# RedShelf

> Digital textbook reader with note-taking and study tools. (iPhone/iPad app by RedShelf.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/redshelf/id1511013608 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [RedShelf](https://appshunter.io/developer/1511013606)
- Category: Education, Books
- Price: Free
- Rating: 4.50/5 from 7,078 App Store ratings · 228 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 16.0 · 26 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2020-08-09
- Data updated: 2026-08-29
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/redshelf/id1511013608/reviews.md

## What is RedShelf?

The RedShelf eReader companion app provides access to read and engage with your textbooks located in your RedShelf account on the My Shelf page. Access your textbooks no matter where you go with a unified experience across mobile, tablet, and desktop devices. 

eReader Features: 
- Access textbooks on your device for seamless reading 
- Easily highlight text, take notes, and share with classmates
- Create flashcards while reading to test your understanding of the content
- Define unfamiliar words quickly and easily 
- Have text read aloud and select the voice and pace 
- Sync all of your notes and highlights to your account and across devices 

App Requirements: 
- Active RedShelf account 
- One or more books available in your RedShelf account

## Key features

- Access textbooks on any device
- Highlight text and take notes
- Create flashcards from content
- Define unfamiliar words
- Text-to-speech functionality
- Sync notes and highlights across devices

## What do users think of RedShelf?

Overall sentiment: negative

**Pros**

- 👍 Convenient to access textbooks in one place
- 🚀 Decent overall performance

**Cons**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches
- 💤 Slow loading and page turning
- 👎 Unreliable highlighting and note-taking features
- 🤖 Poor text-to-speech functionality
- 📵 Inability to access books offline

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Books not loading or showing blank screens
- Highlighting issues (selecting wrong text, unable to edit)
- Sync issues between devices and web version

**Most requested features**

- Improve highlighting and annotation tools
- Add support for split-screen mode
- Enhance text-to-speech capabilities
- Allow offline access to downloaded books

## Recent user reviews (10 of 228)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/redshelf/id1511013608/reviews.md

### 1/5 — Constantly crashes

*2026-07-08, version 2.2.11*

Crashes every 30 seconds, not an exaggeration, and cuts half the page off.

### 1/5 — Trash

*2026-04-26, version 2.2.11*

Like all half-baked e-readers that work with universities, this company provides half of the features for usability than any free option would have. It also has the wonderful habit of deciding that you are logged in multiple times, and will tell you that you can’t access the textbook you spent several hundred dollars to read.

Unless your school forces you towards this money grubbing pit, avoid RedShelf. It’s as difficult to use and restrictive as you can imagine.

### 2/5 — Can’t depend on it

*2026-03-10, version 2.2.11*

There has been half a dozen times that I’ve needed material and it wouldn’t open. I wish I had spent the money on books instead of this. At least I could reference them!  

The password reset is garbage, and downloading for offline, same!

### 1/5 — Buggy with no offline.

*2026-02-27, version 2.2.11*

Lots of busy work just to read the book. 

It’s a pdf, I get you want to protect copyright, but come on let people have an offline mode. I fly often and would be nice to read. My only option is print everything physically before flying or print to pdf which defeats whatever reason they have for not supporting offline mode. 

Other times even with internet it won’t open and print works 50% of the time and only with less than 20 pages at a time.

### 2/5 — Just buy Paperback

*2026-02-18, version 2.2.11*

If you don't have any other choice for digital book just get paperback instead. This app is super buggy at least with PDF type of content. It fails to load forcing me to close the app several times before it works. If you have to buy a digital book and use it with this app- don't spend a little extra for a used paperback. 
This app is the reason why piracy is still common. You pay for something that doesn't work.

### 1/5 — Always crashes

*2026-02-05, version 2.2.11*

The highlighting can be sensitive and erratic if you go back to make edits on them. But the most frustrating part is that the app continues to shut itself down after about 45 seconds. It’s hard to get any reading done when you’re always opening it back up.

### 1/5 — Worst reader app - so many bugs

*2026-01-30, version 2.2.11*

I have to use this app for my textbooks and this app constantly crashes!! I will read maybe a few pages and then it will crash. Or, it will just not load at all. WORST APP EVER

### 1/5 — Can’t Download Books and Formatting is Broken

*2026-01-13, version 2.2.11*

Forced by my textbook publisher to use this low quality app. I’m not sure why we are forced to use these half-baked apps when the Kindle app is available. Trying to download my books and it says unavailable to download until I delete them from the iPad I’m literally trying to download them on.

The formatting is broken. Text is the wrong size and certain letters and words are laid on top of each other and are unreadable Red Shelf wants you to use their PC application as it I’ll be says on tablets PDF notetaking will be difficult. They are not wrong, PDF notetaking is next to impossible on an iPad even with my Apple Pencil. I will be writing the publisher of my textbooks and letting them know that I will not be purchasing another book from them unless they change to either Kindle or a more polished app.

### 1/5 — The App id Buggy and Support is a Joke

*2026-01-08, version 2.2.11*

I purchased a digital textbook for a class that I am taking. It was taking a while to load into my library on the app. I tried to to download a copy of the book to read offline on my iPad and it keeps erroring and telling me that I already downloaded it to my app. This happened on the first and every repeated try to download my book. Customer service was argumentative and ineffective.

### 1/5 — No way these 5 star reviews are real

*2026-01-03, version 2.2.11*

In a sea of bad apps, RedShelf takes the cake. The fact that you build an app for the purpose of interacting with academic text and the highlight functionality is busted—so busted that you tell people not to use it. It’s like a car without a steering wheel, useless.

## Frequently asked questions about RedShelf

### What does the RedShelf eReader app do?

The RedShelf eReader app allows you to access and read your digital textbooks from your RedShelf account on your mobile or tablet device. It provides a unified reading experience across all your devices, ensuring you can study wherever you go.

### What are the key features of the RedShelf eReader app?

Key features include seamless access to textbooks on your device, the ability to highlight text, take notes, and share them with classmates. You can also create flashcards, define unfamiliar words, and have text read aloud with customizable voice and pace.

### Is the RedShelf eReader app free to use?

The RedShelf eReader companion app itself is free to download and use. However, you will need an active RedShelf account with one or more books available in your account to access and read content through the app.

### What are the requirements to use the RedShelf eReader app?

To use the RedShelf eReader app, you need an active RedShelf account and at least one book purchased or available within your RedShelf account. The app is compatible with mobile and tablet devices.

### How does the app help with studying?

The app enhances studying by allowing you to actively engage with your textbooks. You can highlight important information, jot down notes, create flashcards directly from the text for review, and even have content read aloud to aid comprehension and retention.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 2.2.12 — 2026-08-21

Bug fixes and improvements

### 2.2.11 — 2025-11-24

Bug fixes and improvements

### 2.2.10 — 2025-10-15

Bug fixes and improvements

### 2.2.9 — 2025-10-08

Bug fixes and improvements.

### 2.2.8 — 2025-09-19

Bug fix to address white screen on book opening and additional user experience improvements

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-29.*