# MapleRead SE vs Inkwell

The clearest difference is price: Inkwell at Free against MapleRead SE's $8.99. Inkwell also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). MapleRead SE's advantage is rating (4.2 vs 3.9) and ratings volume (131 vs 9). On review sentiment, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Inkwell is free to download; MapleRead SE costs $8.99 up front. MapleRead SE sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Inkwell asks for nothing beyond the download.

MapleRead SE holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MapleRead SE has 131 ratings behind it against 9, 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 67% of Inkwell's.

MapleRead SE ships an update every 6 weeks, Inkwell every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MapleRead SE | Inkwell |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $8.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.2 (131 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mapleread-se/id860169741/reviews)** | [3.9 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/inkwell-customizable-ebooks/id6449137260/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **131** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | **68.5% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 4 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#71** | — |
| Size | 30 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Maplepop LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/798017700) | [Dimitrie Milinovich](https://appshunter.io/developer/1637204263) |

## What reviewers say

### MapleRead SE

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

**Currently charting:** #71 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


### Inkwell

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/inkwell-customizable-ebooks/id6449137260)

This free ebook reader offers a highly customizable reading experience with adjustable fonts, colors, and spacing. It seamlessly integrates translation and dictionary lookup, allowing you to import your own EPUB files and enjoy a personalized literary journey.

**Highlights:** Customizable fonts, sizes, and colors, Adjustable margins and paragraph spacing, Integrated iOS Translation and Dictionary, Intuitive design with smooth animations, Fast ebook loading, Import your own EPUB files

**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 Inkwell free?

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

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

MapleRead SE is rated higher. MapleRead SE averages 4.2 out of 5 from 131 ratings, while Inkwell averages 3.9 from 9 ratings.

### Do MapleRead SE or Inkwell have ads?

Neither MapleRead SE nor Inkwell shows ads.

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

MapleRead SE ships an update every 6 weeks, and Inkwell every 4 weeks. Most recently, MapleRead SE was updated on October 15, 2026 and Inkwell on October 9, 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.*