# PocketBook Reader vs CHM Reader

The clearest difference is rating: CHM Reader at 5.0 against PocketBook Reader's 4.5. CHM Reader also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). PocketBook Reader's advantage is ratings volume (10K vs 2) and chart position (#180 vs unranked). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PocketBook Reader sells 41 one-off in-app purchases and CHM Reader sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

CHM Reader holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PocketBook Reader has 10K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 55% of PocketBook Reader's written reviews are positive against 43% of CHM Reader's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

PocketBook Reader ships an update every 2 months, CHM Reader every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PocketBook Reader | CHM Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (10K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocketbook-reader/id805488884/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chm-reader-read-chm-txt/id6758199572/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **10K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | **54.5% of reviews** | 42.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#180** | — |
| Size | 106 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Pocketbook International SA](https://appshunter.io/developer/1536135171) | [灿耿 陈](https://appshunter.io/developer/1688324562) |

## What reviewers say

### PocketBook Reader

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

**Currently charting:** #180 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


### CHM Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chm-reader-read-chm-txt/id6758199572)

This app provides a streamlined and efficient way to read CHM and TXT documents. It offers features like smart table of contents navigation, full-text search, adjustable font sizes, and night mode for a comfortable reading experience.

**Highlights:** Professional CHM format support, Smart Table of Contents navigation, Full-text search, Adjustable font size, Night mode, Bookmark collection

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly members | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Annual Subscription | $4.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Membership | $6.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PocketBook Reader free?

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

### Is CHM Reader free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PocketBook Reader or CHM Reader?

CHM Reader is rated higher. PocketBook Reader averages 4.5 out of 5 from 10K ratings, while CHM Reader averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do PocketBook Reader or CHM Reader have ads?

Neither PocketBook Reader nor CHM Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PocketBook Reader or CHM Reader?

PocketBook Reader ships an update every 2 months, and CHM Reader every 3 weeks. Most recently, PocketBook Reader was updated on October 22, 2026 and CHM Reader on October 8, 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.*