# Glose vs Cryptid Universe

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Glose at none against Cryptid Universe's 3. Glose also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.4). Cryptid Universe's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Cryptid Universe sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Glose asks for nothing beyond the download.

Glose ships an update every 3 weeks, Cryptid Universe weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Glose | Cryptid Universe |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (8.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/glose/id896681871/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **8.1K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 26.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 65 MB | 109 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Readwise, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1476885527) | [Kathleen Seger](https://appshunter.io/developer/6816282290) |

## What reviewers say

### Glose

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/glose/id896681871)

This reading app enhances the experience with social features, allowing users to connect with others, share notes, and join online book clubs. Explore a vast ebookstore, read excerpts for free, and import your own EPUBs for offline access.

**Highlights:** Social reading and annotation sharing, Access to 1 million ebooks, Read up to 10% of any book for free, Import your own EPUBs, Offline reading capabilities, Create and join online book clubs, Generate and share quote cards

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth reading experience
- 👍 Intuitive interface
- 💡 Social features for sharing highlights

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔒 Lack of offline access to downloaded books
- 👎 Difficult to navigate and find your place
- 💤 Sluggish performance
- 📚 Inability to export or transfer purchased books

**Reported bugs**

- Pages skipping or jumping unexpectedly
- Highlighting and note-taking features not working as expected
- Audiobook playback issues like skipping and glitching
- Login and account management problems

**Requested features**

- Bookmark and annotation management
- Customizable reading settings
- Seamless sync across devices
- Improved search and organization of library


### Cryptid Universe

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cryptid-universe/id6816282288)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Overburden — Full Book | $4.99 | one-time |
| Firedamp — Full Book | $4.99 | one-time |
| Undercut — Full Book | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Glose free?

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

### Is Cryptid Universe free?

Cryptid Universe is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Glose or Cryptid Universe have ads?

Neither Glose nor Cryptid Universe shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Glose or Cryptid Universe?

Glose ships an update every 3 weeks, and Cryptid Universe weekly. Most recently, Glose was updated on October 26, 2026 and Cryptid Universe on October 24, 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.*