# OpenLibrary Browser vs Books Reader

The clearest difference is rating: Books Reader at 4.7 against OpenLibrary Browser's 1.4. Books Reader also leads on review sentiment (38% vs 0%). OpenLibrary Browser's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 9) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.6). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Books Reader sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. OpenLibrary Browser asks for nothing beyond the download.

Books Reader holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 1.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 39 and 22 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of OpenLibrary Browser's written reviews are positive against 38% of Books Reader's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | OpenLibrary Browser | Books Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.4 (39 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openlibrary-browser/id1140641758/reviews) | **[4.7 (22 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/books-reader-pocket-library/id1550557954/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **39** | 22 |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **37.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 13 MB | 59 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Robert Wakefield](https://appshunter.io/developer/1140641757) | [Villow](https://appshunter.io/developer/1550558286) |

## What reviewers say

### OpenLibrary Browser

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openlibrary-browser/id1140641758)

Access a vast catalog of books directly from your mobile device. Search for titles, browse collections, and download public domain works for free.

**Highlights:** Search book catalog, Browse book collections, Download public domain works, Mobile client for OpenLibrary

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Books Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/books-reader-pocket-library/id1550557954)

This app provides a seamless e-reading experience, managing your ebook collection and offering customizable reading settings. It supports various formats and includes features like bookmarking, note-taking, and a read/unread tracker.

**Highlights:** Supports multiple ebook formats (epub, fb2, mobi, PDF), Manages and organizes ebook collections, Customizable text size, color, theme, and brightness, Progress tracking and bookmarking, Note-taking and excerpt selection, Read/unread book tracker, Filtering and search functionality

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Regular donation | $1.99 | per month |
| Regular donation | $3.99 | per month |
| Regular donation | $5.99 | per month |
| Regular donation | $9.99 | per month |
| Donation | $1.99 | one-time |
| Donation | $3.99 | one-time |
| Donation | $5.99 | one-time |
| Donation | $9.99 | one-time |
| Custom Fonts & Themes | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is OpenLibrary Browser free?

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

### Is Books Reader free?

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

### Which has better reviews, OpenLibrary Browser or Books Reader?

Books Reader is rated higher. OpenLibrary Browser averages 1.4 out of 5 from 39 ratings, while Books Reader averages 4.7 from 22 ratings.

### Do OpenLibrary Browser or Books Reader have ads?

Neither OpenLibrary Browser nor Books Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, OpenLibrary Browser or Books Reader?

OpenLibrary Browser ships an update every 3 months, and Books Reader every 3 months. Most recently, OpenLibrary Browser was updated on October 6, 2026 and Books Reader on October 10, 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.*