# Reading List vs Bookwise

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.

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.

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.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | Reading List | Bookwise |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (30K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reading-list-book-tracker/id1217139955/reviews)** | [4.7 (768 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookwise-book-tracker-and-log/id6477328466/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **30K** | 768 |
| Positive reviews | **92.8% of reviews** | 69.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 53 MB | 73 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Andrew Bennet Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1163617089) | [Majestica Lab LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1733618788) |

## 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


### Bookwise

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookwise-book-tracker-and-log/id6477328466)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Premium Annual | $19.99 | per year |
| Premium Annual | $29.99 | per year |
| Premium Annual | $29.99 | per year |
| Premium Annual, 3 days free | $29.99 | per year |
| Premium Annual | $29.99 | per year |
| Premium Annual | $49.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Access | Free | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- Onboarding screens freezing
- Inability to access 'free lifetime' offer
- Incompatibility with older devices

**Requested features**

- Batch book import/export
- Audiobook support
- Customizable book categories
- Sync across devices
- Dark mode option


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*