Comparison

Kiwix vs Lore

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

Head to head
About

Kiwix

Access a vast library of educational content offline. Download encyclopedias, wikis, and more to browse anytime, anywhere without an internet connection. Save data and access reliable information even in remote areas.

Highlights
  • Offline content access
  • Advanced compression technology
  • Vast educational content library
  • Data saving
  • No internet required
  • Non-profit and ad-free
Features
Read full description

Access the world's knowledge offline with Kiwix! Download free educational content once and browse it anytime, anywhere - no internet connection needed. Kiwix uses advanced compression technology to store vast amounts of content whilst taking minimal space on your device. Whether you're travelling, have limited internet access, or simply want to save on data costs, Kiwix puts reliable information at your fingertips. Need help? Our team is available at info@kiwix.org should you need any clarifications or support. Support us! Kiwix is a non-profit and displays no ads nor collects any data. Feel free to donate here: https://donate.kiwix.org OR use Apple Pay for donations in the app.

About

Lore

This app offers a serene and visually appealing way to explore Wikipedia articles. It focuses on a clean reading experience with customizable themes and typography, free from distractions like ads or editing tools. Enjoy frictionless navigation and private browsing, with your reading history stored locally.

Highlights
  • Book-like typography with adjustable text size
  • Five customizable themes
  • Clean article layouts
  • Instant Wikipedia search
  • Reading history kept locally
  • Safari extension for sharing
Features
Read full description

I wanted a quiet, beautiful way to read Wikipedia. That's what Lore is. For many of us, getting lost in Wikipedia is a near-daily hobby. Lore is built to make that easy and pleasant, with beautiful theming and text set in a classic serif font. No edit buttons, banners, or other elements to get in the way of reading and learning. READING, REFINED • Book-like typography with adjustable text size • Five hand-tuned themes: Warm Sepia, Cool Gray, Deep Blue, Sage Green, and Paper • Clean article layouts: collapsible tables, elegant infoboxes, footnotes tucked away • Tap any image to view it full screen • Jump anywhere in an article with the table of contents FRICTIONLESS • Instant search across English Wikipedia • Follow links from article to article, tumble down that rabbit hole • Reading history, kept only on your device • Share any article, or send Wikipedia pages straight to Lore with the share sheet and Safari extension • On iPhone and iPad, with the text column kept to a comfortable width KEEP WHAT YOU FIND • Save an article and it stays with you • Saved articles open with no connection at all, on a plane or underground • Everything is stored on your device. Nothing is uploaded anywhere. PRIVATE BY DESIGN • No account, no ads, no analytics, no tracking, ever. • Your history never leaves your device Lore is an independent app and is not affiliated with the Wikimedia Foundation. Article text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Screenshots

Kiwix4 screens
Lore4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Lore at 5.0 against Kiwix's 4.2. Lore also leads on update cadence (every 6 days vs every 2 months). Kiwix's advantage is ratings volume (427 vs 3) and iOS requirement (17.6 vs 26.2). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Lore holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Kiwix has 427 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Kiwix ships an update every 2 months, Lore every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Kiwix versus Lore: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKiwixLore
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (427 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews70.1% of reviews—
Number of ratings427 — better3
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 6 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.6 — better26.2
Further details — not scored
Size18 MB6 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperWikimedia CHJohn Wentworth

Customer experience

Kiwix

All ratings427 ratings
Positive80.1%
Neutral3.7%
Negative16.2%
Written reviews384 reviews
Positive70.1%
Neutral8.3%
Negative21.6%

Lore

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Kiwix

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes when searching
  • Downloads getting stuck or disappearing
  • Formatting issues with some content

Requested features

4 requests
  • Dark mode option
  • Ability to update/refresh downloaded content
  • Improved video support
  • Better search and navigation

Lore

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Kiwix

No in-app purchases

None

Lore

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Kiwix free?
Kiwix is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Lore free?
Lore is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Kiwix or Lore?
Lore is rated higher. Kiwix averages 4.2 out of 5 from 427 ratings, while Lore averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.
Do Kiwix or Lore have ads?
Neither Kiwix nor Lore shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Kiwix or Lore?
Kiwix ships an update every 2 months, and Lore every 6 days. Most recently, Kiwix was updated on October 17, 2026 and Lore on October 11, 2026.

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