Comparison

Reading List vs Aura Books

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

Aura Books

Organize your reading life by tracking books you want to read, are currently reading, and have finished. Monitor book series progress and log books you didn't finish. Sync your data across devices for a seamless experience.

Highlights
  • TBR list management
  • Series progress tracking
  • Log read books with ratings
  • Track DNF books with notes
  • Cross-device synchronization
  • Personalized recommendations
Features
Read full description

Keep your reading journey organized and enjoyable with Aura Books. Whether you're a voracious reader or just starting your book collection, our app offers everything you need to track your to-be-read (TBR) books, monitor book series, log books you've read, and even keep track of the ones you did not finish (DNF). Features: TBR List: Easily add books to your to-be-read list and organize them by priority. Series Tracker: Never lose track of where you are in a series again. Monitor your progress and upcoming releases. Read Books: Log all the books you've read, rate them, and keep your reading history at your fingertips. DNF Books: Track the books you did not finish with notes on why you decided to put them down. Sync Across Devices: Access your reading data from any device seamlessly. Subscription Offerings: Aura Books offers a monthly subscription that unlocks enhanced features, such as advanced sorting options, personalized recommendations, and priority support. You may purchase an auto-renewing subscription through an In-App Purchase. • Aura Books Pro • ($4.99)/month • ($39.99)/year • Your subscription will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase and will automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. • Current subscription may not be cancelled during the active subscription period; however, you can manage your subscription and/or turn off auto-renewal by visiting your iTunes Account Settings after purchase • Privacy Policy - https://aurabooks.app/privacy-policy • EULA- https://aurabooks.app/eula Join our community of book lovers and make the most of your reading experience with Aura Books.

Screenshots

Reading List4 screens
Aura Books4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Reading List at 93% against Aura Books's 0%. Aura Books's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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 Aura Books sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Reading List ships an update fortnightly, Aura Books every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Reading List versus Aura Books: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterReading ListAura Books
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (30K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews92.8% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings30K — better—
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 9 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size53 MB47 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAndrew Bennet LtdDavid Davis

Customer experience

Reading List

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

Aura Books

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

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

Aura Books

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

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
2 purchases

Aura Books

Subscriptions2
  • Aura Books Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Aura Books Annual$39.991 Year

Questions

Is Reading List free?
Reading List is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Aura Books free?
Aura Books is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Reading List or Aura Books have ads?
Neither Reading List nor Aura Books shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Reading List or Aura Books?
Reading List ships an update fortnightly, and Aura Books every 9 days. Most recently, Reading List was updated on November 5, 2026 and Aura Books on October 30, 2026.

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