# Macmillan Learning eBook vs RedShelf

The clearest difference is rating: RedShelf at 4.5 against Macmillan Learning eBook's 4.3. RedShelf also leads on update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (7.1K vs 2.2K). Macmillan Learning eBook's advantage is review sentiment (11% vs 3%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

RedShelf holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2.2K and 7.1K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 11% of Macmillan Learning eBook's written reviews are positive against 3% of RedShelf's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Macmillan Learning eBook ships an update every 3 months, RedShelf every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Macmillan Learning eBook | RedShelf |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (2.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/macmillan-learning-ebook/id1250170591/reviews) | **[4.5 (7.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/redshelf/id1511013608/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2.2K | **7.1K** |
| Positive reviews | **11.1% of reviews** | 3.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 183 MB | 26 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [HPHLP](https://appshunter.io/developer/395949292) | [RedShelf](https://appshunter.io/developer/1511013606) |

## What reviewers say

### Macmillan Learning eBook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/macmillan-learning-ebook/id1250170591)

Access and study digital textbooks on your iPad or iPhone with a comprehensive, digital-first experience. Download books for offline reading, customize your study tools with notes and flashcards, and personalize the reading environment for easier learning.

**Highlights:** Offline reading, Note-taking and highlighting, Flashcard creation, Customizable reading settings, Read Aloud feature, Cross-device syncing, Accessibility features

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 📚 Easy access to textbooks
- 🔊 Useful read-aloud feature
- 💻 Works well on desktop

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔑 Login issues across devices
- 🐛 Buggy and unstable app
- 💾 Disappearing or lost content
- 🔍 Poor search and navigation
- 📝 Limited annotation and note-taking

**Reported bugs**

- Login credentials not recognized
- Frequent app crashes
- Textbooks disappearing from library

**Requested features**

- Integrate with popular reading apps
- Improve annotation and note-taking tools
- Provide a universal e-reader option


### RedShelf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/redshelf/id1511013608)

Access and read your digital textbooks on any device. Highlight text, take notes, create flashcards, and have content read aloud. Your notes and highlights sync across all your devices.

**Highlights:** Access textbooks on any device, Highlight text and take notes, Create flashcards from content, Define unfamiliar words, Text-to-speech functionality, Sync notes and highlights across devices

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Convenient to access textbooks in one place
- 🚀 Decent overall performance

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches
- 💤 Slow loading and page turning
- 👎 Unreliable highlighting and note-taking features
- 🤖 Poor text-to-speech functionality
- 📵 Inability to access books offline

**Reported bugs**

- Books not loading or showing blank screens
- Highlighting issues (selecting wrong text, unable to edit)
- Sync issues between devices and web version

**Requested features**

- Improve highlighting and annotation tools
- Add support for split-screen mode
- Enhance text-to-speech capabilities
- Allow offline access to downloaded books


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Macmillan Learning eBook free?

Macmillan Learning eBook is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is RedShelf free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Macmillan Learning eBook or RedShelf?

RedShelf is rated higher. Macmillan Learning eBook averages 4.3 out of 5 from 2.2K ratings, while RedShelf averages 4.5 from 7.1K ratings.

### Do Macmillan Learning eBook or RedShelf have ads?

Neither Macmillan Learning eBook nor RedShelf shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Macmillan Learning eBook or RedShelf?

Macmillan Learning eBook ships an update every 3 months, and RedShelf every 5 weeks. Most recently, Macmillan Learning eBook was updated on September 22, 2026 and RedShelf on September 19, 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.*