# Bookshelf Jr. vs Elsevier eBooks+

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Elsevier eBooks+ at 43% against Bookshelf Jr.'s 0%. Elsevier eBooks+ also leads on rating (4.7 vs 2.3) and ratings volume (1.9K vs 3). Bookshelf Jr.'s advantage is monetization model (free vs freemium) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 17.6). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

Elsevier eBooks+ holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Elsevier eBooks+ has 1.9K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of Bookshelf Jr.'s written reviews are positive against 43% of Elsevier eBooks+'s.

Bookshelf Jr. ships an update every 3 months, Elsevier eBooks+ every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bookshelf Jr. | Elsevier eBooks+ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.3 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookshelf-jr/id1441996403/reviews) | **[4.7 (1.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elsevier-ebooks-plus/id1643980050/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **1.9K** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **42.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 92 MB | 183 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [VitalSource Technologies, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/333263745) | [Elsevier Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/367031326) |

## What reviewers say

### Bookshelf Jr.

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookshelf-jr/id1441996403)

This app provides a digital reading experience for children aged 5-12, featuring an engaging interface and age-appropriate content. It offers offline access, content discovery, and a simplified reader for young learners, with advanced tools for older students.

**Highlights:** Offline learning access, Content discovery, User-friendly navigation, Simplified reader interface, Notes and highlights, Read Aloud feature

**In-app purchases:** none


### Elsevier eBooks+

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elsevier-ebooks-plus/id1643980050)

Access your medical textbooks offline and enhance your learning with tools for note-taking, highlighting, and flashcard creation. Sync your progress and annotations across devices for a seamless study experience.

**Highlights:** Offline book access, Note-taking and highlighting, Flashcard creation, Cross-device syncing, In-book search, Figure viewing and zooming

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Student / Study friendly
- 🚀 Enhances content
- 👍 Ebooks from Elsevier
- 👍 Great app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unable to view images/tables
- 🐛 Useless for medical textbooks
- 🐛 Positioning issues
- 🐛 Scrolling and zooming problems
- 🐛 Slow loading times

**Reported bugs**

- Figures placed at the end of chapters
- Search function only works for single words
- Inability to clear search history
- Freezing and crashing issues
- Incompatibility with older devices

**Requested features**

- More highlighting and note-taking options
- Ability to write, draw, or paste images on pages
- Separate flashcard option integration with Anki/Quizlet
- More font size options
- Streamlined text selection for voiceover


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bookshelf Jr. free?

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

### Is Elsevier eBooks+ free?

Elsevier eBooks+ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Bookshelf Jr. or Elsevier eBooks+?

Elsevier eBooks+ is rated higher. Bookshelf Jr. averages 2.3 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Elsevier eBooks+ averages 4.7 from 1.9K ratings.

### Do Bookshelf Jr. or Elsevier eBooks+ have ads?

Neither Bookshelf Jr. nor Elsevier eBooks+ shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bookshelf Jr. or Elsevier eBooks+?

Bookshelf Jr. ships an update every 3 months, and Elsevier eBooks+ every 2 months. Most recently, Bookshelf Jr. was updated on November 2, 2026 and Elsevier eBooks+ on November 7, 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.*