Comparison

Reading List vs Bookwise

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Reading List

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
Read full description

Easily track books you’ve read, books you’re reading, and books you want to read. Record your progress by adding the start and finish date of your books. ADD NEW BOOKS • Scan the barcode of a book to quickly add it to your list • Search online to find and add books • Alternatively, add a book manually by typing in its details • Sync your data between all devices via iCloud TRACK YOUR READING • Quickly log the dates you start and finish each book with a tap or swipe • Order the books, to help plan what to read next • Create your own custom lists, like "Wishlist", "Favourites", etc • Record the current page of books you're reading • Add your own rating and notes to each book • View your reading statistics PRIVATE & PERSONAL • No online account or signup needed • All data is private, stored on-device or in your iCloud account • Export and import all your data Some premium features require Reading List Pro, which can be purchased in the app. The app remains fully-featured when used without Reading List Pro. Terms of Use: https://readinglist.app/termsofservice Privacy Policy: https://readinglist.app/privacypolicy

About

Bookwise

Organize your reading life with a virtual library, track your progress, and discover new books. Categorize your collection into reading, to-read, and finished lists to manage your literary journey.

Highlights
  • Virtual book library
  • Categorize books (All, Reading, To Read, Finished)
  • Track reading progress
  • Extensive book database
  • Discover new reads
  • Personalized bookshelf
Features
Read full description

Bookwise: Elevate Your Reading Experience Immerse yourself in the world of literature with Bookwise, where a beautiful interface meets seamless functionality. Create your own virtual library, categorize your books into "All Books," "Reading Now," "To Read," and "Finished," and experience the joy of managing your literary journey effortlessly. YOUR PERSONAL LIBRARY AT YOUR FINGERTIPS Discover the joy of a personalized bookshelf with categories tailored to your reading preferences. Easily access and organize your collection, and witness your literary accomplishments by tracking the number of books you've conquered. EXTENSIVE BOOK DATABASE Explore a vast book database to find your favorites effortlessly. Our app makes it easy to discover new reads, enriching your library with diverse titles from different genres. Download now and watch your reading experience flourish. Your books, your goals, your wisdom. Elevate your reading with Bookwise! Terms of Use: https://majestica-dev.github.io/public/bookwise/terms.html Privacy Policy: https://majestica-dev.github.io/public/bookwise/privacy.html

Screenshots

Reading List4 screens
Bookwise4 screens

Verdict

The call

Reading List and Bookwise both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 93% of Reading List's written reviews are positive against 69% of Bookwise's. Reading List also leads on ratings volume (30K vs 768). Bookwise's advantage is iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Reading List sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.00 per month and Bookwise sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Reading List against 4.7 for Bookwise. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Reading List has 30K ratings behind it against 768, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 93% of Reading List's written reviews are positive against 69% of Bookwise's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Reading List ships an update fortnightly, Bookwise weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Reading List versus Bookwise: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterReading ListBookwise
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (30K ratings) — better4.7 (768 ratings)
Positive reviews92.8% of reviews — better69.5% of reviews
Number of ratings30K — better768
Update frequencyFortnightlyWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size53 MB73 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAndrew Bennet LtdMajestica Lab LLC

Customer experience

Reading List

All ratings30,064 ratings
Positive96.8%
Neutral2.3%
Negative0.9%
Written reviews629 reviews
Positive92.8%
Neutral3.0%
Negative4.1%

Bookwise

All ratings768 ratings
Positive93.0%
Neutral2.6%
Negative4.4%
Written reviews239 reviews
Positive69.5%
Neutral7.5%
Negative23.0%

User reviews

Reading List

From 30K App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

  • 🐛 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

Bookwise

From 768 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 User-friendly interface
  • 🚀 Efficient reading tracking
  • 💡 Personalized recommendations
  • 🎉 Motivating reading challenges
  • 🔍 Comprehensive book library

Room to improve

  • 🔒 Paywall for many features
  • 🐛 Onboarding issues and bugs
  • 💰 Expensive subscription model
  • 📚 Missing popular book titles

Bugs and requests

Reading List

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

5 requests
  • 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

Bookwise

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Onboarding screens freezing
  • Inability to access 'free lifetime' offer
  • Incompatibility with older devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • Batch book import/export
  • Audiobook support
  • Customizable book categories
  • Sync across devices
  • Dark mode option

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Reading List

Subscriptions4
  • Reading List Pro (Monthly)$2.001 Month
  • Reading List Pro (Monthly)$3.991 Month
  • Reading List Pro (Yearly)7 Days trial$14.001 Year
Show 1 more
  • Reading List Pro (Yearly)7 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time6
  • Small Tip$1.00
  • Medium Tip$2.00
  • Large Tip$3.00
Show 3 more
  • Very Large Tip$5.00
  • Giant Tip$10.00
  • Reading List Pro (Lifetime)$38.00
9 purchases

Bookwise

Subscriptions8
  • Premium Monthly$3.991 Month
  • Monthly$9.991 Month
  • Premium Annual$19.991 Year
Show 5 more
  • Premium Annual7 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Premium Annual2 variants$29.991 Year
  • Premium Annual, 3 days free3 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Premium Annual3 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Premium Annual$49.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime AccessFree

Questions

Is Reading List free?
Reading List is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Bookwise free?
Bookwise is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Reading List or Bookwise?
Reading List is rated higher. Reading List averages 4.8 out of 5 from 30K ratings, while Bookwise averages 4.7 from 768 ratings.
Do Reading List or Bookwise have ads?
Neither Reading List nor Bookwise shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Reading List or Bookwise?
Reading List ships an update fortnightly, and Bookwise weekly. Most recently, Reading List was updated on November 6, 2026 and Bookwise on November 4, 2026.

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