Comparison

Common Reader 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

Common Reader

This app offers a unified reading and AI-powered analysis experience for various ebook formats. It allows users to ask questions about book content, automatically organize their library, and sync across multiple devices. Privacy is a core focus, with no proactive data collection.

Highlights
  • Supports multiple ebook formats (epub, azw3, mobi, txt, md, pdf)
  • AI-powered questions about book content
  • Automatic library organization with generative AI
  • Cloud sync (iCloud, OneDrive, WebDAV)
  • Fast full-library search
  • Unified cross-platform interface
Read full description

- UI and interactions follow a carefully unified cross-platform logic and are built with native technologies for iOS and iPadOS. - Supports many ebook formats, including epub, azw3, mobi, txt, markdown, and pdf. - Supports nearly every ebook rendering feature, including vertical writing and RTL. - Listen with built-in system voices or AI voice models. - A high-performance, Metal-powered simulated page-turn engine offers an unparalleled visual experience. - Deeply integrates AI features for asking questions about books and automatically organizing your library with generative AI. - Supports cloud sync through iCloud, OneDrive, Google Drive, WebDAV, and more. - Provides fast full-library search across books, authors, tags, notes, highlights, and original text. - The app does not proactively collect any of your information. Your data is only processed by the model and cloud storage providers you trust.

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. 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

Common Reader4 screens
Island Reader4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Common Reader at none against Island Reader's 4. Island Reader's advantage is ratings volume (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.0). On price, rating, review sentiment 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. Island Reader sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Common Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Common Reader against 5.0 for Island Reader. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 3 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 75% of Common Reader's written reviews are positive against 74% of Island Reader's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Common Reader ships an update every 2 days, Island Reader every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Common Reader versus Island Reader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCommon ReaderIsland Reader
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings)
Positive reviews75.0% of reviews — better73.9% of reviews
Number of ratings13 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 days — betterEvery 4 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, MaciPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS26.018.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size116 MB163 MB
Age rating4+9+
Developer天宇 高ZHENGZHOU CREATION INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.

Customer experience

Common Reader

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%

Island Reader

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews23 reviews
Positive73.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative26.1%

In-app purchases

None

Common Reader

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

Island Reader

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

Questions

Is Common Reader free?
Common Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Island Reader free?
Island Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Common Reader or Island Reader?
Common Reader and Island Reader are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 3 ratings respectively.
Do Common Reader or Island Reader have ads?
Neither Common Reader nor Island Reader shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Common Reader or Island Reader?
Common Reader ships an update every 2 days, and Island Reader every 4 days. Most recently, Common Reader was updated on October 14, 2026 and Island Reader on October 22, 2026.

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