# Polylino vs Shelf

The clearest difference is rating: Shelf at 5.0 against Polylino's 4.2. Polylino's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). On price, ratings volume, update cadence 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.

Shelf holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5 and 5 respectively.

Polylino ships an update every 3 weeks, Shelf every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Polylino | Shelf |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/polylino/id1448749849/reviews) | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shelf/id1620828408/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 5 | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 51 MB | 35 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [ILT Inläsningstjänst AB](https://appshunter.io/developer/1277042293) | [Beat Technology AS](https://appshunter.io/developer/433400941) |

## What reviewers say

### Polylino

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/polylino/id1448749849)

A multilingual digital picture book app designed for educators to use in early childhood classrooms. It offers a library of age-appropriate books with read-aloud or listen options in various languages, supporting emergent literacy and curriculum goals.

**Highlights:** Multilingual digital picture book library, Supports emergent literacy, Culturally diverse books, Picture books and non-fiction, Accessible for all students, Curriculum support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Shelf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shelf/id1620828408)

Access your personal library of purchased audiobooks and e-books. Read or listen anywhere, anytime, with or without an internet connection. Enjoy your collection without subscriptions or time limits.

**Highlights:** Access purchased audiobooks and e-books, Read or listen offline, No subscriptions or time limits, Bookmark and comment, Customize reading experience, Adjust playback speed, Sleep timer for audiobooks

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Polylino free?

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

### Is Shelf free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Polylino or Shelf?

Shelf is rated higher. Polylino averages 4.2 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Shelf averages 5.0 from 5 ratings.

### Do Polylino or Shelf have ads?

Shelf shows ads; Polylino does not.

### Which is updated more often, Polylino or Shelf?

Polylino ships an update every 3 weeks, and Shelf every 6 weeks. Most recently, Polylino was updated on September 20, 2026 and Shelf on September 9, 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.*