Comparison

Reading List vs Holodeck Archive

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

Holodeck Archive

Features
Read full description

Your personal sci-fi archive. Beautifully organised. Holodeck Archive is a collection tracker and catalogue browser built for fans of science fiction novels and comics. Browse thousands of titles, track what you own, mark what you've read, and keep a wish list — all in one place. Browse a Massive Catalogue Explore thousands of sci-fi novels and comics, complete with cover artwork, author credits, publisher info, and release dates. New titles are pulled live from an actively maintained database, so the catalogue stays current. Track Your Collection Mark titles as Owned, Read, or Want with a single tap. Your collection data is stored privately on your device and syncs to your account across all your devices when signed in. Explore by Series Browse titles grouped by their series run, jump between arcs, and explore issue-by-issue within a comic series. A timeline view lets you browse novels in in-universe chronological order or by release date. Comics Support The Comics tab lets you explore series runs, view cover art, browse individual issues, and track reading progress across a dedicated comic catalogue — separate from the novel library. Sign In to Sync Create a free account to sync your Owned, Read, and Want lists across devices. Set a Currently Reading and Currently Listening title that appears on your profile. No social features, no noise — just your collection. Clean, Calm Design Holodeck Archive is built around a dark, minimalist interface designed for browsing. No clutter. No ads. Just your collection. Catalogue data is sourced from publicly maintained community wikis and databases, used under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike licensing. Holodeck Archive is an independent fan project. All franchises, characters, and intellectual property referenced within the catalogue belong to their respective owners. This app is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced by any rights holder.

Screenshots

Reading List4 screens
Holodeck Archive2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Reading List at Free against Holodeck Archive's $3.99. Holodeck Archive's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and update cadence (daily vs fortnightly). On ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

Reading List is free to download; Holodeck Archive costs $3.99 up front. Reading List sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.00 per month. Holodeck Archive asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Reading List ships an update fortnightly, Holodeck Archive daily. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Reading List versus Holodeck Archive: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterReading ListHolodeck Archive
PriceFree — better$3.99
Rating4.8 (30K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews93.1% of reviews—
Number of ratings30K — better—
Update frequencyFortnightlyDaily — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.016.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size50 MB14 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAndrew Bennet LtdJAMES ANTHONY BOOKER

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

Holodeck Archive

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
None

Holodeck Archive

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Reading List free?
Reading List is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Holodeck Archive free?
Holodeck Archive costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Reading List or Holodeck Archive have ads?
Neither Reading List nor Holodeck Archive shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Reading List or Holodeck Archive?
Reading List ships an update fortnightly, and Holodeck Archive daily. Most recently, Reading List was updated on September 27, 2026 and Holodeck Archive on September 22, 2026.

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