Comparison

Sumi Book vs Prose Reader

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

Head to head
About

Sumi Book

Features
Read full description

Sumi is a beautifully crafted, native reader for the books, manga and comics you already own or have the right to read. Sumi comes empty by design. It includes no catalog, no content, and no built-in sources โ€” you decide what to read. Import your own files, or add a source by pasting the web address of a site you are entitled to access. Sumi is the elegant reading experience on top; the library is yours. A READER, NOT A LIBRARY โ€ข Ships with zero content and zero pre-loaded sources โ€ข Import your own files (.cbz / .zip) straight from the Files app โ€ข Add your own source โ€” nothing is bundled DESIGNED FOR READING โ€ข A refined dark interface made for long sessions โ€ข Smooth paged and continuous (webtoon) reading modes โ€ข Right-to-left support for manga โ€ข Remembers your place across your whole collection NO ADS, EVER Sumi shows no advertising. The reading view is just the page โ€” nothing between you and your story. PREMIUM Unlock the full experience: โ€ข Incognito mode โ€” read without saving history or progress โ€ข App Lock โ€” guard your library with Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode โ€ข Backup & restore โ€” export and recover your entire collection โ€ข Premium themes โ€” including the dusk-rose Sakura palette โ€ข Offline downloads โ€” keep what you're reading with you YOUR RESPONSIBILITY Sumi is a neutral reading tool. It is not affiliated with any website, publisher, or content, and cannot guarantee the availability of any third-party source. You are responsible for ensuring you have the right to access whatever you add. Please support the authors and publishers you love. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Prose Reader

Features
Read full description

Prose is a clean, local-first reader for ePub and PDF books. Designed with a focus on speed, privacy, and simplicity, Prose works completely offline to keep your personal library secure on your device. Key Features: - Multi-format support: Read ePub 2, ePub 3, and PDF files. - Offline library: View your books in a custom cover grid or detail list. Search, filter, and sort by title, author, last read, or reading progress. - Tailored reading experience: Customize fonts, font size, margins, and line spacing for reflowable ePub books. Zoom and fit controls are available for PDF files. - Reading themes: Switch between light, dark, and sepia themes to match your environment. Themes apply across the entire application interface. - Local-first sync: Connect your own WebDAV server to sync books, reading positions, bookmarks, highlights, and settings. Sync runs in the background and resolves conflicts by keeping your furthest reading position. - Annotation and reference: Create bookmarks, highlight text, and look up definitions using the built-in offline dictionary. - Privacy and security: Your data is never sent to third-party services. WebDAV credentials are saved securely in your operating system keychain. There is no telemetry, analytics, or tracking.

Screenshots

Sumi Book4 screens
Prose Reader4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Prose Reader at none against Sumi Book's 3. Sumi Book's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 2 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Sumi Book sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Prose Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Sumi Book ships an update every 3 days, Prose Reader every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 10, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences ยท 4 level
Sumi Book versus Prose Reader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSumi BookProse Reader
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 3 days โ€” betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo โ€” better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.115.0 โ€” better
Further details โ€” not scored
Size49 MB125 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperOktay DemirElia Salerno

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Sumi Book

Subscriptions2
  • The Fine Press โ€” Monthly$3.991 Month
  • The Fine Press โ€” Annual$24.991 Year
One-time1
  • The Fine Press โ€” Lifetime$49.99
None

Prose Reader

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Sumi Book free?
Sumi Book is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Prose Reader free?
Prose Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Sumi Book or Prose Reader have ads?
Neither Sumi Book nor Prose Reader shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Sumi Book or Prose Reader?
Sumi Book ships an update every 3 days, and Prose Reader every 2 months. Most recently, Sumi Book was updated on September 10, 2026 and Prose Reader on September 22, 2026.

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