# Reading List vs Bookshelf

The clearest difference is ads: Reading List at none against Bookshelf's shown. Reading List also leads on ratings volume (30K vs 3.1K). Bookshelf's advantage is chart position (#200 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Reading List sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.00 per month and Bookshelf sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Reading List against 4.8 for Bookshelf. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Reading List has 30K ratings behind it against 3.1K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 93% and 94% positive.

Reading List ships an update fortnightly, Bookshelf every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Reading List | Bookshelf |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (30K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reading-list-book-tracker/id1217139955/reviews)** | [4.8 (3.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookshelf-your-virtual-library/id1464032274/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **30K** | 3.1K |
| Positive reviews | 92.8% of reviews | **93.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#200** |
| Size | 53 MB | 80 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Andrew Bennet Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1163617089) | [SquidBit d.o.o.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1464032273) |

## What reviewers say

### Reading List

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reading-list-book-tracker/id1217139955)

Organize your reading journey by tracking books you've read, are currently reading, or want to read. Log progress, add custom lists, and record notes and ratings. Sync data across devices and export your library.

**Highlights:** Scan barcodes to add books, Search online for books, Manual book entry, Track reading progress (start/finish dates), Create custom book lists, Add ratings and notes, View reading statistics, iCloud data sync

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Reading List Pro (Monthly) | $2.00 | per month |
| Reading List Pro (Monthly) | $3.99 | per month |
| Reading List Pro (Yearly) | $14.00 | per year |
| Reading List Pro (Yearly) | $29.99 | per year |
| Small Tip | $1.00 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $2.00 | one-time |
| Large Tip | $3.00 | one-time |
| Very Large Tip | $5.00 | one-time |
| Giant Tip | $10.00 | one-time |
| Reading List Pro (Lifetime) | $38.00 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Very user-friendly
- 🚀 Easy to add and organize books
- 🔒 Private and non-social
- 💡 Barcode scanning feature
- 👍 Clean and simple interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Issues with syncing across devices
- 💡 Lack of ability to track re-reads or put books 'on hold'
- 💡 Limited sorting/organizing options for large book collections
- 💡 No ability to add audiobooks or track reading time

**Reported bugs**

- Issues with date/time tracking when adding books
- Occasional crashes or data loss when using the app

**Requested features**

- Add ability to track re-reads and 'on hold' books
- Improve sorting/organizing options for large collections
- Add support for audiobooks and reading time tracking
- Implement cloud sync and account features to preserve data
- Add more customization options for lists and book display


### Bookshelf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookshelf-your-virtual-library/id1464032274)

**Currently charting:** #200 Top Grossing · Book (US App Store)

Organize your book collection with virtual shelves and tags. Track reading progress, set goals, and manage your TBR list. Discover new books, share recommendations, and connect with friends' reading journeys.

**Highlights:** Virtual bookshelves and tags, ISBN barcode scanner, Reading progress tracking, TBR wishlist management, Social reading profiles, Book statistics and insights, OCR text scanning for quotes

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bookshelf (1 Month) | $2.99 | per month |
| Bookshelf (1 Year) | $19.99 | per year |
| Bookshelf (Lifetime) | $59.99 | one-time |
| Bookshelf (Lifetime) | $79.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Batch scanning feature
- 📚 Excellent for organizing book collections
- 💰 Free app with no limits
- 🔍 Helpful for avoiding book duplicates

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Search function could be improved
- 🔢 Inability to add multiple copies of the same book
- 📷 Limited cover image options for some books

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional issues with scanning barcodes
- Trouble accessing app after account creation

**Requested features**

- Ability to organize books by author and series
- Option to filter statistics by bookshelf
- Manual page count entry
- Borrowing/lending tracking system


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Reading List free?

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

### Is Bookshelf free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Reading List or Bookshelf?

Reading List is rated higher. Reading List averages 4.8 out of 5 from 30K ratings, while Bookshelf averages 4.8 from 3.1K ratings.

### Do Reading List or Bookshelf have ads?

Bookshelf shows ads; Reading List does not.

### Which is updated more often, Reading List or Bookshelf?

Reading List ships an update fortnightly, and Bookshelf every 2 weeks. Most recently, Reading List was updated on October 29, 2026 and Bookshelf on October 29, 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.*