# Reading List vs NetGalley Shelf

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Reading List at 93% against NetGalley Shelf's 20%. Reading List also leads on rating (4.8 vs 2.1) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 months). NetGalley Shelf's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and chart position (#174 vs unranked). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Reading List sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.00 per month. NetGalley Shelf asks for nothing beyond the download.

Reading List holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Reading List has 30K ratings behind it against 87, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 93% of Reading List's written reviews are positive against 20% of NetGalley Shelf's.

Reading List ships an update fortnightly, NetGalley Shelf every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Reading List | NetGalley Shelf |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (30K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reading-list-book-tracker/id1217139955/reviews)** | [2.1 (87 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/netgalley-shelf/id1499581600/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **30K** | 87 |
| Positive reviews | **92.7% of reviews** | 19.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#174** |
| Size | 53 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Andrew Bennet Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1163617089) | [NetGalley, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1499581599) |

## 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


### NetGalley Shelf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/netgalley-shelf/id1499581600)

**Currently charting:** #174 Top Free · Book (US App Store)

Access and review digital books and audiobooks provided by publishers and authors. Discover new titles, download them for offline reading, or stream audiobooks directly within the app. This platform is designed for book advocates and industry professionals to provide valuable feedback.

**Highlights:** Access digital review copies, Listen to audiobooks, Download books for offline reading, Stream audiobooks, Discover new titles, Request and review books

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Works fine for some users
- 👍 Keeps user logged in
- 👍 Audiobooks work well
- 🚀 Able to read ebooks

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Narration speed issues
- 🐛 Confusing interface
- 🔒 Login issues
- 🐛 Bookmarks and positions don't sync
- 🐛 No built-in dictionary

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues
- Downloading issues with audiobooks
- Books disappearing from shelf
- Inability to remove expired books
- Inconsistent behavior when opening books

**Requested features**

- Add ability to write reviews within the app
- Improve audiobook playback controls
- Add font size adjustment
- Implement dark mode
- Sync reading progress across devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Reading List free?

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

### Is NetGalley Shelf free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Reading List or NetGalley Shelf?

Reading List is rated higher. Reading List averages 4.8 out of 5 from 30K ratings, while NetGalley Shelf averages 2.1 from 87 ratings.

### Do Reading List or NetGalley Shelf have ads?

Neither Reading List nor NetGalley Shelf shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Reading List or NetGalley Shelf?

Reading List ships an update fortnightly, and NetGalley Shelf every 6 months. Most recently, Reading List was updated on November 8, 2026 and NetGalley Shelf on November 7, 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.*