Comparison

PocketBook Reader vs Glance

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

Glance

This app offers a minimalist reading experience using RSVP technology to display text word by word. It helps users focus by eliminating distractions and entering a state of flow. Import your own books and customize the reading experience with various fonts and color schemes.

Highlights
  • RSVP speed reading technology
  • Import EPUB, MOBI, and save Texts/URLs
  • Two reading modes (overview and speed)
  • Customizable fonts and color schemes
  • Ad-free and tracking-free experience
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Read your books one word at a time — calm, focused, and as fast as you like. Glance shows text word by word at a single point, so your eyes stay still and your attention stays on the story. Import your own EPUB and MOBI books or save articles from the web, then read at the speed that feels right — from a gentle 100 to 1,000 words per minute. Your library, your way • Import DRM-free EPUB and MOBI books, or save any web article or pasted text to read offline • Two ways to read: scroll the full text, or switch to word-by-word speed reading — turn your phone sideways for a distraction-free view • Glance remembers where you stopped and carries you straight into the next chapter Made for reading, not for scrolling • Tap to pause, double-tap to go back a sentence, swipe to change speed • Many fonts and colour schemes, including high-contrast and colour-blind-friendly options • Reading stats and goals to build a daily habit • Translate any sentence with one long press • Works on iPhone and iPad, in English, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian and Ukrainian Respectful by design Pay once, keep it forever. No ads. No tracking. No subscriptions. No account. Your books never leave your device. Just you, the words, and the moment. Note: books bought from Kindle or Apple Books are copy-protected (DRM) and can't be opened by any third-party reader.

Screenshots

PocketBook Reader4 screens
Glance4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Glance at 100% against PocketBook Reader's 54%. Glance also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 10) and rating (4.9 vs 4.5). PocketBook Reader's advantage is price (Free vs $3.99) and ratings volume (10K vs 8). On ads, chart position 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

PocketBook Reader is free to download; Glance costs $3.99 up front. PocketBook Reader sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Glance asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Glance holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PocketBook Reader has 10K ratings behind it against 8, 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 100% of Glance's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PocketBook Reader ships an update every 2 months, Glance every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
PocketBook Reader versus Glance: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPocketBook ReaderGlance
PriceFree — better$3.99
Rating4.5 (10K ratings)4.9 (8 ratings) — better
Positive reviews54.5% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings10K — better8
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
Best chart rank#163#106 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size106 MB3 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperPocketbook International SAPETER ZDANKIN

Customer experience

PocketBook Reader

All ratings9,831 ratings
Positive87.4%
Neutral3.9%
Negative8.7%
Written reviews1,364 reviews
Positive54.5%
Neutral11.7%
Negative33.9%

Glance

All ratings8 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews9 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

Glance

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

10 purchases

PocketBook Reader

One-time10
  • eBook$0.99
  • eBook (class A)$0.99
  • eBook (class B)$1.99
Show 7 more
  • eBook$2.99
  • eBook (class D)$3.99
  • eBook: type 7.09$5.99
  • eBook$6.99
  • eBook: type 10.9$9.90
  • eBook$9.99
  • eBook: type 12.99$11.99
None

Glance

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is PocketBook Reader free?
PocketBook Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Glance free?
Glance costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, PocketBook Reader or Glance?
Glance is rated higher. PocketBook Reader averages 4.5 out of 5 from 10K ratings, while Glance averages 4.9 from 8 ratings.
Do PocketBook Reader or Glance have ads?
Neither PocketBook Reader nor Glance shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PocketBook Reader or Glance?
PocketBook Reader ships an update every 2 months, and Glance every 2 weeks. Most recently, PocketBook Reader was updated on November 8, 2026 and Glance on November 5, 2026.
Which is more popular, PocketBook Reader or Glance?
PocketBook Reader currently peaks at #163 in the App Store charts, and Glance at #106. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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