Comparison

EPUB Reader vs FBReader

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

Head to head
About

EPUB Reader

This application provides a seamless reading experience for EPUB files, supporting all formatting features. It offers advanced customization options for text, page turning, and display, along with cloud integration and file management tools. Enjoy your favorite books with enhanced productivity and comfort on mobile devices.

Highlights
  • Full EPUB format support
  • Extensive customization options
  • Cloud service integration
  • Speech synthesizer
  • Multiple page turning animations
  • Built-in file manager
  • Wi-Fi and FTP transfer
Features
Read full description

The BEST application for reading epub books. Format 100% supported by the application, including the styles, chapters, tables, links, footnotes etc. The visualization system takes into account the specific character of the format functioning on mobile devices (memory capacity, the number of general processor units etc.), Providing a maximum productivity and comfort when working with large documents. Elegant design, extended functionality, high speed and stability of work will make reading of your favorite literature a pleasurable experience. You can contact technical support and leave a comment without quitting the application. EPUB Reader’s special features: ■ Compatible with all popular archive formats (rar, zip, 7z, gz, tar ...) ■ Speech synthesizer ■ Large set of page turning animations (Slide, Fade, Curl, Flip, Cube, Ripple, Rotate) ■ Night mode ■ Integration with popular cloud services(Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, OneDrive, Yandex.Disk) ■ Integration with popular network services(SMB, FTP, SFTP, WebDAV, DLNA) ■ Open books directly from cloud services and network services ■ Hight application stability ■ Automatic recovery bad and non standard files ■ Search and highlight text options ■ Table of contents ■ Highlight and copy text options ■ Font, Font color, Background, font size, margins, line spacing, hyphenation, hyphenation language, skip author style options ■ Brightness control ■ Rotation lock ■ Bookmarks ■ Double page view ■ Opening documents from external applications ■ Last open document list ■ Online book catalogs(OPDS) ■ Web Browser and download manager ■ Wi-Fi transfer ■ FTP transfer File Manager Features: ■ Intuitive interface ■ iTunes integration ■ File sorting(by name, by extension, by size, by date, by author, by progress) ■ Searching files in subfolders ■ Create, move, copy, rename, pack/unpack, delete file/folder options ■ File/folder search ■ Preview book cover Wi-Fi Transfer Features: ■ Intuitive interface ■ Create, move, rename, delete file/folder options ■ Downloading/uploading few media files with one click ■ Display upload progress Online catalog(OPDS) Features: ■ Maximal support OPDS standards ■ User friendly navigation ■ Global searching ■ Full book information preview ■ Adding and editing catalog options ■ Completely popular catalog list Feel free to ask questions, report bugs or request new features: support@develsoftware.com

About

FBReader

A fast and versatile e-book reader supporting multiple formats like ePub, Kindle, and fb2. It offers cloud syncing for reading progress and a customizable interface. Upgrade to unlock unlimited library access and advanced features.

Highlights
  • Supports ePub, Kindle azw3, fb2, RTF, Word, HTML, and text
  • ePub3 and Readium LCP DRM support
  • Cloud syncing of library and reading positions
  • Customizable appearance and behavior options
  • Direct opening of downloaded files
  • Free version with library limits
Features
Read full description

FBReader is a fast and easy-to-use e-book reader for iPhone and iPad. It supports all major e-book formats, including ePub (with key ePub3 features), Kindle azw3, and fb2 (.zip). You can open both unprotected books and ePub files protected with Readium LCP DRM. FBReader also reads RTF, Word (.doc), HTML, and plain text, so you can keep all your books and documents in one place. Read anywhere and pick up right where you left off. FBReader can sync your library, reading positions, bookmarks, and more across devices using the FBReader Book Network, a cloud service powered by Google Drive. If you prefer managing files yourself, you can download books in your browser and open them directly with FBReader. A wide range of appearance and behavior options lets you customize the reading experience to match your preferences. Free version and upgrade options: • The free version allows up to 10 books in your library. • The built-in translation feature is disabled. Upgrade to the full version to remove these limits and enjoy the complete FBReader experience.

Screenshots

EPUB Reader4 screens
FBReader4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: EPUB Reader at 4.2 against FBReader's 3.7. EPUB Reader also leads on review sentiment (65% vs 52%) and ratings volume (809 vs 128). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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. EPUB Reader sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and FBReader sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

EPUB Reader holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: EPUB Reader has 809 ratings behind it against 128, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 65% of EPUB Reader's written reviews are positive against 52% of FBReader's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

EPUB Reader ships an update every 3 weeks, FBReader monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 15, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
EPUB Reader versus FBReader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEPUB ReaderFBReader
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (809 ratings) — better3.7 (128 ratings)
Positive reviews64.9% of reviews — better52.5% of reviews
Number of ratings809 — better128
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS10.0 — better13.0
Further details — not scored
Size129 MB22 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperLTD DevelSoftwareFBReader.ORG Limited

Customer experience

EPUB Reader

All ratings809 ratings
Positive81.7%
Neutral4.6%
Negative13.7%
Written reviews302 reviews
Positive64.9%
Neutral7.6%
Negative27.5%

FBReader

All ratings128 ratings
Positive64.8%
Neutral9.4%
Negative25.8%
Written reviews322 reviews
Positive52.5%
Neutral14.0%
Negative33.5%

User reviews

EPUB Reader

From 809 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great reader with customization options
  • 📚 Supports various file formats
  • 👍 Easy to use interface
  • 🔊 Good text-to-speech functionality

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
  • 💸 Excessive ads even in paid version
  • 🔒 Suspicious app permissions
  • 🤖 Outdated and unsupported features

FBReader

From 128 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fast and smooth reading experience
  • 👍 Simple and intuitive interface
  • 💡 Customizable font, margin, and layout options
  • 🔒 Secure syncing across devices
  • 🎨 Retro background textures

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and freezes
  • 🔧 Lack of advanced organization features (folders, shelves)
  • 🚫 No PDF support
  • 🔍 Inconsistent search and book discovery
  • 🔒 Privacy concerns around data collection

Bugs and requests

EPUB Reader

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Unable to open certain EPUB files
  • Inability to access local and cloud-stored files
  • Inconsistent behavior when using dictionary lookup
  • Last page of EPUB files not shown

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add highlighting and note-taking capabilities
  • Improve file management and organization
  • Provide better integration with cloud storage services
  • Implement pagination and chapter navigation

FBReader

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Syncing issues with Google Drive
  • Deletion of books from library
  • Formatting problems with large footnotes
  • Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions

Requested features

5 requests
  • Vertical scrolling mode
  • Improved bookmark and annotation tools
  • Ability to add/change book covers
  • Text-to-speech functionality
  • Better library management (read/unread, collections)

In-app purchases

4 purchases

EPUB Reader

One-time4
  • Thank the Developer$0.99
  • Appearance Customization$1.99
  • Additional Formats$3.99
Show 1 more
  • Pro Version$5.99
1 purchases

FBReader

One-time1
  • FBReader Full Edition2 variants$12.99

Questions

Is EPUB Reader free?
EPUB Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is FBReader free?
FBReader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, EPUB Reader or FBReader?
EPUB Reader is rated higher. EPUB Reader averages 4.2 out of 5 from 809 ratings, while FBReader averages 3.7 from 128 ratings.
Do EPUB Reader or FBReader have ads?
Neither EPUB Reader nor FBReader shows ads.
Which is updated more often, EPUB Reader or FBReader?
EPUB Reader ships an update every 3 weeks, and FBReader monthly. Most recently, EPUB Reader was updated on September 15, 2026 and FBReader on September 23, 2026.

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