Comparison

READsquared vs AR Reading List

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

READsquared

This app enables users to participate in library reading programs by tracking reading and logging activity. Earn digital badges, play learning games, and receive incentives from your library. Parents can manage all family accounts, viewing reading progress and statistics.

Highlights
  • Track reading and activity
  • Log reading for family members
  • Unlock digital badges
  • Play learning games
  • Receive library incentives
  • Manage family accounts
Features
Read full description

For libraries offering ReadSquared, participate in reading programs by tracking reading and logging activity for all your readers. Unlock digital badges, learning games, and other incentives as provided by your library. Parents have full access to all family accounts, reading, activity and statistics while allowing family members to have individual accounts. One-click logging provides parents with an easy way to log reading for all family members.

About

AR Reading List

Scan books using their ISBN or search by title and author to find Accelerated Reader quiz information. Organize your reading with lists for books you've read or want to read.

Highlights
  • Scan books by ISBN
  • Search AR quiz information
  • Filter by title, author, reading level, points, collections
  • Maintain read lists
  • Mark books for later reading
Features
Read full description

AR Reading List is the fast, simple way to find Accelerated Reader books and track reading progress — whether you're a student hunting for your next quiz, a parent guiding your kid's reading list, or a teacher pulling together a classroom shelf. SCAN A BARCODE, GET INSTANT QUIZ INFO Point your camera at any book's ISBN barcode to instantly see its AR quiz number, point value, reading level, and word count. No typing, no searching through long lists. POWERFUL SEARCH THAT FITS HOW YOU THINK Search by title keywords, author name, reading level range, points, or award collection — or combine any of them. Looking for a 3.5 to 4.2 level book worth 5 or more points? Done. Want to browse Newbery Medal winners at a specific level? Done. Award collections included: • Newbery Medal and Honor books • Caldecott Medal and Honor books • Coretta Scott King Award and Honors • ALA Notable and Best Books BUILD YOUR PERSONAL READING LIST Save any book to your list with one tap. Mark books as Unread, Reading, or Read to see your progress at a glance. Filter your list by status to pick what's next. HABITS THAT STICK • Set a monthly reading goal and track how you're doing • Build a reading streak with optional daily reminders • Unlock achievements as you hit milestones • Revisit every book from your search history EVERYTHING YOU NEED ON ONE BOOK PAGE Title, author, series, reading level, points, word count, interest level, topic, and summary — all in one clean view. Plus quick links to Amazon, Google, Goodreads, and archive.org to learn more or read online. FREE, WITH AN AD-FREE UPGRADE AVAILABLE Everything is free to use. Upgrade anytime to remove ads. Whether you're prepping for a quiz, curating a classroom library, or just keeping track of what the kids are reading, AR Reading List has you covered. Questions or feedback? Email arlistsupprt@gmail.com or visit www.arlst.com. AR Reading List is not affiliated with or endorsed by Renaissance Learning, Inc. "Accelerated Reader," "AR," "Renaissance Learning," "Newbery," and "Caldecott" are trademarks of their respective owners.

Screenshots

READsquared4 screens
AR Reading List4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: AR Reading List at 4.5 against READsquared's 2.0. AR Reading List also leads on ratings volume (337 vs 16) and review sentiment (27% vs 17%). READsquared's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 8 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. AR Reading List sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. READsquared asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

AR Reading List holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: AR Reading List has 337 ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 17% of READsquared's written reviews are positive against 27% of AR Reading List's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

READsquared ships an update every 2 months, AR Reading List every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on August 24, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
READsquared versus AR Reading List: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterREADsquaredAR Reading List
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.0 (16 ratings)4.5 (337 ratings) — better
Positive reviews17.5% of reviews27.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings16337 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 8 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB52 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSystems Technology Group IncorporatedSeth Baugh

Customer experience

READsquared

Written reviews63 reviews
Positive17.5%
Neutral1.6%
Negative81.0%

AR Reading List

All ratings326 ratings
Positive85.9%
Neutral4.6%
Negative9.5%
Written reviews33 reviews
Positive27.3%
Neutral3.0%
Negative69.7%

Bugs and requests

READsquared

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

AR Reading List

Reported bugs

8 issues
  • Scan feature does not work
  • App does not recognize books
  • No quiz available for scanned books
  • App says no quizzes for books that have them
  • Paid version does not work
Show 3 more
  • Search feature returns no results
  • Book icon with '+' sign missing
  • App crashes or freezes

Requested features

5 requests
  • Make ads shorter and closable
  • Automatically recommend books not in system
  • Allow bulk upload requests from libraries
  • Scan book barcode or ISBN for information
  • Enter school login and password for AR program integration

In-app purchases

None

READsquared

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

AR Reading List

One-time1
  • Paid User Upgrade$7.99

Questions

Is READsquared free?
READsquared is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is AR Reading List free?
AR Reading List is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, READsquared or AR Reading List?
AR Reading List is rated higher. READsquared averages 2.0 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while AR Reading List averages 4.5 from 337 ratings.
Do READsquared or AR Reading List have ads?
Neither READsquared nor AR Reading List shows ads.
Which is updated more often, READsquared or AR Reading List?
READsquared ships an update every 2 months, and AR Reading List every 8 months. Most recently, READsquared was updated on August 24, 2026 and AR Reading List on September 24, 2026.

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