# A vs ShortBook²

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: A at none against ShortBook²'s 1. A also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6). ShortBook²'s advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 39 months) and ratings volume (13 vs 1). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ShortBook² sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per year. A asks for nothing beyond the download.

A holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ShortBook² has 13 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 33% of A's written reviews are positive against 40% of ShortBook²'s, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

A ships an update every 39 months, ShortBook² every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | A | ShortBook² |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-books/id1031572002/reviews)** | [4.6 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shortbook/id1499866684/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **13** |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | **39.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 39 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Subscription |
| Size | 6 MB | 67 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Roman Dmitriev](https://appshunter.io/developer/1031572001) | [Jury Shortki](https://appshunter.io/developer/295094305) |

## What reviewers say

### A

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-books/id1031572002)

A private online library for accessing a collection of books. Offers a curated selection for readers. Enjoy a personal reading space.

**Highlights:** Private online library, Curated book collection, Personal reading space

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### ShortBook²

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shortbook/id1499866684)

This reader app offers a unique approach to text display on smaller screens, optimizing comfort and reducing eye strain. It allows extensive customization of text layout and includes decorative elements to enhance the reading experience. Supports FB2 format and provides reading statistics.

**Highlights:** Optimized text layout for small screens, Customizable text placement options, Decorative elements for atmosphere, FB2 format support (contents, footnotes, figures), Rich settings with dozens of parameters, Reading statistics and monitoring, Quick restart after breaks

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Annual | $9.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is A free?

A is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is ShortBook² free?

ShortBook² is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, A or ShortBook²?

A is rated higher. A averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while ShortBook² averages 4.6 from 13 ratings.

### Do A or ShortBook² have ads?

Neither A nor ShortBook² shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, A or ShortBook²?

A ships an update every 39 months, and ShortBook² every 2 months. Most recently, A was updated on October 24, 2026 and ShortBook² on October 27, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*