Comparison

Gajimaru vs Cadence

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

Head to head
About

Gajimaru

Features
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Gajimaru keeps you company through the classics. Set your chapter to see the people, connections and context you have reached, without looking ahead. WHO’S WHO, WITHOUT WHAT’S NEXT Return to a novel after a few days away. Remember how its characters are connected. Find context for the chapter in front of you. Your bookmark controls what the companion reveals, so the discoveries ahead remain yours. This release includes 15 reading companions, from War and Peace, Middlemarch and Jane Eyre to Frankenstein, The Odyssey and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Companion material is checked against the source editions listed in the app; chapter numbering may differ in your edition. FIND YOUR NEXT CLASSIC Explore a catalogue of 143 books, with illustrated covers, shelves for your reading plans and a fresh editorial pick each week. Companion availability is clearly marked: the wider catalogue helps you choose and keep track of books, while available companions accompany your reading. TAKE A PATH THROUGH THE GROVE Meet Japanese yokai, Norse gods, Celtic figures, Slavic spirits and beings from Greek myth. Start with a daily discovery, return to earlier discoveries, or wander through the realms and their tales. FOLLOW WHAT YOU COLLECT Open packs of book, author and folklore cards. Follow a card to its book or Grove story, then return to the same card. Look more closely at the artwork, with full images, credits and source links. MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME Keep reading shelves and favourite books. Return to your chapter in an appearance that follows the day, or choose a light or dark setting. The companion, library, Grove and cards work without an account. Optional sign-in syncs your shelves, reading positions and saved lines. Bring your own book. Gajimaru is a companion, not a full-text reading app; β€œWhere to read it” points you to external reading, listening, buying and borrowing options. Free, with no ads or in-app purchases.

About

Cadence

Features
Read full description

Cadence helps you stay with what you're reading. The page fills in word by word at the pace you set, so your eyes always know where to go, and there's never a wall of words waiting. STAY FOCUSED The words arrive in the order you read them, at a steady pace. Your eyes follow along, and the pace carries you on when your mind would wander. Tap anywhere to pause. NEVER OVERWHELMED Each page starts empty and fills as you read. Only the words you've reached are on the screen, so there's nothing ahead to skim and no place to lose. When you'd rather see it all, the full text is a tap away. A PAGE THAT SUITS YOU Tell Cadence what makes reading harder, if anything, and it suggests a font, size and background that some people find easier. Choose your own pace, in light or dark, and change any of it whenever you like. STAY WITH IT Set a daily reading goal, get a gentle reminder if you'd like one, and watch your week fill with the books you read. Highlight what you want to keep, and find it again later. BOOKS TO BEGIN WITH A library of classics to start reading straight away, each with a cover made for Cadence, all in the public domain where you are. With Cadence Pro, bring your own EPUBs and text. CADENCE PRO Three hours of paced reading are free every month, and the full text is always free. Cadence Pro makes paced reading unlimited, and adds: β€’ Your own books: EPUBs and text you own, read the Cadence way β€’ Sync between your iPhone and iPad: your library, places and highlights β€’ Family Sharing with up to five family members Cadence Pro is monthly or yearly, and the yearly plan starts with a free week. Prices are shown in the app before you buy. FOR EVERY READER Cadence supports VoiceOver, Dynamic Type, Reduce Motion and dark mode. Payment is charged to your Apple Account when you confirm your purchase. Cadence Pro renews automatically unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel it in your Apple Account settings. If you start a free trial, any unused part of it ends when you subscribe. Terms of Use: https://www.louissampson.com/cadence/legal Privacy Policy: https://www.louissampson.com/cadence/legal

Screenshots

Gajimaru4 screens
Cadence4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Gajimaru at none against Cadence's 2. Gajimaru also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 26.0). Cadence's advantage is update cadence (daily vs every 2 days). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. Cadence sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Gajimaru asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Gajimaru ships an update every 2 days, Cadence daily. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences Β· 3 level
Gajimaru versus Cadence: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGajimaruCadence
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 daysDaily β€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo β€” betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 β€” better26.0
Further details β€” not scored
Size133 MB55 MB
Age rating17+12+
DeveloperVenkata Vamsi Bharadwaj YallapragadaLouis Sampson

In-app purchases

None

Gajimaru

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Cadence

Subscriptions2
  • Cadence Pro, Monthly$2.991 Month
  • Cadence Pro, Yearly7 Days trial$19.991 Year

Questions

Is Gajimaru free?
Gajimaru is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Cadence free?
Cadence is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Gajimaru or Cadence have ads?
Neither Gajimaru nor Cadence shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Gajimaru or Cadence?
Gajimaru ships an update every 2 days, and Cadence daily. Most recently, Gajimaru was updated on October 28, 2026 and Cadence on October 31, 2026.

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