# PocketBook Reader vs csBooks

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 (#155 vs unranked). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | PocketBook Reader | csBooks |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (9.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocketbook-reader/id805488884/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **9.8K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 54.5% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#155** | — |
| Size | 106 MB | 84 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Pocketbook International SA](https://appshunter.io/developer/1536135171) | [Ravi Kumar Sharma](https://appshunter.io/developer/1695922963) |

## What reviewers say

### PocketBook Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocketbook-reader/id805488884)

**Currently charting:** #155 Top Free · Book (US App Store)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (41)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| eBook | $0.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class A) | $0.99 | one-time |
| eBook | $1.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class B) | $1.99 | one-time |
| eBook | $2.95 | one-time |
| eBook | $2.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class C) | $2.99 | one-time |
| eBook | $3.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 4.79 | $3.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 4.19 | $3.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class D) | $3.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class Alt5) | $4.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 5.39 | $4.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class F) | $4.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 5.89 | $4.99 | one-time |
| eBook | $4.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 5.09 | $4.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class G) | $5.99 | one-time |
| eBook | $5.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 7.09 | $5.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 7.19 | $5.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 8.29 | $6.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 7.59 | $6.99 | one-time |
| eBook | $7.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 8.89 | $7.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class J) | $8.99 | one-time |
| eBook | $8.99 | one-time |
| eBook | $9.90 | one-time |
| eBook | $9.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class L) | $10.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 13.9 | $11.90 | one-time |
| eBook | $11.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 12.99 | $11.99 | one-time |
| eBook | $12.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class N) | $12.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class O) | $13.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 17.9 | $14.90 | one-time |
| eBook | $14.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class R) | $16.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class T) | $18.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class W) | $21.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Convenient reading experience
- 🚀 Smooth scrolling
- 💡 Customizable settings (font, margin, etc.)
- 🔒 Supports DRM-protected content
- 👍 Intuitive user interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Unreliable cloud sync
- 🐛 Inconsistent page rendering
- 🐛 Buggy text highlighting and annotation
- 🐛 Slow loading times

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/csbooks-epub-and-pdf-reader/id6477337382)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Pro (Monthly) | $6.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Pro (Yearly) | $22.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*