# SlowRead vs Embertale

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Embertale at 100% against SlowRead's 22%. Embertale also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). SlowRead's advantage is ratings volume (752 vs 5) and chart position (#25 vs unranked). On price, update cadence and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SlowRead sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $8.39 per 7 days. Embertale asks for nothing beyond the download.

Embertale holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SlowRead has 752 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 22% of SlowRead's written reviews are positive against 100% of Embertale's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SlowRead | Embertale |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (752 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/slowread-book-tracker-and-tbr/id6763293288/reviews) | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/embertale/id6787890396/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **752** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 22.4% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 days | Every 3 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#25** | — |
| Size | 111 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **17.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Adrian Martinez Moreno](https://appshunter.io/developer/1864939018) | [Horjus IT Solutions BV](https://appshunter.io/developer/6787890398) |

## What reviewers say

### SlowRead

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/slowread-book-tracker-and-tbr/id6763293288)

**Currently charting:** #25 Top Free · Book, #58 Top Grossing · Book (US App Store)

This app helps you build a visually appealing digital bookshelf and encourages focused reading sessions by blocking distracting apps. Track your reading progress, organize your library, and create a personalized reading ritual.

**Highlights:** Customizable 2.5D digital bookshelf, Distraction-blocking focus sessions, Reading streak tracking, TBR and library organization, Effortless book addition (scan, search, photo), Import from Goodreads (CSV), Private, local-first library

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Weekly | $8.39 | per 7 days |
| Premium Annual Offer | $32.99 | per year |
| Premium Annual | $44.99 | per year |
| Lifetime access to Slowread | $149.99 | one-time |


### Embertale

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/embertale/id6787890396)

This reading app learns your preferences to provide personalized book recommendations. Manage your reading list, discover new titles, and visualize your reading habits with insightful statistics. It offers an AI assistant for book-related queries and a private community feature.

**Highlights:** Personalized book recommendations, AI reading assistant (Spark), Natural language book search, TBR management and smart collections, Reading statistics and visualizations, Private or public community features, Deep book insights and 10-dimensional reviews

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SlowRead free?

SlowRead is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Embertale free?

Embertale is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, SlowRead or Embertale?

Embertale is rated higher. SlowRead averages 4.7 out of 5 from 752 ratings, while Embertale averages 5.0 from 5 ratings.

### Do SlowRead or Embertale have ads?

SlowRead shows ads; Embertale does not.

### Which is updated more often, SlowRead or Embertale?

SlowRead ships an update every 3 days, and Embertale every 3 days. Most recently, SlowRead was updated on October 20, 2026 and Embertale on October 15, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*