Comparison

Must Read vs ReadBuddy

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Must Read

Track your reading progress, time sessions with live activities, and discover new books. Access a vast library of classic eBooks and audiobooks with PRO. Organize your library with custom lists and detailed reading statistics.

Highlights
  • Track reading progress
  • Live Activity reading timer
  • Detailed reading statistics
  • Access to 74,000+ classic eBooks
  • Access to 18,000+ audiobooks
  • Customizable reading lists
  • Book discovery and recommendations
Features
Read full description

Must Read keeps your whole reading life in one place. Track every book, time your reading, read and listen to classics, and find your next book on shelves picked by our editors. Build a reading habit, clear your TBR pile, or discover your next favorite book. Sign in and your library is with you on all your devices. TRACK YOUR BOOKS - Add books with the barcode scanner, or search by title, author or ISBN - Organize by status: Want to Read, Reading, Completed, Did Not Finish - Track pages, or time for audiobooks, and mark each book as physical, ebook or audiobook - Write notes and reviews, and rate books with quarter-star precision - Make your own lists, with regular books and classics together - Import from Goodreads, StoryGraph, Book Tracker, Reading List or Booklog, or any CSV file with titles and authors, and see a preview first READ YOUR OWN EBOOKS - Bring your own EPUB and PDF files from Files, AirDrop or other apps - They wait in Imported books, kept on this device READING TIMER AND LIVE ACTIVITY - Start a timer when you sit down to read, with a goal of 15, 30 or 60 minutes, or your own - Follow it on the Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island - See pages per session and your reading speed, and build streaks - Set reading reminders for each day of the week APPLE WATCH - Start a session from your wrist and set your page with the Digital Crown - Your current read and your streak on the watch face ASK MUST READ - Not sure what to read next? Pick a mood, like Short and quick or Finish what you started, and get one pick from your own shelf and our editors' lists WIDGETS - Currently Reading widgets in every Home Screen size, plus the Lock Screen - Streak widget: this week's reading days and today's pages - Choose which books your widgets show, and in what order READING STATS - Reading DNA: your reader archetype, favorite time of day, top genres and pace - Books, pages, hours and reading speed, this year and all time - Reading calendar with daily covers and streaks - Yearly reading goal with weekly progress DISCOVER BOOKS - Shelves picked by our editors, with lists for many countries - Similar books on book pages, drawn from shared authors and genres - Browse 27 genres, or tap a genre or author on any book - Point your camera at a book with Visual Intelligence (on iPhones with Apple Intelligence) CLASSICS LIBRARY - Public domain eBooks from Project Gutenberg and audiobooks from LibriVox - Built-in reader with fonts, themes, bookmarks and a Contents list that marks your chapter SIRI AND SHORTCUTS (iOS 26 and later) - Ask what you're reading, your top-rated books, your stats or your streak - Add, finish and rate books by voice MUST READ CARD AND FRIENDS - Add your Must Read card to Apple Wallet and keep your reading at a glance - Invite friends with your code: you each get 5 more books on the free plan SHARE YOUR READING - My bookshelf: share your library as a picture of a bookcase - Share cards for any book: Colorful, Minimal, Dark, or your own color or photo FIND AND BUY BOOKS - Links to bookshops such as Bookshop.org, Amazon and Apple Books, depending on your country Made for iPhone, iPad, iPhone Duo and Apple Watch. --- Must Read Pro unlocks unlimited books, reading timer on all books, unlimited lists and the full classics library. - Monthly: $4.99/month - Yearly: $29.99/year (7-day free trial) - Lifetime: $79.99 (one-time purchase) - Family Sharing supported Free: 10 books, 1 custom list, timer on 1 book, 1 classic eBook, 1 audiobook, reading reminders, full search and explore. Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage and cancel your subscriptions in your Apple ID account settings. Privacy Policy: https://mustreadapp.com/privacy Terms of Use: https://mustreadapp.com/terms

About

ReadBuddy

Features
Read full description

ReadBuddy – Build Your Reading Habit ReadBuddy is a simple, focused app designed to help you read more consistently. Track your books, stay on top of your daily goal, and build a reading streak that keeps you coming back. Build a Daily Reading Habit Set a daily page goal and stay consistent. ReadBuddy helps you turn small reading sessions into lasting habits. Track Your Progress - Log reading sessions easily - Track pages read and time spent reading - See your progress across all your books Stay Motivated with Streaks - Build a daily reading streak - Get feedback as your streak grows - Hit milestones and stay on track Manage Your Books - Add and track multiple books - See what you’re currently reading - Keep a record of finished books Understand Your Reading - View daily reading stats - See how your reading builds over time Upgrade to ReadBuddy Pro to unlock: - Unlimited books - Weekly, monthly, yearly, and all-time stats - Full reading history Simple. Focused. Effective. No accounts. No distractions. Just a better way to read more. Privacy First All your data is stored locally on your device. Nothing is tracked or shared. Start building your reading habit today. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Must Read4 screens
ReadBuddy4 screens

Verdict

The call

Must Read and ReadBuddy are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Must Read sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and ReadBuddy sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Must Read ships an update every 6 days, ReadBuddy every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
Must Read versus ReadBuddy: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMust ReadReadBuddy
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (20 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews48.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings20 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 6 days — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.017.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size89 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperStanislav RastvorovWarren Peters

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Must Read

Subscriptions2
  • Must Read Pro (Monthly)$4.991 Month
  • Must Read Pro (Annual)7 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • Must Read Pro Lifetime$49.99
1 purchases

ReadBuddy

One-time1
  • ReadBuddy Pro$5.99

Questions

Is Must Read free?
Must Read is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ReadBuddy free?
ReadBuddy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Must Read or ReadBuddy have ads?
Neither Must Read nor ReadBuddy shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Must Read or ReadBuddy?
Must Read ships an update every 6 days, and ReadBuddy every 2 weeks. Most recently, Must Read was updated on November 1, 2026 and ReadBuddy on October 25, 2026.

Other comparisons