BetterReads is a reading app designed for people who want to read classic literature with clarity, focus, and depth.
It brings together carefully curated public-domain works with tools that help you understand what you’re reading—without turning reading into a task or a distraction.
Read timeless classics
Discover a growing library of classic literature, thoughtfully selected and presented in a calm, book-first interface. Download books for offline reading and pick up where you left off at any time. Whether you are revisiting a familiar work or exploring a classic for the first time, BetterReads creates a quiet space for immersive reading.
Cultivate a lasting reading habit
BetterReads is designed to support consistent, meaningful reading. The interface removes noise and distraction so you can focus on the text itself. Over time, your highlights, notes, and reflections accumulate naturally, helping you build a personal reading history and develop a deeper habit of thoughtful reading.
Understand themes and ideas
Explore the major themes and concepts of a book as they develop across chapters. See how ideas connect and evolve, helping you build a clearer understanding of the work as a whole.
Chapter companions
Each chapter includes optional context and guidance to support deeper reading. These companions provide historical background, thematic hints, and interpretive insights designed to sit alongside the text—not replace it.
Semantic annotation
BetterReads uses structured semantic annotation to connect characters, themes, events, and concepts across the book. This allows important ideas and references to be surfaced naturally while you read, helping you grasp the structure and meaning of complex works.
Characters and glossary, inline
Tap on characters, names, and key terms to see clear explanations in place—without leaving the page or interrupting your reading flow.
A continuous reading timeline
Your highlights, notes, and reading moments live together in a single timeline. App-provided context and your own reflections accumulate naturally as you read, creating a personal record of your journey through the book.
Visual tools for deeper exploration
BetterReads provides additional ways to explore the structure of the story:
• Character Web — visualize relationships between characters and see how they interact throughout the narrative
• Narrative Arc — follow the progression of the story and understand how key events build toward the climax
• Theme Heatmap — see where important themes appear and intensify across the chapters
These tools help reveal patterns that are often difficult to see when reading line by line.
Built for deep reading
BetterReads is intentionally simple. No feeds, no rankings, no distractions—just a thoughtful environment for reading and understanding great books.
Some advanced features may require a subscription.
Terms of Use (EULA):
https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
I would like to complement the Developer on putting together a wonderful application to read classic literature books. First one I opened was the metamorphosis and what a pleasure. I love how. The app explains passages when necessary.
Developer Response
Thank you—this really means a lot.I built BetterReads exactly for that experience: enjoying great works like The Metamorphosis without losing the flow, while still having context when you need it. More classics and features are coming—hope you keep exploring the app and enjoying more classics.
Track print books and other titles from Open Library—even when they aren’t available to read in the app.
Tracked books now sync across your devices and appear on your web bookshelf.
Richer tracked-book details include summaries, page counts, language, and improved cover metadata.
Improved author search makes individual books easier to find.
Restored quick-access menus on Saved and Continue shelves.
Improved bookshelf layouts, removal sync, and sign-in error messages.
Additional performance improvements and bug fixes.
Version 1.21.0
The developer, zhao lu, indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .
Data Not Collected
The developer does not collect any data from this app.
Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More
Accessibility
The developer has not yet indicated which accessibility features this app supports. Learn More
Information
Seller
zhao lu
Size
58.1 MB
Category
Books
Compatibility
Requires iOS 13.0 or later.
iPhone Requires iOS 13.0 or later.
iPad Requires iPadOS 13.0 or later.
iPod touch Requires iOS 13.0 or later.
Mac Requires macOS 11.0 or later and a Mac with Apple M1 chip or later.
