# Reader Alive vs Star Document Reader

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Star Document Reader at none against Reader Alive's 2. Star Document Reader also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (daily vs every 5 days). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Reader Alive sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Star Document Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

Reader Alive ships an update every 5 days, Star Document Reader daily. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and September 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Reader Alive | Star Document Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days | **Daily** |
| Size | 289 MB | 41 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nocoly.com Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1766222288) | [Markus Stadi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1888545692) |

## What reviewers say

### Reader Alive

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reader-alive/id6766441925)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Monthly | $7.99 | per month |
| Premium Yearly | $59.99 | per year |


### Star Document Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-document-reader/id6768236698)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Reader Alive free?

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

### Is Star Document Reader free?

Star Document Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Reader Alive or Star Document Reader have ads?

Reader Alive shows ads; Star Document Reader does not.

### Which is updated more often, Reader Alive or Star Document Reader?

Reader Alive ships an update every 5 days, and Star Document Reader daily. Most recently, Reader Alive was updated on September 9, 2026 and Star Document Reader on September 11, 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.*