# Common Reader vs Island Reader

The clearest difference is rating: Island Reader at 5.0 against Common Reader's 3.0. Island Reader also leads on iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.0). Common Reader's advantage is review sentiment (80% vs 72%). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Common Reader sells 5 one-off in-app purchases 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.

Island Reader holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 3 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 80% of Common Reader's written reviews are positive against 72% of Island Reader's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Common Reader ships an update every 2 days, Island Reader every 4 days. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Common Reader | Island Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/common-reader-ebook-reader/id6770067434/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/island-reader-text-to-speech/id6788645279/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **3** |
| Positive reviews | **80.0% of reviews** | 72.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 days** | Every 4 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 119 MB | 172 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **18.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [天宇 高](https://appshunter.io/developer/1851416147) | [ZHENGZHOU CREATION INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1696030576) |

## What reviewers say

### Common Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/common-reader-ebook-reader/id6770067434)

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

**Features:** iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Cup of Coffee | $4.00 | one-time |
| 2 Cups of Coffee | $8.00 | one-time |
| Lifetime Unlock | $9.99 | one-time |
| 4 Cups of Coffee | $16.00 | one-time |
| Many coffees | $32.00 | one-time |


### Island Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/island-reader-text-to-speech/id6788645279)

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:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Annual | $19.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Offer | $22.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Common Reader free?

Common Reader 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, Common Reader or Island Reader?

Island Reader is rated higher. Common Reader averages 3.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Island Reader averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### 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 31, 2026 and Island Reader on October 31, 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.*