, customizable reader handles fixed-layout and reflowable EPUBs, scanned PDFs with a real text layer, and table-of-contents jumps. Pick light, dark, or sepia. Adjust font size and spacing. Search every page. Pick up where you left off. Open a book on your Mac, keep reading on iPhone on the train, finish on iPad in bed β€” Rishi syncs your position, highlights, and notes in the background using silent push. Chat with any book. Ask "what does this chapter argue?" or "summarize this scene," and Rishi answers grounded in the book you're reading. Conversations are saved per-book and per-session, so you can come back to the thread later. Talk it through. Real-time voice chat lets you have a natural spoken conversation about what you’re reading β€” ideal for studying, language practice, or thinking out loud on a walk. Voice chat and premium narration require an active Apple subscription. Read aloud. Start foreground narration from the open book with a configurable voice and sentence-level highlighting. Follow along on the page while Rishi is open. Made for Apple silicon. Optimized for Mac Catalyst with a real sidebar, full keyboard navigation, native menus, and scene restoration. Universal Links open books straight from Safari, Mail, or Messages. Accessible by default. VoiceOver labels across the reader, library, and chat. Full Dynamic Type support. AA contrast on every surface. Reduce Motion and Increase Contrast respected. Private by design. Sign in with Apple β€” no password to manage, no email required. Your reading data lives in your account, not in an ad network. Anonymous diagnostics can be turned off in Settings. Pro features (subscription). Voice chat, unlimited chat conversations, and premium narration voices are available through an Apple subscription purchased in Rishi. Use the in-app purchase sheet to subscribe, Restore Purchases to recover an existing subscription, or Settings to open Apple's subscription management sheet. Terms of Use: https://rishi.fidexa.org/terms. Subscription Terms: https://rishi.fidexa.org/legal/subscription-terms

About

Sonarplay

Features
Read full description

SonarPlay - Your Audiobook Streaming Platform Listen to thousands of audiobooks and book summaries anytime, anywhere. SonarPlay brings stories and ideas to life with high-quality audio, smart recommendations, and offline listening. What you will love * Huge library across fiction, self-help, business, biographies, and more * Smooth playback with speed control and easy skipping * Background and offline listening for life on the move * Curated recommendations, powerful search, and top-rated picks * Personalised profiles, favourites, and synced progress across devices * Premium subscription for unlimited access and exclusive content * Secure sign-in, flexible payments, and multi-language support Start listening smarter with SonarPlay. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://sonarplay.com/privacy_policy

Screenshots

Rishi Reader4 screens
Sonarplay4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Sonarplay at none against Rishi Reader's 8. Sonarplay also leads on iOS requirement (16.4 vs 18.4). Rishi Reader's advantage is device support (4 vs 2). On price and ads 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. Rishi Reader sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Sonarplay asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard3 real differences Β· 3 level
Rishi Reader versus Sonarplay: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRishi ReaderSonarplay
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 5 daysβ€”
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo β€” better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch β€” betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.416.4 β€” better
Further details β€” not scored
Size123 MB92 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFarid Matovuwaplead solutions llc

In-app purchases

8 purchases

Rishi Reader

Subscriptions8
  • Reader Monthly$7.991 Month
  • Rishi Reader Monthly$7.991 Month
  • Voice Monthly$14.991 Month
Show 5 more
  • Rishi Voice Monthly$14.991 Month
  • Reader Annual$76.991 Year
  • Rishi Reader Annual$79.991 Year
  • Rishi Voice Annual$99.991 Year
  • Voice Annual$143.991 Year
None

Sonarplay

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Rishi Reader free?
Rishi Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Sonarplay free?
Sonarplay is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Rishi Reader or Sonarplay have ads?
Neither Rishi Reader nor Sonarplay shows ads.

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