Comparison

LeafRead vs Island Reader

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

LeafRead

This app provides a focused, ad-free reading experience for your local TXT, EPUB, and Markdown files. Enjoy offline reading, text-to-speech with system or on-device AI voices, and customizable reading settings. It offers immersive features like various page-turn animations and continuous scrolling.

Highlights
  • Offline TXT, EPUB, MD support
  • Text-to-speech with AI voices
  • Customizable reading themes and fonts
  • Adjustable page-turn animations
  • Continuous scrolling mode
  • Home and Lock Screen widgets
Features
Read full description

LeafRead is a focused, no-nonsense local reader that turns the books you already own into a comfortable reading experience. No account, no ads, and no internet needed to read — just import a file and go. FORMATS YOU CAN OPEN • TXT plain text with automatic encoding detection; even huge novels open quickly • EPUB e-books with chapters, images and layout preserved • Markdown (.md) documents, auto-split into chapters by heading • Import from Files, the share sheet, or send files from a computer browser over your local Wi-Fi LISTEN TO YOUR BOOKS • System voices start instantly and match the language of the text • Download optional AI voice models that run on your iPhone — your text never leaves the device • Keeps reading on the Lock Screen, in the background and in Picture in Picture • The spoken sentence is highlighted and pages turn automatically • Adjustable speed and a sleep timer for bedtime listening IMMERSIVE READING • Page turns: realistic curl, slide, vertical scroll, fade and more (some Pro) • Auto-read with smooth continuous scrolling at your pace • Day / Night / Eye-care themes, plus your own background images and fonts (Pro) • Fine-tune font size, line and paragraph spacing, margins, indent and blank-line compression • Two-column reading on iPad and iPhone Duo (Pro) THOUGHTFUL DETAILS • Reading position is saved automatically — pick up exactly where you left off • Jump via the chapter list and full-text search • Bookmarks, text highlights and notes (categories & export are Pro) • Reading time and word-count stats • Home Screen widgets show the page you are reading and can turn pages; Lock Screen widgets too • Bookshelf groups, search and multi-select PRIVACY FIRST • Your books stay on your device; reading needs no connection • No reading data collected, no sign-in needed • iCloud library sync and cover lookup are optional Pro features, off by default Upgrade to LeafRead Pro to unlock every theme and font, advanced page-turn animations, unlimited bookmarks with categories, text annotations and export, full reading stats, two-column reading, custom backgrounds and fonts, and iCloud sync. Download LeafRead and give yourself a quiet place to read.

About

Island Reader

Transform your personal EPUB, PDF, and TXT files into a private digital library. Read and listen to your documents with natural AI voices, follow along with highlighted text, and sync your progress across Apple devices. Personalize your reading experience with customizable themes and navigation.

Highlights
  • Import EPUB, PDF, TXT files
  • Natural AI and system voices
  • Sentence-by-sentence highlighting
  • Customizable reading themes
  • Cross-device syncing via iCloud
  • Private library, files stay local
Features
Read full description

Turn your own EPUB, PDF, and TXT files into a private library you can read, listen to, and annotate across iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Island Reader keeps long-form reading moving when your eyes or hands are busy. Import the files you already have, listen with natural voices, follow each sentence, and continue from your latest position on another Apple device. APPLE WATCH Control iPhone playback, choose chapters and voices, switch between recent books, and view reading goals and statistics from your wrist. Requires a paired iPhone; audio plays through the iPhone or its connected audio device. KEY FEATURES • Import EPUB, PDF, and TXT from Files, or transfer books over your local Wi-Fi network • Choose natural AI voices or system voices, get language-aware recommendations, adjust speed, set a sleep timer, and follow sentence-by-sentence highlighting • Personalize themes, text size, spacing, margins, light or dark appearance, and reading navigation • Group and pin books, search your library, edit titles and covers, and share original files • Search inside books, add bookmarks, highlight passages, and write notes • Use iCloud to sync supported settings, groups, book information, reading progress, bookmarks, highlights, and notes • Keep books private: imported files stay on your devices, are not uploaded to our servers, and are not synced through iCloud ISLAND READER PRO Island Reader is free to download and includes core reading features. Optional Island Reader Pro purchases unlock additional benefits, including unlimited book imports and note export. Available plans, benefits, durations, trial eligibility, and localized prices are shown in the app before purchase. Auto-renewable subscriptions renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current billing period. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation. Manage or cancel subscriptions in your App Store account settings. A lifetime purchase, when offered, is a one-time purchase and does not renew. Voice availability and AI speech features may vary by language, device, region, and network connection. Privacy Policy: https://fancy-crop-f2c.notion.site/Privacy-Policy-730a85c63d7b829eb47201e27f655995 Terms of Use: https://fancy-crop-f2c.notion.site/Terms-of-Service-feda85c63d7b82d5aebd011068fe1bf6

Screenshots

LeafRead4 screens
Island Reader4 screens

Verdict

The call

LeafRead and Island Reader both sit at 5.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 83% of LeafRead's written reviews are positive against 72% of Island Reader's. On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. LeafRead sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Island Reader sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for LeafRead against 5.0 for Island Reader. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 3 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 83% of LeafRead's written reviews are positive against 72% of Island Reader's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

LeafRead ships an update every 3 days, Island Reader every 4 days. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
LeafRead versus Island Reader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLeafReadIsland Reader
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings)
Positive reviews83.3% of reviews — better72.0% of reviews
Number of ratings23 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 days — betterEvery 4 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, MaciPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS17.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size42 MB172 MB
Age rating4+9+
Developer献慧 陈ZHENGZHOU CREATION INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.

Customer experience

LeafRead

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews12 reviews
Positive83.3%
Neutral8.3%
Negative8.3%

Island Reader

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews25 reviews
Positive72.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative28.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

LeafRead

One-time1
  • LeafRead Pro Lifetime Unlock$1.99
4 purchases

Island Reader

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Annual$19.991 Year
One-time2
  • Lifetime Offer$22.99
  • Lifetime$29.99

Questions

Is LeafRead free?
LeafRead is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Island Reader free?
Island Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, LeafRead or Island Reader?
LeafRead and Island Reader are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 3 ratings respectively.
Do LeafRead or Island Reader have ads?
Neither LeafRead nor Island Reader shows ads.
Which is updated more often, LeafRead or Island Reader?
LeafRead ships an update every 3 days, and Island Reader every 4 days. Most recently, LeafRead was updated on October 31, 2026 and Island Reader on October 31, 2026.

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