Comparison

PocketBook Reader vs csBooks

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Supports 26 book and audio formats
  • PDF Reflow function
  • Text-to-speech engine
  • Cloud synchronization service
  • Customizable interface and reading settings
  • Adobe DRM support
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

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.

About

csBooks

This app allows users to read and manage ePub and PDF books from their device. It offers features like automatic thumbnail generation, reading progress tracking, customizable text size, and multiple themes for a comfortable reading experience.

Highlights
  • Read ePub and PDF files
  • Manage book library
  • Auto book thumbnail generation
  • Reading progress tracking
  • Customizable text size and font
  • 8 stylish reading themes
  • Cloud storage and desktop sync
Features
Read full description

Read ePub, PDF, MOBI, Word & CBZ files with csBooks – the best ebook reader and digital library manager for iPhone and iPad. Import, organize, and read books offline with our all-in-one book reader app. The #1 ebook reader app for offline and online reading: ePub reader & ePub viewer PDF reader & PDF viewer MOBI reader & MOBI viewer CBZ comic book reader Word document reader (DOCX) Book Reader Features: ePub reader with adjustable fonts, text size & 8 reading themes PDF reader with page progress tracking & navigation MOBI ebook reader for Kindle-format files Comic book reader for CBZ files Book library manager with card view & list view Auto-generated book cover thumbnails Reading progress tracker Cloud sync & cloud backup for your ebook library Offline reading – read books without internet Import ebooks from Files, email & cloud storage Desktop sync for cross-device reading Best ebook reader for digital library management. csBooks organizes your ePub books, PDF books, MOBI ebooks, and comic books in one beautiful reading app. Fast ePub viewer, smooth PDF viewer, and full-featured book manager. Read ebooks offline. Sync your book library to desktop. Track reading progress. csBooks is the ebook reader and library app for serious readers. Download csBooks – ebook reader, PDF viewer & digital library app. ------- Developer contact: studiocaesium@gmail.com Privacy Policy: https://www.caesiumstudio.com/privacy-policy End User License Agreement: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula

Screenshots

PocketBook Reader4 screens
csBooks4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: csBooks at 100% against PocketBook Reader's 54%. csBooks also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 2 months). PocketBook Reader's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and chart position (#149 vs unranked). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. PocketBook Reader sells 41 one-off in-app purchases and csBooks sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PocketBook Reader ships an update every 2 months, csBooks every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and August 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
PocketBook Reader versus csBooks: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPocketBook ReadercsBooks
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (9.8K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews54.5% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings9.8K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 9 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#149 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.013.0
Further details — not scored
Size106 MB84 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperPocketbook International SARavi Kumar Sharma

Customer experience

PocketBook Reader

All ratings9,831 ratings
Positive87.4%
Neutral3.9%
Negative8.7%
Written reviews1,336 reviews
Positive54.5%
Neutral11.8%
Negative33.8%

csBooks

Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

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

csBooks

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

41 purchases

PocketBook Reader

One-time41
  • eBook3 variants$0.99
  • eBook (class A)$0.99
  • eBook2 variants$1.99
Show 38 more
  • 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
2 purchases

csBooks

Subscriptions2
  • Unlimited Pro (Monthly)$6.991 Month
  • Unlimited Pro (Yearly)$22.991 Year

Questions

Is PocketBook Reader free?
PocketBook Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is csBooks free?
csBooks is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do PocketBook Reader or csBooks have ads?
csBooks shows ads; PocketBook Reader does not.
Which is updated more often, PocketBook Reader or csBooks?
PocketBook Reader ships an update every 2 months, and csBooks every 9 days. Most recently, PocketBook Reader was updated on September 24, 2026 and csBooks on August 17, 2026.

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