# Bare Reader vs Issa Reader

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Issa Reader at none against Bare Reader's 1. Issa Reader also leads on device support (4 vs 2). Bare Reader's advantage is iOS requirement (16.6 vs 26.0). On price, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Bare Reader sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Issa Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bare Reader | Issa Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/issa-reader/id6806803431/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days | Every 5 days |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 3 MB | 21 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.6** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nathaniel Rayestu Abdulrachman](https://appshunter.io/developer/6785020837) | [Benjamin Issa](https://appshunter.io/developer/1860745071) |

## What reviewers say

### Bare Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bare-reader/id6787130680)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Support Development | $1.99 | one-time |


### Issa Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/issa-reader/id6806803431)

This app synchronizes your ebooks with audiobooks from a self-hosted server, allowing seamless transitions between reading and listening. It features a native typesetting engine, customizable reading options, and advanced playback controls for an immersive experience.

**Highlights:** Seamless read-to-listen transition, Native typesetting engine, Customizable reading faces and themes, Variable speed audiobook playback, CarPlay integration, Offline library access, Home Screen widget

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bare Reader free?

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

### Is Issa Reader free?

Issa Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Bare Reader or Issa Reader have ads?

Neither Bare Reader nor Issa Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bare Reader or Issa Reader?

Bare Reader ships an update every 5 days, and Issa Reader every 5 days. Most recently, Bare Reader was updated on October 9, 2026 and Issa Reader on October 2, 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.*