The difference between free novels and top-up novels was that one was free and the other was paid. Free novels referred to novel websites that provided free novel reading services, but readers had to bear the traffic fees generated by reading novels. The top-up novel referred to the reader paying a certain amount of monthly or annual fees to the website and then using the payment to read the paid chapters in the novel or purchase the physical book. This was mainly because free novel websites needed to earn profits from the traffic fees of readers, while top-up novel websites could earn profits from the amount of money paid by readers. In addition, some free novel websites would also provide readers with a reservation service so that readers could continue to receive updated content of the novel. This also required a corresponding fee to be deducted from the reader's payment. Although the free novels provided readers with the opportunity to read the novels, the readers had to bear the traffic fees and the cost of paying for chapters or physical books. Recharge novels could allow readers to get a better price and a longer reading service.