Comparison

FreeIReader vs iRead

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

Head to head
About

FreeIReader

Features
Read full description

FreelReader: Built for Ultimate Reading and a Fluid Experience Are you looking for a reading tool that is truly responsive, smooth, and versatile? FreelReader gives you a brand-new choice: a clean reader that perfectly combines high performance, high-refresh-rate smoothness, and freedom—built purely for the ultimate experience. 【Silky High Refresh Rate · Ultimate Performance】 Fluid animations in every scenario: Deeply optimized for high-refresh-rate screens. Whether it’s the delicate animation of realistic page turning or buttery-smooth vertical scrolling in waterfall mode, you get high-refresh-rate responsiveness that stays right under your finger. Millisecond-level instant response: Built on a high-performance rendering engine, even extremely large texts load without lag, letting you enter immersive reading in an instant. 【All Formats Supported · Native EPUB Refined Typesetting】 Full support for TXT and EPUB: Seamlessly import local TXT files and standard EPUB e-books. Native EPUB refined typesetting engine: Faithfully restores the book’s original chapter structure, mixed text-and-image layouts, and beautiful typographic design, giving you authentic layouts comparable to physical books. Layout your way: Includes the warm, elegant XiaLu WenKai font. Freely adjust font size and fine-tune line spacing, paragraph spacing, and margins with one tap to create your own comfortable reading view. 【Immersive Translation · Cross-Language Without Barriers】 Bilingual immersive comparison: When reading foreign-language originals, simply select text to invoke the system’s high-fidelity translation with one tap. Original and translated text are interwoven for a seamless, immersive cross-language reading experience. 【Web Source Extension · Aggregate Online Novels】 Built-in browser extension: Add any literature, news, or novel website you often read directly to your bookshelf. Smart progress tracking: Automatically records your reading position while browsing the web; next time, resume with one tap. Combined with the reader’s built-in font-size and font optimization, web content is turned into a comfortable, refined layout. 【Privacy and Security · Absolutely Clean】 Tool as a service: No ad pop-ups, no background online data collection. All local books and reading data are stored securely only on your local device. No interruptions—just an absolutely quiet corner for reading. Download FreelReader now and start your journey of free, high-refresh-rate reading. Feedback QQ group: 614504562. Email: wrxdz01@outlook.com By using this app, you agree to Apple’s Standard License Agreement: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

iRead

Listen to your own EPUB, TXT, and MOBI books with natural-sounding voices, completely offline. Import your files easily and enjoy background playback with lock screen controls. Offers a free version with system voices and an optional one-time purchase for advanced neural voices.

Highlights
  • Offline text-to-speech for EPUB, TXT, MOBI
  • Background playback with lock screen controls
  • Multilingual support (9 languages)
  • Import books via Files, share sheet, Wi-Fi
  • Customizable reading themes and settings
  • Library management with categories and progress
Features
Read full description

iRead reads the books you already own out loud — natural voices, fully offline, no subscription. LISTEN TO YOUR OWN BOOKS • Natural neural voices read EPUB, TXT and MOBI aloud • Keeps playing in the background, with the screen locked • Lock screen and headphone controls, like a podcast • Voices in nine languages: English, Chinese, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese and Korean — each chapter is read in its own language automatically • Runs entirely on your phone — your text is never uploaded READ THEM TOO • Import from Files, the share sheet, or your computer over Wi-Fi • Light and dark themes, adjustable size and spacing • Shelf with covers, categories and reading progress • One backup file carries your library, progress and settings between devices GOOD TO KNOW • PDF opens for reading but cannot be read aloud — convert it to EPUB first (free converter at iread.gaiya.cc) • DRM-protected books, including Kindle and Apple Books purchases, cannot be opened • There is no store inside iRead. It never sells or ships books; it opens the ones you already have FREE AND PRO • Free: the whole reader, plus your device's built-in system voice • Pro: unlocks the natural neural voices. One-time purchase, yours forever • No subscription, no account, no ads, no tracking

Screenshots

FreeIReader4 screens
iRead4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: iRead at every 2 days against FreeIReader's every 3 weeks. FreeIReader's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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. FreeIReader sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $0.99 per month and iRead sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

FreeIReader ships an update every 3 weeks, iRead every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
FreeIReader versus iRead: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFreeIReaderiRead
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—2 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Freemium
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size42 MB46 MB
Age rating17+4+
Developer正 董Shuhui Sheng

In-app purchases

1 purchases

FreeIReader

Subscriptions1
  • Membership service (one month)$0.991 Month
1 purchases

iRead

One-time1
  • iRead Pro$11.99

Questions

Is FreeIReader free?
FreeIReader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is iRead free?
iRead is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do FreeIReader or iRead have ads?
Neither FreeIReader nor iRead shows ads.
Which is updated more often, FreeIReader or iRead?
FreeIReader ships an update every 3 weeks, and iRead every 2 days. Most recently, FreeIReader was updated on November 5, 2026 and iRead on November 10, 2026.

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