Comparison

PlotReader vs LightReadr

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

Head to head
About

PlotReader

Features
Read full description

PlotReader is a private ebook reader for macOS. Import TXT, EPUB, PDF, and MOBI books, keep reading progress locally, add bookmarks and notes, and customize your reading experience with themes, font size, line spacing, scroll mode, and system read-aloud voices. When you want a faster overview of a chapter, PlotReader offers optional AI reading tools, including plot summaries and relationship maps. AI features are not enabled by default. You provide your own API key and model service endpoint, and chapter content is sent only when you request generation and allow chapter sharing in Settings. PlotReader also supports optional iCloud backup and restore. Backup data is stored in your private iCloud database. API keys are stored in macOS Keychain and are never included in iCloud backups. Key Features: - Import local TXT, EPUB, PDF, and MOBI books - Local bookshelf, reading progress, bookmarks, notes, and reading statistics - Custom font size, line spacing, themes, and scroll mode - Optional AI plot summaries - Optional AI relationship maps - Read aloud with system voices - Optional on Mac, iPhone, and iPad, with reading progress and your library synced across devices via iCloud. - No app account system

About

LightReadr

Convert EPUB ebooks into audiobooks with natural-sounding narration. Read normally or switch to listening mid-page. All processing happens locally on your device, ensuring privacy. Import your own books or enjoy preloaded classics.

Highlights
  • Natural voice narration
  • Local device processing
  • EPUB import
  • Customizable reading settings
  • iCloud sync for progress
  • On-device recap feature
Features
Read full description

LightReadr turns your ebooks into audiobooks; with narration you actually want to listen to. Import the books you already have and either read normally or switch to natural-sounding narration mid-page. No robotic text-to-speech voice, no monthly subscription, no account required. NATURAL VOICE NARRATION Choose from several natural-sounding voices. Every word highlights as it's spoken, so you can follow along on the page. Tap any sentence to start narration right there; no need to scrub back to the beginning of the chapter. ENTIRELY ON YOUR DEVICE Narration is generated locally on your iPhone. Your books and the audio LightReadr creates from them never leave your device; there's no server involved in reading to you. BRING YOUR OWN BOOKS Import EPUB files from the Files app. LightReadr comes with five free public-domain classics already in your library, so you've got something to read the moment you install it. MAKE THE PAGE YOURS Adjust font, size, theme, margins, and line height; per book, so one title can look different from the next. Chapter navigation, when the book includes it, gets you around fast. RECAP SO FAR On supported Apple Intelligence devices, LightReadr can generate a short reminder of what's happened in your book so far, based on what you've actually read. YOUR PLACE, EVERYWHERE Reading progress, bookmarks, and highlights sync across your devices through your own iCloud account; never through a LightReadr server. Free. No account. No ads.

Screenshots

PlotReader4 screens
LightReadr4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: LightReadr at every 4 days against PlotReader's every 2 weeks. PlotReader's advantage is device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PlotReader ships an update every 2 weeks, LightReadr every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 6 level
PlotReader versus LightReadr: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPlotReaderLightReadr
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—3 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size29 MB289 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer伟 叶Cory Borg

In-app purchases

None

PlotReader

No in-app purchases

None

LightReadr

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is PlotReader free?
PlotReader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is LightReadr free?
LightReadr is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do PlotReader or LightReadr have ads?
Neither PlotReader nor LightReadr shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PlotReader or LightReadr?
PlotReader ships an update every 2 weeks, and LightReadr every 4 days. Most recently, PlotReader was updated on September 24, 2026 and LightReadr on September 29, 2026.

Other comparisons