PastReads vs ReadIsland
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side ā with what reviewers say about each.
PastReads
Read full descriptionHide full description
PastReads is your all-in-one library for everything you read, see, and hear. Your free library helps you save, organize, and rediscover the best ideas. Whether you are reading books, browsing the web, listening to podcasts, or visiting museums, PastReads helps you capture what matters and find it again when you need it. ORGANIZE YOUR LIBRARY ā Capture highlights and notes in one place ā Add quick notes and thoughts ā Organize your content with collections, tags, and favorites ā Filter & search your entire library with full-text search IMPORT YOUR CONTENT ā Import highlights from Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books, Readwise, KOReader, and more ā Save content with details like author, location, and date ā Keep your reading history connected in one timeline YOUR (E)BOOKS IN ONE PLACE ā Keep track of everything you read ā Search millions of books and add them to your library ā Turn passages from physical books into digital highlights using the camera book highlighter SAVE IDEAS BEYOND BOOKS ā Capture highlights from articles, museum visits, and more ā Use your camera to capture and select text from the real world REMEMBER YOUR HIGHLIGHTS ā Get a daily recap of highlights so you don't forget what you read ā Complete streaks to stay motivated ACCESS FROM ANYWHERE ā Use PastReads on your phone or via web ā Synchronize ebook highlights using the desktop app BUILT FOR IOS Add PastReads widgets to your Home Screen, view highlights of the day, save content while browsing, and get customizable push notifications to revisit key ideas. JOIN NOW Join thousands of readers and start remembering your highlights. PastReads is free to use. You can upgrade to PastReads Pro for: ā more and better recaps with custom schedules and spaced repetition ā unlimited tags and collections ā advanced filtering ā monthly book summaries ā exports to Notion, PDF, and Markdown ā and much more -- Terms of use: https://www.pastreads.com/terms Apple EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
ReadIsland
Read full descriptionHide full description
Read on e-ink, not on glass. ReadIsland sends articles, notes, and long reads from your iPhone straight to your Boox e-reader. Paste or share, tap once, and it opens on your Boox ā no cables, no accounts, no clutter. The pieces you mean to read pile up all day: the long essay, the careful argument, the story someone spent a month writing. They wait in a tab, then a folder, then a quiet sense of guilt. ReadIsland is where they finally land ā on a calm grey page, easy on the eyes, the way long-form was meant to be read. WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT ⢠One-tap delivery ā share or paste, then send. It appears on your Boox automatically. ⢠Made for e-ink ā no glow, no blue light, no notifications pulling at your attention. ⢠No account needed ā pair your Boox once with a 6-digit code. That's the whole setup. ⢠Private by design ā your reading is yours. We never collect what you read. ⢠Sends in the background ā keep reading while the next piece arrives. HOW IT WORKS 1. Install ReadIsland on your iPhone and the companion app on your Boox. 2. Pair once with the 6-digit code shown on your Boox. 3. Share any article to ReadIsland, or paste text, and tap Send. 4. It opens on your Boox, ready to read tonight. Send it now. Read it later, when the hour is quiet and the screen has stopped asking for anything. āāāāāāāāāā ReadIsland Pro (Auto-Renewable Subscription) Subscribe to Pro to deliver documents to your Boox / E-ink reader without limits ā the free tier's 30-deliveries-per-month cap is removed. Subscription options: ⢠Pro Monthly: Ā„12 / month ⢠Pro Yearly: Ā„98 / year ⢠Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. ⢠Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. ⢠You can manage or turn off auto-renew in your App Store account settings after purchase. ⢠Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.figedu.com/readisland/terms ⢠Privacy Policy: https://www.figedu.com/readisland/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: ReadIsland at every 3 days against PastReads's every 11 days. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. PastReads sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and ReadIsland sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
PastReads ships an update every 11 days, ReadIsland every 3 days. Both last shipped on October 28, 2026.
| Parameter | PastReads | ReadIsland |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 11 days | Every 3 days ā better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, Mac |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 16.0 ā better |
| Further details ā not scored | ||
| Size | 18 MB | 3 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | PastReads | ę½åä¹ę±ę讯ęč²ē§ęęéå ¬åø |
In-app purchases
PastReads
- PastReads Pro (Monthly)$4.991 Month
- PastReads Pro (Annual)$49.991 Year
ReadIsland
- é čÆ»å² Pro ęä»$1.991 Month
- é čÆ»å² Pro 幓ä»$14.991 Year









