# PocketBook Reader vs Leanpub

The clearest difference is review sentiment: PocketBook Reader at 55% against Leanpub's 13%. PocketBook Reader also leads on ratings volume (9.8K vs 1) and chart position (#165 vs unranked). Leanpub's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.5) and in-app purchases (none vs 56). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PocketBook Reader sells 41 one-off in-app purchases. Leanpub asks for nothing beyond the download.

Leanpub holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PocketBook Reader has 9.8K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 55% of PocketBook Reader's written reviews are positive against 13% of Leanpub'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, Leanpub monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PocketBook Reader | Leanpub |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (9.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocketbook-reader/id805488884/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/leanpub/id913517110/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **9.8K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **54.5% of reviews** | 12.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#165** | — |
| Size | 106 MB | 33 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 18.5 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Pocketbook International SA](https://appshunter.io/developer/1536135171) | [Leanpub](https://appshunter.io/developer/913517113) |

## What reviewers say

### PocketBook Reader

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

**Currently charting:** #165 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


### Leanpub

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/leanpub/id913517110)

Access your entire ebook library on your mobile device. Discover new titles, take notes, and switch between reading modes. Authors can also write and publish their own books directly through the platform.

**Highlights:** Read Leanpub ebooks, Discover new ebooks, Sync notes across devices, Dark and Light Mode reading, Write and publish books, Read ebook samples

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PocketBook Reader free?

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

### Is Leanpub free?

Leanpub is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

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

Leanpub is rated higher. PocketBook Reader averages 4.5 out of 5 from 9.8K ratings, while Leanpub averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do PocketBook Reader or Leanpub have ads?

Neither PocketBook Reader nor Leanpub shows ads.

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

PocketBook Reader ships an update every 2 months, and Leanpub monthly. Most recently, PocketBook Reader was updated on October 16, 2026 and Leanpub 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.*