# Alien Reader vs SubStory

The clearest difference is rating: SubStory at 4.7 against Alien Reader's 2.2. SubStory also leads on review sentiment (50% vs 33%). Alien Reader's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and iOS requirement (7.0 vs 16.4). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

SubStory holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 7 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of Alien Reader's written reviews are positive against 50% of SubStory's.

Alien Reader ships an update every 2 weeks, SubStory weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 16, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Alien Reader | SubStory |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.2 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alien-reader/id734265291/reviews) | **[4.7 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/substory-scroll-and-feed/id6747969403/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 6 | **7** |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 3 MB | 101 MB |
| Requires iOS | **7.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Kesav Mulakaluri](https://appshunter.io/developer/711835069) | [Titans of Industry](https://appshunter.io/developer/1776126736) |

## What reviewers say

### Alien Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alien-reader/id734265291)

This app offers a streamlined mobile browsing experience for Reddit, inspired by browser extensions. It features full-size image previews and intuitive swipe gestures for voting, aiming to enhance user interaction.

**Highlights:** Reddit browsing, Full-size image previews, Swipe to vote gestures, Mobile enhancement suite, Simplified interface

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### SubStory

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/substory-scroll-and-feed/id6747969403)

Experience Reddit content in a fast, full-screen vertical feed. Swipe through memes, photos, and videos, and download your favorites for offline viewing. Enjoy a streamlined, ad-free browsing experience with optional premium features for enhanced privacy and auto-scrolling.

**Highlights:** Full-screen vertical feed, Offline media downloads, Auto-download media, Pin-code content protection, Auto-scroll for content, Gesture controls

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SubStory Premium | $2.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $8.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Alien Reader free?

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

### Is SubStory free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Alien Reader or SubStory?

SubStory is rated higher. Alien Reader averages 2.2 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while SubStory averages 4.7 from 7 ratings.

### Do Alien Reader or SubStory have ads?

Neither Alien Reader nor SubStory shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Alien Reader or SubStory?

Alien Reader ships an update every 2 weeks, and SubStory weekly. Most recently, Alien Reader was updated on September 16, 2026 and SubStory on October 15, 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.*