# Reading List vs TBR

The clearest difference is ads: Reading List at none against TBR's shown. Reading List also leads on review sentiment (93% vs 70%) and rating (4.8 vs 4.5). TBR's advantage is chart position (#44 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Reading List sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.00 per month and TBR sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Reading List holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Reading List has 30K ratings behind it against 4.3K, 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 70% of TBR's.

Reading List ships an update fortnightly, TBR every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Reading List | TBR |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (30K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reading-list-book-tracker/id1217139955/reviews)** | [4.5 (4.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tbr-bookshelf/id1614891654/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **30K** | 4.3K |
| Positive reviews | **93.1% of reviews** | 70.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#44** |
| Size | 50 MB | 87 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Andrew Bennet Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1163617089) | [TBR - Bookshelf, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1559382569) |

## 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


### TBR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tbr-bookshelf/id1614891654)

**Currently charting:** #44 Top Free · Magazines & Newspapers, #81 Top Grossing · Magazines & Newspapers, #133 Top Grossing · Book, #152 Top Free · Book (US App Store)

Easily track books you want to read, are currently reading, or have finished. Rate and review books, log favorite moments, and discover new reads. Set yearly reading goals and celebrate milestones with fun animations.

**Highlights:** Track books (to-read, reading, finished), Rate and review books, Log favorite moments and quotes, Browse public ratings and genre-specific insights, Set custom yearly reading goals, Earn achievement stickers, Pro features: tropes, playlists, adaptations

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Access | $4.99 | per month |
| Pro Access | $19.99 | per 6 months |
| Pro Access | $29.99 | per year |
| 1500 Gems | $2.99 | one-time |
| 4500 Gems | $5.99 | one-time |
| 20,000 Gems | $9.99 | one-time |
| Gift 6 Months | $19.99 | one-time |
| Gift 1 Year of Pro | $29.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Purchase | $119.99 | one-time |
| Gift Lifetime Pro | $119.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Cute and visually appealing
- 📚 Helpful for tracking reading progress
- 🌟 Unique rating system

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔒 No account/sync option to prevent data loss
- 💰 Too many features locked behind paywall
- 🔍 Limited book database, hard to find some titles

**Reported bugs**

- Books disappearing from shelves
- Inability to edit read dates
- Search function not working properly
- Crashing when trying to access certain features

**Requested features**

- Ability to organize books by series
- Option to view other users' reviews and ratings
- Customizable bookshelves and themes
- Sync across multiple devices
- More genre/category options for ratings


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Reading List free?

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

### Is TBR free?

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

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

Reading List is rated higher. Reading List averages 4.8 out of 5 from 30K ratings, while TBR averages 4.5 from 4.3K ratings.

### Do Reading List or TBR have ads?

TBR shows ads; Reading List does not.

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

Reading List ships an update fortnightly, and TBR every 8 days. Most recently, Reading List was updated on September 24, 2026 and TBR on September 23, 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.*