Purpose: This study investigates user preferences for motivational features aligned with self-determination theory (SDT), emphasizing autonomy, relatedness, and competency. The study seeks to identify the most appealing and effective motivational features in AI-driven mobile apps for fostering autonomy, promoting relatedness, and enhancing feelings of competency in the context of reading comprehension. Design/methodology/approach: Employing a mixed-methods research design based on the self-determination theory, the study used triangulation of methods to enhance the research findings' quality, completeness, validity, and understanding. Findings: Both qualitative and quantitative findings showed similarities in the emphasis on personalization, progress tracking, social interaction, gamification, differences in specific feature preferences, and nuanced recommendations, highlighting the importance of a comprehensive and user-centric development approach. Research limitations/implications: The study design and sample size might constrain the statistical power and generalizability of the results. The study used a convenience sample of students from one school. Practical implications: The synthesis of findings suggests the need for a comprehensive development strategy that incorporates both the commonalities and nuanced recommendations from qualitative and quantitative data. Combining the strengths of both findings, a holistic user-centric approach that integrates personalization, progress tracking, social interaction, and gamification is crucial for effective app development. Recognizing that individual preferences may vary, developers should consider tailoring features to accommodate a range of user needs, as indicated by qualitative and quantitative insights. Originality/value: This comprehensive approach contributes to advancing knowledge in AI-driven mobile applications and their impact on student motivation and reading comprehension in the Philippine context. Also, it provides valuable insights for designers and developers, contributing to creating engaging and user-friendly platforms that enhance reading comprehension skills.