# MapleRead SE vs iCalibre

The clearest difference is review sentiment: MapleRead SE at 68% against iCalibre's 25%. MapleRead SE also leads on rating (4.1 vs 1.0) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 50 months). iCalibre's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and price ($4.99 vs $8.99). On ads, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

MapleRead SE costs $8.99 and iCalibre $4.99 up front. MapleRead SE sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. iCalibre asks for nothing beyond the download.

MapleRead SE holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MapleRead SE has 130 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 68% of MapleRead SE's written reviews are positive against 25% of iCalibre's.

MapleRead SE ships an update every 2 months, iCalibre every 50 months. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MapleRead SE | iCalibre |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $8.99 | **$4.99** |
| Rating | **[4.1 (130 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mapleread-se/id860169741/reviews)** | [1.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/icalibre/id1480663287/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **130** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | **68.5% of reviews** | 25.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 50 months |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#15** | — |
| Size | 30 MB | 97 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Maplepop LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/798017700) | [Harmen Reichert](https://appshunter.io/developer/891277001) |

## What reviewers say

### MapleRead SE

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mapleread-se/id860169741)

**Currently charting:** #15 Top Paid · Book (US App Store)

This app offers a unique audio-visual reading experience for EPUB and PDF files. It allows for extensive customization of book styles, instant audiobook generation, and immersive reading that syncs audio and text. It also functions as an effective library management tool with cross-device syncing.

**Highlights:** Audio-visual reading experience, EPUB and PDF reader, Pseudo audiobook generation, Immersion reading (audio/text sync), Library management and organization, Cross-device syncing, User-defined customization

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Gratuity Level 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Gratuity Level 2 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Gratuity Level 5 | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Highly customizable reading experience
- 🔒 Robust library management features
- 👍 Seamless integration with Calibre
- 👍 Excellent organization and tagging options
- 👍 Wide range of font and layout customization

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Sync issues between devices
- 🐛 Occasional crashes and performance problems
- 🔍 Complicated interface and setup process
- 🔍 Difficult to import large book libraries
- 🔍 Limited annotation and highlighting options

**Reported bugs**

- Freezing and crashing issues, especially on iOS 14
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between portrait and landscape modes
- Unreliable OPDS server integration and book downloads

**Requested features**

- Automatic reading progress sync across devices
- Improved PDF handling and annotation support
- Expanded highlighting and note-taking capabilities
- Streamlined library import and management
- Cleaner and more intuitive user interface


### iCalibre

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/icalibre/id1480663287)

Access your Calibre ebook library from any device via iCloud. Search, open, and read books directly within the app, with features like stored queries and cover image viewing. Keep your entire library synchronized across your iPhone, iPad, and PC.

**Highlights:** iCloud library synchronization, Open books directly in reader, Stored queries and autosuggest search, View cover images and descriptions, Search Google for book information, Mark books for easy searching

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MapleRead SE free?

MapleRead SE costs $8.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is iCalibre free?

iCalibre costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, MapleRead SE or iCalibre?

MapleRead SE is rated higher. MapleRead SE averages 4.1 out of 5 from 130 ratings, while iCalibre averages 1.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do MapleRead SE or iCalibre have ads?

Neither MapleRead SE nor iCalibre shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MapleRead SE or iCalibre?

MapleRead SE ships an update every 2 months, and iCalibre every 50 months. Most recently, MapleRead SE was updated on September 28, 2026 and iCalibre on September 29, 2026.

---

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