Comparison

Folia 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

Folia

Features
Read full description

Folia isn't just a catalog of books — it's where you build the memory of everything you've read. What you felt, where you were, what else was going on in your life while you turned those pages. Every book you add becomes a spine you design yourself: pick the color, texture, and typography until it feels like yours. Over time, your digital shelf starts to look like a real one. A JOURNAL, NOT JUST A TRACKER Note where you were reading, who you were with, how old you were, what else you were reading at the time, even what music was playing. Add a mood to each session — energized, calm, wistful — and over time you'll have a real record of your relationship with each book, not just a "finished" date. YOUR LIBRARY, WITH ITS OWN IDENTITY • Design each book's spine: color, texture, typography, and alignment • Dozens of styles and textures to choose from — from classic to geometric, Japanese-inspired prints, tilework, Victorian, art deco, and more • Switch between shelf view or cover view, with shelves you can organize or hide • Search and filter by mood, length, reading status, or your own tags • Free-form tags to build sagas, collections, or lists your way • Rate with stars or simple reactions — you choose the system READING ROOM • A carousel of what you're currently reading, with progress at a glance • Reading challenges with goals you set • A reading queue for what's next • Monthly summaries of your activity • Achievements to unlock • Every quote you've underlined, all in one place CAPTURE BEFORE YOU DECIDE • Snap photos of covers at the bookstore and decide later, no pressure • Scan a barcode or ISBN to find the book instantly • A wishlist separate from your library — move books between pending, wishlist, library, or discarded whenever you want • Duplicate detection, so you never add the same book twice YOUR DATA, YOURS Everything is stored on your device. Export a full backup whenever you want, or share a book with another Folia user by scanning a QR code. THOUGHTFUL DETAILS Light and dark mode, several wood textures for the shelf, and available in English and Spanish. Folia is for people who read slowly and want to remember why every book mattered.

About

Island Reader

Listen to your imported books with AI-powered voices, track reading progress, and organize your personal library. Save favorite passages as shareable quote cards and set reading goals. Syncs across Apple devices.

Highlights
  • AI read aloud with customizable voices and speed
  • Import EPUB, PDF, and TXT files
  • Personal library organization and progress tracking
  • Reading statistics and goal setting
  • Highlights, notes, and quote cards
  • Cross-device iCloud sync
  • Widgets for quick access
Features
Read full description

Read your own books, listen with AI voices, and keep your reading goals and ideas together in Island Reader. 1. AI READ ALOUD Listen while commuting, running, or relaxing. Choose a voice, adjust the speed, and follow sentence highlighting as you switch between reading and listening. Online AI voices require an internet connection. 2. YOUR PERSONAL LIBRARY Import EPUB, PDF, and TXT files from your device or over local Wi-Fi. Organize books into groups, check each book's progress, and pick up where you left off. 3. READING STATISTICS AND GOALS Track reading and listening time, set daily reading and annual book goals, and monitor your progress over time. 4. HIGHLIGHTS, NOTES, AND QUOTE CARDS Turn favorite sentences into shareable text cards. Revisit highlights at random, or review one book's highlights and notes together. 5. A SHORTCUT BACK TO YOUR BOOK On iPhone and iPad, use widgets to return to your recent reading. Tap Apple Watch to open your last-read book on the paired iPhone. Watch features require that iPhone; audio plays through it or its connected audio device. CONTINUE ACROSS IPHONE, IPAD, AND MAC iCloud syncs supported reading progress, highlights, and notes. Book files are not synced by iCloud; import the same book on each device. 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

Folia4 screens
Island Reader4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Folia at none against Island Reader's 4. Island Reader's advantage is device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.4). On price, update cadence and ads 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 $2.99 per month. Folia asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Folia ships an update weekly, Island Reader every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Folia versus Island Reader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFoliaIsland Reader
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—72.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—4 — better
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Freemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS26.418.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size14 MB179 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperLeonardo DamianZHENGZHOU CREATION INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.

In-app purchases

None

Folia

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

Island Reader

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly$2.991 Month
  • Annual$14.991 Year
One-time2
  • Lifetime Offer$14.99
  • Lifetime$19.99

Questions

Is Folia free?
Folia is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Island Reader free?
Island Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Folia or Island Reader have ads?
Neither Folia nor Island Reader shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Folia or Island Reader?
Folia ships an update weekly, and Island Reader every 4 days. Most recently, Folia was updated on October 31, 2026 and Island Reader on November 10, 2026.

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