Comparison

CoreNodeReader vs Gloss

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

Head to head
About

CoreNodeReader

Features
Read full description

CoreNode Reader is a modern e-book reader optimized for iPad but also running on iPhone, built for readers who want full control over their digital library. The app brings together local books, Kavita servers and OPDS catalogs in one clean reading experience. Read EPUBs and PDFs, browse large libraries, filter by title or author, manage favorites, and keep your reading progress in sync across devices. Highlights: โ€ข One unified library Combine multiple sources into one library view. Local books, Kavita libraries and OPDS catalogs can be shown together or filtered separately, so your entire collection feels like one organized bookshelf. โ€ข Direct Kavita integration Connect your own Kavita server and sync libraries, series, collections, favorites and reading progress. โ€ข OPDS catalog support Add compatible OPDS catalogs and use them alongside your local and Kavita libraries. โ€ข Local library Import EPUB and PDF files directly to your device or use any Cloud folder for your personal book library. โ€ข Cross-device sync Synchronize reading progress, favorites, recently read books, bookmarks, notes, reader profiles and settings between devices. CoreNode Reader supports Apple ecosystem sync and also offers file-based sync for exchanging reading data between iOS, iPadOS and Android devices. โ€ข EPUB and PDF reading Read books and magazines with table of contents, bookmarks, notes, metadata, search and a focused reading interface. โ€ข Built for self-hosting CoreNode Reader is designed for people who want to manage their own books, catalogs and servers instead of being locked into a single store or platform. โ€ข Flexible library views Switch between icon, list and compact views. Filter by title, author, source, file type, series, collections and metadata. โ€ข Customizable reading experience Adjust font size, line height, margins, theme, layout and brightness to match your preferred reading style. CoreNode Reader is optimized for iPad and also works on iPhone. It is ideal for EPUBs, PDFs, magazines, OPDS catalogs and self-hosted libraries in one unified app.

About

Gloss

Features
Read full description

Gloss turns anything you read into a conversation with its author. Highlight any passage โ€” in a book, a PDF, an article you saved, or your own notes โ€” and a margin note appears, explaining it more deeply in a voice informed by the author's style (or a thoughtful guide when there's no single author). Ask a follow-up and the note answers, staying right beside the text. The AI lives in the margins, never as a chat window โ€” it reads like a thoughtful annotation, beside the text. Read anything: โ€ข EPUB books (DRM-free) โ€” your files, Project Gutenberg, Standard Ebooks, author-direct. (Kindle and Apple Books DRM files aren't supported.) โ€ข PDFs โ€” papers, manuals, anything you've saved. โ€ข Articles โ€” paste a link and Gloss pulls the readable text to annotate. โ€ข Your notes โ€” write or paste text and gloss it like a book. โ€ข Select text โ†’ Gloss, Go deeper, Define, or Ask โ€” the note streams into the margin (a side column on iPad, an anchored card on iPhone). โ€ข Distraction-free reading โ€” three themes (light, sepia, dark), adjustable font, size, spacing, and margins. โ€ข Your highlights and notes are saved on your device and travel with each document. Reading is free forever. Your first 10 glosses are free; Gloss Unlimited ($5.99/month or $49.99/year) unlocks unlimited notes. Your files stay on your device โ€” only the highlighted passage and a small amount of surrounding text are sent to generate a note. Author "voices" are an AI interpretation, not the real author, and may be inaccurate. Gloss Unlimited is an auto-renewable subscription: $5.99/month or $49.99/year. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at purchase confirmation. The subscription renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period; manage or cancel anytime in your Apple Account settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://gloss.nyrai.ai/terms.html Privacy Policy: https://gloss.nyrai.ai/privacy.html

Screenshots

CoreNodeReader4 screens
Gloss4 screens

Verdict

The call

CoreNodeReader and Gloss are too close to call on the numbers: across 5 compared parameters โ€” price, ads, in-app purchases and device support among them โ€” neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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. CoreNodeReader sells 5 one-off in-app purchases and Gloss sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
CoreNodeReader versus Gloss: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCoreNodeReaderGloss
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyFortnightlyโ€”
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size14 MB13 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperWerner StiglbauerNYRAI LLC

In-app purchases

5 purchases

CoreNodeReader

One-time5
  • Tip small$2.99
  • Tip medium$3.99
  • Tip large$5.99
Show 2 more
  • CoreNodeReader Pro$8.99
  • CoreNodeReader Pro Family$17.99
2 purchases

Gloss

Subscriptions2
  • Gloss Monthly$5.991 Month
  • Gloss Yearly$49.991 Year

Questions

Is CoreNodeReader free?
CoreNodeReader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Gloss free?
Gloss is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do CoreNodeReader or Gloss have ads?
Neither CoreNodeReader nor Gloss shows ads.

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