# Beanstack Tracker vs First Book Community

The clearest difference is monetization model: First Book Community at free against Beanstack Tracker's free with in-app purchases. First Book Community also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.8) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). Beanstack Tracker's advantage is ratings volume (103K vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

First Book Community holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Beanstack Tracker has 103K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Beanstack Tracker ships an update every 3 weeks, First Book Community weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Beanstack Tracker | First Book Community |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (103K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beanstack-tracker/id1360324277/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-book-community/id6747725815/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **103K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 66.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 60 MB | 130 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Zoobean, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1360324276) | [First book](https://appshunter.io/developer/1822615208) |

## What reviewers say

### Beanstack Tracker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beanstack-tracker/id1360324277)

This app encourages reading for all ages through engaging challenges and easy progress tracking. It allows family profiles, individual logging, and offers features like barcode scanning and reading timers. It prioritizes user privacy by not selling data or showing ads.

**Highlights:** Motivating reading challenges, Easy reading progress tracking, Barcode scanner for titles, Reading timer and logging, Streaks and badges, Reading recommendations, Friend leaderboards, Reading fundraisers

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Convenient for tracking reading
- 🚀 Barcode scanning feature
- 👍 Ability to track multiple readers
- 👍 Motivating with achievements and badges

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent logging and tracking issues
- 🤔 Confusing user interface and navigation
- 🤔 Limited customization and personalization options
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches, especially with timers and syncing
- 🤔 Cumbersome process for logging books and reading

**Reported bugs**

- Incorrect logging of reading sessions and progress
- Inability to edit or remove previously logged books
- Compatibility issues on tablets and iPads
- Timezone-related bugs causing lost reading streaks

**Requested features**

- Ability to backdate reading sessions
- Calendar view to easily see monthly reading progress
- Option to log quantity of books read instead of just time
- Personalized book recommendations based on reading history
- Improved syncing and data management across devices


### First Book Community

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-book-community/id6747725815)

Access free educational resources, professional development, and funding opportunities. Connect with a community of educators and professionals dedicated to improving education for children and teens in low-income communities.

**Highlights:** Free book recommendations, Virtual field trips and events, Professional development for educators, Research and toolkits, Giveaways and funding opportunities, Community collaboration and discussion

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Beanstack Tracker free?

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

### Is First Book Community free?

First Book Community is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Beanstack Tracker or First Book Community?

First Book Community is rated higher. Beanstack Tracker averages 4.8 out of 5 from 103K ratings, while First Book Community averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Beanstack Tracker or First Book Community have ads?

Neither Beanstack Tracker nor First Book Community shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Beanstack Tracker or First Book Community?

Beanstack Tracker ships an update every 3 weeks, and First Book Community weekly. Most recently, Beanstack Tracker was updated on November 2, 2026 and First Book Community on October 30, 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.*