Karatu vs Coral Reader
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ with what reviewers say about each.
Karatu
Read full descriptionHide full description
Karatu is a native iOS reader where you bring your own sources. The app does not ship with a built-in catalog or library. Instead, you install small JavaScript source plug-ins from public repositories โ exactly the same model as a media-server client like Plex or Jellyfin. The app is the reader; the content backend is up to you. WHAT KARATU GIVES YOU - A native iOS reader. Vertical (webtoon) and horizontal (paged) modes, pinch-zoom, double-tap to reset, tap-to-toggle full-screen, auto-advance to the next chapter. - Per-page bookmarks, grouped by series. - Offline downloads. Background URLSession keeps fetches running when the app is suspended; per-chapter status lives on the manga detail screen with a one-tap "Download all chapters." - A real library. Sort by recently-read, recently-added, title, or chapters-read. Filter by currently-reading, has-downloads, unread-chapters-available, or by source. - Reading history with per-chapter resume. Pick up exactly where you left off. - Reading-time stats. Daily totals, current streak, longest streak, total time. Stored locally; nothing is sent anywhere. - A clean settings screen with storage usage, per-source breakdown, and one-tap reset. WHAT KARATU DOES NOT DO - Ship sources. You provide them. - Send any data anywhere. Karatu has no accounts, no telemetry, no third-party SDKs, no ads. The privacy manifest declares zero data collection. - Verify, host, distribute, or endorse any source or repository. You are solely responsible for the content you choose to load. FOR DEVELOPERS Karatu's source SDK is a tiny JavaScript runtime: fetch, console.log, and registerSource. Sources implement four async methods (getPopular, search, getMangaDetails, getChapterPages) and return ordinary JSON. Anyone can write a source and host the manifest as a public file. See the project documentation for the full SDK contract. PRIVACY All app state โ library, history, bookmarks, downloads, stats โ is stored locally on your device. Karatu makes network requests only to URLs you have explicitly configured. There are no analytics, no tracking pixels, no third-party libraries that phone home. Uninstalling the app removes every byte. REQUIREMENTS iOS 17 or later. iPhone only.
Coral Reader
Read full descriptionHide full description
Your books. Your documents. Your reading space. Coral Reader brings EPUB, PDF, Markdown, TXT, HTML, and more files together in one calm, beautifully customizable reader for iPhone and iPad. Import files you own and turn them into a personal library built around the way you read. ONE READER, YOUR WAY Organize books with categories, search your library by title or author, and filter what you are reading or have finished. Choose Paged, Scroll, or Mixed reading, then turn pages by tap, swipe, or on-screen controls. Explore chapters, search inside books, follow your progress, and save bookmarks, highlights, and notes. MAKE EVERY PAGE YOURS Fine-tune fonts, text size, line and letter spacing, margins, alignment, brightness, reading direction, rotation, and page-turn behavior. Read with Light, Dark, Paper, or Auto themes, with an interface available in 17 languages and full right-to-left support. LISTEN AND TRANSLATE Use Read Aloud to listen across pages and chapters, adjust the voice and playback speed, and control narration from the mini-player as you move around the app. Select a passage to translate it on-device in supported languages, with easy language detection, swapping, highlighting, copying, and sharing of the original text. LEARN FROM WHAT YOU READ Save unfamiliar words to your personal vocabulary and build recall with adaptive practice. Review with multiple-choice questions, typed answers, contextual fill-in-the-blank exercises, and offline definitions. Set daily goals and reminders, build learning streaks, and follow your progress over time. BUILD A READING HABIT See your reading time, daily activity, finished books, and current and longest reading streaks. Celebrate completed books and return exactly where you left off. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Your imported books, notes, highlights, reading progress, and vocabulary stay on your device. Coral Reader does not upload or sell the contents of your library. CORAL PRO Unlock unlimited reading, bookmarks, highlights, notes, and the complete premium experience with monthly or yearly plans. Coral Reader is an independent reader for files you own and does not include a bookstore. Terms: https://amih90.github.io/coral-reader/legal/terms-of-use.html Privacy: https://amih90.github.io/coral-reader/legal/privacy-policy.html
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Karatu at none against Coral Reader's 2. Karatu also leads on update cadence (daily vs fortnightly). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Coral Reader sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Karatu asks for nothing beyond the download.
Karatu ships an update daily, Coral Reader fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Karatu | Coral Reader |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Daily โ better | Fortnightly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No โ better | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad โ better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 โ better | 18.0 |
| Further details โ not scored | ||
| Size | 2 MB | 138 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Umar Rufai | Yanai Hollander |
In-app purchases
Karatu
No in-app purchases
Coral Reader
- Coral Reader7 Days trial$1.991 Month
- Coral Reader7 Days trial$17.991 Year









