# Marginalia vs Close Reader

The clearest difference is ads: Marginalia at none against Close Reader's shown. On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Marginalia sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Close Reader sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Marginalia ships an update every 9 days, Close Reader every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Marginalia | Close Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marginalia-book-notes/id6786065821/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1** | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Size | 42 MB | 61 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.5** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [FURKAN TURGUT](https://appshunter.io/developer/6786065823) | [Ilia Ilinskii](https://appshunter.io/developer/1837644458) |

## What reviewers say

### Marginalia

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marginalia-book-notes/id6786065821)

Transform passive reading into active learning with this app. It functions as an EPUB and PDF reader with powerful note-taking and annotation tools, all stored locally for maximum privacy. Export your notes in Markdown format for seamless integration with other productivity tools.

**Highlights:** Personal EPUB and PDF library, Keyboard and stylus annotation, Multi-color highlighting, Smart book navigation, Customizable reading experience, Offline-first and privacy-focused, Markdown note exporting

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Marginalia Pro - Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Marginalia Pro - Yearly | $24.99 | per year |
| Marginalia Pro Life Time | $79.99 | one-time |


### Close Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/close-reader-ai-book-reader/id6817067048)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Light – monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Medium – monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Max – monthly | $19.99 | per month |
| Light – yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| Medium – yearly | $79.99 | per year |
| Max – yearly | $149.99 | per year |
| 10,000 energy | $2.99 | one-time |
| 30,000 energy | $6.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Marginalia free?

Marginalia is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Close Reader free?

Close Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Marginalia or Close Reader have ads?

Close Reader shows ads; Marginalia does not.

### Which is updated more often, Marginalia or Close Reader?

Marginalia ships an update every 9 days, and Close Reader every 3 weeks. Most recently, Marginalia was updated on November 11, 2026 and Close Reader on November 10, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*