Comparison

Rishi Reader vs Hardcover

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — 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 — 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 — 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 — 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 — 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

Hardcover

Manage your personal comic and ebook library locally on your device. Organize titles into collections, track reading progress, and enjoy seamless navigation between chapters. Supports various file formats and offers offline reading for authorized content.

Highlights
  • Local-first library management
  • Organize titles into collections
  • Continuous vertical and paged reading
  • Seamless chapter navigation
  • CBZ, PDF, EPUB import
  • Offline reading support
  • Reading history and bookmarks
Read full description

Hardcover - Reader is a private, local-first reader built for a library you control. Import supported comic and ebook files, organize titles into collections, and continue reading across long chapters. Download authorized material for offline reading where supported. The app starts with no content catalog or repository. Advanced users may manually connect a compatible HTTPS repository they choose. Before installing a plug-in, the app displays its developer, content rating, and requested network hosts. Repositories are never bundled, recommended, or installed automatically. Features include: • A fast library with collections, search, sorting, and unread counts • Continuous vertical and paged comic reading, with pinch and double-tap zoom • A dedicated text-novel reader with adjustable typography • Previous- and next-chapter navigation and Continue Reading • Save titles and choose collections directly from the reader • CBZ, PDF, EPUB, and supported backup import • Manual backup and restore • Optional iCloud Sync for your library, collections, reading progress, history, and notes • Optional app lock and Spotlight integration • A one-time Remove Ads purchase No Hardcover account is required. Your library is stored locally unless you choose to enable iCloud Sync, which uses your private iCloud database and requires the same Apple Account on your devices. Downloaded chapters, imported files, extension code, and logins do not sync. Only import or access material you own or are authorized to use.

Screenshots

Rishi Reader4 screens
Hardcover1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Rishi Reader at none against Hardcover's shown. Rishi Reader also leads on device support (4 vs 2). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Rishi Reader sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month and Hardcover sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Rishi Reader ships an update every 5 days, Hardcover every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Rishi Reader versus Hardcover: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRishi ReaderHardcover
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (8 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—8 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 daysEvery 3 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.417.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size123 MB19 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperFarid MatovuSteas Software

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
1 purchases

Hardcover

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$4.99

Questions

Is Rishi Reader free?
Rishi Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Hardcover free?
Hardcover is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Rishi Reader or Hardcover have ads?
Hardcover shows ads; Rishi Reader does not.
Which is updated more often, Rishi Reader or Hardcover?
Rishi Reader ships an update every 5 days, and Hardcover every 3 days. Most recently, Rishi Reader was updated on September 9, 2026 and Hardcover on September 20, 2026.

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