# Public Bookshelf vs Buchfreund

The clearest difference is price: Buchfreund at Free against Public Bookshelf's $0.99. Buchfreund also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 4 months). Public Bookshelf's advantage is review sentiment (87% vs 67%). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Buchfreund is free to download; Public Bookshelf costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Public Bookshelf ships an update every 4 months, Buchfreund monthly. Both last shipped on November 2, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Public Bookshelf | Buchfreund |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buchfreund/id1255480855/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **5** |
| Positive reviews | **87.0% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 6 MB | 35 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Stefan Trauth](https://appshunter.io/developer/1073103749) | [w+h GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1142977449) |

## What reviewers say

### Public Bookshelf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/public-bookshelf/id1243419632)

Discover free public libraries and book exchange spots in your area. Contribute to a growing database by adding, editing, or removing bookshelf locations and details like opening times and contact info.

**Highlights:** Find public bookshelves on a map, Add new bookshelf locations, Edit existing bookshelf information, View bookshelf opening times, Contribute to a community database

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Buchfreund

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buchfreund/id1255480855)

Discover millions of used and new books, postcards, records, and more from antiquarians and booksellers. Easily find rare, out-of-print, or specific titles by searching keywords, author, or ISBN. A comprehensive marketplace for collectors and readers.

**Highlights:** Browse 19 million offers, Search by keyword, title, author, ISBN, Find used and new books, Discover records, CDs, DVDs, games, Includes postcards, sheet music, graphics, Connects with hundreds of antiquarian bookshops

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Public Bookshelf free?

Public Bookshelf costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Buchfreund free?

Buchfreund is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Public Bookshelf or Buchfreund have ads?

Neither Public Bookshelf nor Buchfreund shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Public Bookshelf or Buchfreund?

Public Bookshelf ships an update every 4 months, and Buchfreund monthly. Most recently, Public Bookshelf was updated on November 2, 2026 and Buchfreund on November 2, 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.*