Verithiathe honest score on any app
Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

Manobook vs Apple Books

Manobook 4.6★ · Free + IAP 75
Winner Manobook
Apple Books 4.4★ · Free to download 65

Manobook is better for readers who enjoy serialized fiction and are willing to engage with ads or in-app purchases for new chapters, while Apple Books is better for those who prefer a traditional ebook experience with a vast library and offline reading, despite some UI and pricing complaints.

Full reviews: Manobook · Apple Books

Manobook offers engaging serialized stories with options to read for free by watching ads, though it can become expensive for full books. Apple Books provides a clean interface for purchasing and reading traditional ebooks and audiobooks, with some users finding its pricing high and its UI occasionally complicated.

Head to head

Content and Story Quality edge: ManobookR9R15R17R19
Manobook Manobook users consistently praise the captivating, engaging, and well-written stories, with many finding them addicting and hard to put down R9R15R17R19. The app offers a wide range of genres, ensuring something for everyone R19.
Apple Books Apple Books also receives positive feedback for its amazing book quality and diverse genres . Users appreciate finding the books they are looking for and the detailed descriptions without spoilers .
Pricing and Value tieR1R3R4R6
Manobook Manobook is frequently criticized for its pricing model, where chapters become very expensive, often requiring 250-447 coins per chapter R1R3R4R13. Users feel it's 'robbery' and wish there were more ways to earn coins or an option to buy entire books R3R6. While it offers free reading through ads, this can be limited or stop towards the end of a book R1R4R8R13.
Apple Books Apple Books users often complain about the cost of books and audiobooks, wishing for more free options or lower prices R53R59R68. Some find books generally more expensive than on other apps R71.
Ease of Use and Features edge: ManobookR16R27R32R39
Manobook Manobook is generally considered easy to use, with users appreciating the ability to read for hours and the straightforward process of claiming rewards R27R32R39. Some minor issues include difficulty converting earned coins R16 and the need to exit a story to access the reward center R32.
Apple Books Apple Books is praised for its clean, customizable, and practical interface, with features like highlighting, notes, and offline reading R87. However, recent updates have led to complaints about a complicated UI, difficulty finding currently reading books, and issues with audiobook playback R65R67. Some users also desire more highlighting colors and drawing options .
Reliability and Performance edge: ManobookR29R45R65R67
Manobook Manobook users generally report a reliable experience, with no significant complaints about crashes or performance issues. The ability to watch ads to continue reading is seen as a positive feature for uninterrupted reading R29R45.
Apple Books Apple Books faces criticism for reliability issues, with some users reporting daily app crashes, inability to click on store or menu items, and problems with downloaded audiobooks not playing correctly R67. There are also complaints about not being able to download books for offline reading as easily as before R65.
Free vs. Paid Experience edge: ManobookR1R4R7R8
Manobook Manobook offers a 'Free + IAP' model, allowing users to read chapters by watching ads R7R29R45. However, this free access can be limited, especially towards the end of a book, forcing users to buy coins R1R4R8R13. The ad experience can be excessive, with some spending more time watching ads than reading R1R4.
Apple Books Apple Books is 'Free to download' but primarily operates on a paid model for most books and audiobooks R58R59R68. While it offers samples, users frequently express frustration about having to pay for full books and wish for more free content R58R59R68.
Pick Manobook if

you enjoy serialized fiction, are comfortable with an ad-supported reading model, and appreciate a wide variety of engaging stories that update frequently R7R29.

Pick Apple Books if

you prefer a traditional ebook and audiobook experience, value a clean interface for managing your library, and are willing to purchase books individually R87.

Evidence note: Manobook's reviews are heavily skewed towards its free-to-read model and the associated friction, while Apple Books reviews reflect a mix of satisfaction with its core functionality and frustration with pricing and recent UI changes. The lifetime ratings are close, but recent Manobook reviews highlight more specific pain points around its monetization strategy.

Frequently asked

Can I read books for free on Manobook?
Yes, Manobook allows users to read chapters for free by watching ads, and some users report being able to read almost entire books this way R7R13R29. However, free access can be limited, especially towards the end of a book, where users may be required to purchase coins to continue R1R4R13.
Are books expensive on Apple Books?
Many Apple Books users find the books and audiobooks to be expensive, with some stating that prices are higher than on other apps R53R59R68R71. While the app is free to download, most full books require payment R58R59.
Does Apple Books support offline reading?
Yes, Apple Books supports offline reading, with users appreciating the ability to use the app without an internet connection R87R89. However, some recent updates have made it more complicated to download content, leading to complaints about needing to be connected to the internet to listen or access information R65R71.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 100 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R9] Manobook 5/5 · US Love it: Very entertaining can’t put it down once I start reading
  2. [R15] Manobook 5/5 · US Jilted Hires marriage, billionaire tycoon: Love this book so interesting and it’s down to earth. I can relate to a lot of the stuff that’s going in love this love it love it love it.
  3. [R17] Manobook 5/5 · US Pack Doctor: I love this story, it was interesting from start to finish. There were many different plot twists. Romance, intense fighting and steamy love stories. There was never a dull moment and I couldn’t put it down. I highly recommend this story, you won’t regret reading it. Planning on reading it again soon.
  4. [R19] Manobook 5/5 · US Great Stories: I have loved all the different stories. There is something for everyone. Try it, you will love it.
  5. [R1] Manobook 2/5 · US Wish you had better options: The stories are good, enough to keep me interested. Having to watch so many videos for a chapter that I read in less than half the time I spend watching videos is nonsense, but I can’t bring myself to spend what would be at least 30 dollars or more to read a book that if it had regular chapters it would probably only be maybe a 40 to 50 chapter book. At least other App
  6. [R3] Manobook 3/5 · US Gets expensive: As much as I love this reading on this app, it gets too expensive. 250 coins for a chapter is robbery! And not many ways to get coins except buying, as much as I love the app I’ll have to delete it. Three star for the ridiculous amount of coins it cost for a chapter after you’re already caught up in a book and want to know the ending.
  7. [R4] Manobook 1/5 · US Hard to understand!: I purchased a weekly subscription thinking that meant I’d have a seven day access to my book. Yeah that apparently isn’t true. I got like two days then it’s made me watch ad after ad to read the next chapter. Then after so many then it wouldn’t even let me do that anymore. It’s making me watch other ads with very few points with each just trying to get enough to read the next
  8. [R6] Manobook 3/5 · US I like reading: There should be an option when we can just buy the book to read. It is annoying when you have to get points for every chapter.
  9. [R16] Manobook 5/5 · US Starr: I’m intrigued by the storytelling and it’s very engaging. I do have a little trouble with getting some of my coins because they’re not able to turn in to reading coins, which makes it very difficult.
  10. [R27] Manobook 5/5 · US So far so good: Honestly i have no complaints right now it’s easier to claim rewards than other apps.
  11. [R32] Manobook 5/5 · US Amazing: So far this is one of the best apps that I have used only wish there was a way to go straight to the rewards center from the story that is being read I have to exit go to the reward center and then find my story again but apart from that it’s a really good app
  12. [R39] Manobook 5/5 · US Great reading app: I love the stories in this app. I can read for hours! 💕💕💕
  13. [R29] Manobook 5/5 · US Addicting: This app is addicting I love it I’m able to watch ads to read no stopping.
  14. [R45] Manobook 5/5 · US Ads: Having ads to watch in order to read next chapter when you have no coins left is actually great for me.
  15. [R65] Apple Books 1/5 · GB Cannot download and too complicated now: Without downloads you can now only listen while connected to the internet. The interface is too complicated and not intuitive like it used to be. A search now goes through the entire catalogue, not your Library. Very poor.
  16. [R67] Apple Books 1/5 · GB An Absolute Joke Of An App: The books part works reasonably well, with only small UI issues. The audiobook part however, does not remotely work. The app refuses to play downloaded audiobooks, it displays no titles, only track 1, track 2, etc.. It’s pathetic given this is the only app that plays audiobooks that has a nice UI.
  17. [R7] Manobook 5/5 · US Good stories, read for free: I love this app because you can read chapters for free by watching ads. Much better compared to some of the other apps which you can read only by paying a lot for coins. Would definitely recommend this app!
  18. [R8] Manobook 3/5 · US Good books: The books are good. I will not buys coins. Happy to watch ads but after a few you have to wait until the next day to continue.
  19. [R13] Manobook 5/5 · US Really nice app: I really like this app. It allowed me to read almost the entire book by just watching ads until it got almost to the end and then they stopped the ads and make you pay for the chapters which for one chapter can cause 447 coins, which means you will have to pay a lot of money just to finish the book so I wasn’t happy with that. If you pay $4.99 for 500 coins you’re only going to ge
  20. [R53] Apple Books 3/5 · GB money: its good but when it gets to money its you know to much😊
  21. [R58] Apple Books 5/5 · GB I like it but not that much: I like it because there’s lots of books to read but the problem is that I never bought any of the books so I have to listen to the samples and not the whole book. but I still like it 📚📚📚📚📚
  22. [R59] Apple Books 2/5 · GB NEEDS TO BE FREE: I really wanted to read the woman in black but then realised I had to pay £2.99. This really upset me but what can I say . If u have the money for it , then great
  23. [R68] Apple Books 4/5 · GB Omg: This app is so good I love it but there is one thing…. The payment. I’m not aloud to spend money on books, well mostly because i have them in real life. In conclusion pls not make me pay for the books and audiobooks. PS for the time being I’m stuck using the samples🥺
  24. [R71] Apple Books 1/5 · GB Complicated app: I reset my phone and can’t find what I brought already or archived in the main list, so I have to guess and pay hoping it will tell me to just download it again. Also the info is online only so it’s difficult to get it when traveling with no WiFi. Books are also generally more expensive than on other apps.
  25. [R87] Apple Books 5/5 · GB Best reading app ever: I like the app because you can able to use offline and I love the books because it is exciting and amazing.
  26. [R89] Apple Books 5/5 · GB Amazing: This is a great app to get books on. It was rlly helpful when I was on holiday and didn’t have any physical books so I used Apple Books for the first time and it was brilliant

Synthesized from 100 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store