PocketBook Reader vs HBreader EPUBCLOUD reader
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
PocketBook Reader
This app is a versatile reader supporting 26 book and audio formats, including EPUB, PDF, and audiobooks. It offers features like PDF reflow, text-to-speech, cloud synchronization, and extensive customization options for a comfortable reading experience.
- Supports 26 book and audio formats
- PDF Reflow function
- Text-to-speech engine
- Cloud synchronization service
- Customizable interface and reading settings
- Adobe DRM support
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PocketBook Reader is a free app for reading all formats (books, magazines, textbooks, comic books, etc.) and listening to audiobooks! The application supports 26 book and audio formats, including mobi, epub, fb2, cbz, cbr. Read without ads and with total comfort! Choose any content - any format! • Support of 19 book formats, including the most popular - EPUB, FB2, MOBI, PDF, DJVU, DOCX, RTF, TXT, HTML; • Comic book formats CBR and CBZ; • Open books protected with Adobe DRM (PDF, EPUB); • PDF Reflow function (reflow text in PDF files). Listen to audiobooks! • You can listen to audiobooks and other audio files in MP3, M4B, and take notes in them; • Built-in TTS (Text-to-speech) engine for the voicing of the text files. Download and sync content easily! • Free PocketBook Cloud service for synchronizing all your books, including audiobooks, as well as reading positions, notes and bookmarks on all your devices; • Your files from Dropbox or Google Books services are easily connected to the app to create one consolidated library. You can even connect multiple accounts at the same time; • Support for OPDS catalogs - get access to network libraries; • ISBN scanner, for quick search of electronic versions of books by barcode; • Opportunity to borrow books and periodicals; • If you have a E Ink e-reader PocketBook, you can easily synchronize all your books and accounts just by scanning a QR code. Ready to switch from another app? No problem! Getting started with PocketBook Reader is easy! With an intuitive interface, the application provides you with unprecedented freedom – lots of options for settings and no restrictions. Choose, change, customize, and personalize! • Intuitive interface, easy navigation, and minimalistic design; • Opportunity to choose one of the seven interface color themes, reassign the buttons and display areas; • Two night-reading modes - for better reading comfort anytime; • Adjust the font style, font size, line spacing, and margin size; • Animation of turning pages; • Opportunity to crop margins – make the page look exactly the way you want. Get fast file access and easy search! • All files are quickly found and instantly opened, even with built-in audio and video fragments; • Your books will never be lost in the device’s memory - thanks to the smart search, scanning files on your tablet or smartphone is a matter of seconds. Any file or document can be found in a few clicks! • The app allows you to sort books, create collections, filter and mark files as you like. Your library - your rules; • Convenient managing of audio files - it is easy to sort and play your audiobooks. Make bookmarks, take notes, add comments! • You can quickly find all your notes and share them with friends via email or messengers; • Collect all your notes, bookmarks, and comments into separate files for even greater convenience. PocketBook Reader was created by avid readers for avid readers, and that’s why it’s probably the best e-book reader app.
HBreader EPUBCLOUD reader
This application allows users to read EPUB3 and EPUB2 ebook files with advanced CSS styling support. It offers easy book management from various cloud services and email, along with customizable reading settings. The reader is designed for all screen sizes and orientations.
- Reflowable EPUB3/EPUB2 support
- Advanced CSS styling
- Cloud service integration (Dropbox, email)
- RTL language support
- Interactive SVG and JavaScript
- Customizable reading settings
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Helicon Books EPUB3 Reader for iOS, with direct connection to online eBook stores. This new reader supports Reflowable EPUB3 and EPUB2 files with limited support for fixed layout. Helicon Books EPUB3 Reader emphasizes advanced technologies as well as ease of use. Full support for CSS styling in books (ignored by many other readers), Easy to add new books sent directly from stores or from email messages or Cloud services such as Dropbox. Supports the following main features: * RTL languages including page progression * User interface in English/Hebrew translatable to any other language * Full support of CSS styling for reflowable ebooks. * SVG (scalable vector graphics) and interactive SVG * JavaScript support * Footnotes handling * Bookshelf * Table of contents * Settings: font size, line spacing, background * Built to support all screen sizes and orientations
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: PocketBook Reader at 4.5 against HBreader EPUBCLOUD reader's 3.0. PocketBook Reader also leads on ratings volume (9.8K vs 2) and chart position (#136 vs unranked). HBreader EPUBCLOUD reader's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 56) and update cadence (monthly vs every 2 months). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. PocketBook Reader sells 41 one-off in-app purchases. HBreader EPUBCLOUD reader asks for nothing beyond the download.
PocketBook Reader holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PocketBook Reader has 9.8K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 54% of PocketBook Reader's written reviews are positive against 50% of HBreader EPUBCLOUD reader's.
PocketBook Reader ships an update every 2 months, HBreader EPUBCLOUD reader monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and June 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | PocketBook Reader | HBreader EPUBCLOUD reader |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (9.8K ratings) — better | 3.0 (2 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 54.5% of reviews — better | 50.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 9.8K — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #136 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 14.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 106 MB | 70 MB |
| Age rating | 9+ | 9+ |
| Developer | Pocketbook International SA | Helicon Books |
Customer experience
PocketBook Reader
HBreader EPUBCLOUD reader
Bugs and requests
PocketBook Reader
Reported bugs
4 issues- Books disappearing from library after login issues
- Inability to open DRM-protected PDFs
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between portrait and landscape modes
- Text-to-speech voice quality issues
Requested features
5 requests- Ability to organize books into custom folders
- Option to disable quick action zones
- Improved text-to-speech controls (seek, pause, etc.)
- Support for handwritten annotations with Apple Pencil
- Faster page turning and scrolling
HBreader EPUBCLOUD reader
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
PocketBook Reader
- eBook3 variants$0.99
- eBook (class A)$0.99
- eBook2 variants$1.99
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- eBook (class B)$1.99
- eBook$2.95
- eBook2 variants$2.99
- eBook (class C)$2.99
- eBook3 variants$3.99
- eBook: type 4.79$3.99
- eBook: type 4.19$3.99
- eBook (class D)$3.99
- eBook (class Alt5)$4.99
- eBook: type 5.39$4.99
- eBook (class F)$4.99
- eBook: type 5.89$4.99
- eBook$4.99
- eBook: type 5.09$4.99
- eBook (class G)$5.99
- eBook2 variants$5.99
- eBook: type 7.09$5.99
- eBook: type 7.19$5.99
- eBook: type 8.29$6.99
- eBook: type 7.59$6.99
- eBook3 variants$7.99
- eBook: type 8.89$7.99
- eBook (class J)$8.99
- eBook$8.99
- eBook$9.90
- eBook2 variants$9.99
- eBook (class L)$10.99
- eBook: type 13.9$11.90
- eBook$11.99
- eBook: type 12.99$11.99
- eBook$12.99
- eBook (class N)$12.99
- eBook (class O)$13.99
- eBook: type 17.9$14.90
- eBook$14.99
- eBook (class R)$16.99
- eBook (class T)$18.99
- eBook (class W)$21.99
HBreader EPUBCLOUD reader
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is PocketBook Reader free?
Is HBreader EPUBCLOUD reader free?
Which has better reviews, PocketBook Reader or HBreader EPUBCLOUD reader?
Do PocketBook Reader or HBreader EPUBCLOUD reader have ads?
Which is updated more often, PocketBook Reader or HBreader EPUBCLOUD reader?
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