Karatu vs LIRA Reader
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β with what reviewers say about each.
Karatu
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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 β 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 β library, history, bookmarks, downloads, stats β 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.
LIRA Reader
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LIRA is a calm audiobook and ebook player for books you already own. Import MP3, M4A, M4B, AAC, and EPUB files from the Files app, then listen or read without a subscription storefront. Your library stays on your device. LISTEN β’ Resume exactly where you stopped β’ Playback speed up to 3Γ β’ Sleep timer with fade and chapter options β’ Bookmarks for favorite moments β’ Lock screen and Control Center controls β’ Chapters when your file includes them READ β’ Clean EPUB reader with themes and fonts β’ Bookmarks for paragraphs you want to revisit READ ALONG β’ Optional on-device transcription for audiobooks β’ Follow the text while you listen β’ Model download happens only when you start transcription Built for people who keep their own libraryβLibriVox downloads, purchased DRM-free files, and personal archives. No account required to start listening.
Screenshots
Verdict
Karatu and LIRA Reader are too close to call on the numbers: across 5 compared parameters β price, ads, in-app purchases and device support among them β neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.
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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
| Parameter | Karatu | LIRA Reader |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Daily | β |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 β better | 18.0 |
| Further details β not scored | ||
| Size | 2 MB | 34 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 9+ |
| Developer | Umar Rufai | Tumba Mulamba |
In-app purchases
Karatu
No in-app purchases
LIRA Reader
No in-app purchases









