# MapleRead SE vs Ghostreader AI

The clearest difference is price: Ghostreader AI at Free against MapleRead SE's $8.99. Ghostreader AI also leads on update cadence (every 10 days vs every 2 months). MapleRead SE's advantage is chart position (#192 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Ghostreader AI is free to download; MapleRead SE costs $8.99 up front. MapleRead SE sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Ghostreader AI sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $6.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

MapleRead SE ships an update every 2 months, Ghostreader AI every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MapleRead SE | Ghostreader AI |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $8.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.1 (125 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mapleread-se/id860169741/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **125** | — |
| Positive reviews | 68.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Best chart rank | **#192** | — |
| Size | 30 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Maplepop LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/798017700) | [lauren brendle](https://appshunter.io/developer/6780510752) |

## What reviewers say

### MapleRead SE

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

**Currently charting:** #192 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


### Ghostreader AI

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ghostreader-ai/id6780510750)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Avid Reader | $6.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MapleRead SE free?

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

### Is Ghostreader AI free?

Ghostreader AI is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do MapleRead SE or Ghostreader AI have ads?

Neither MapleRead SE nor Ghostreader AI shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MapleRead SE or Ghostreader AI?

MapleRead SE ships an update every 2 months, and Ghostreader AI every 10 days. Most recently, MapleRead SE was updated on September 23, 2026 and Ghostreader AI on September 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.*