# Bookshelf vs MLOL Reader

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Bookshelf at 94% against MLOL Reader's 35%. Bookshelf also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months) and chart position (#177 vs unranked). MLOL Reader's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Bookshelf sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. MLOL Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

Bookshelf ships an update every 2 weeks, MLOL Reader every 2 months. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bookshelf | MLOL Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (3.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookshelf-your-virtual-library/id1464032274/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **3.1K** | — |
| Positive reviews | **93.7% of reviews** | 34.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#177** | — |
| Size | 80 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | +4 | 12+ |
| Developer | [SquidBit d.o.o.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1464032273) | [Horizons Unlimited H.U. srl](https://appshunter.io/developer/1408636477) |

## What reviewers say

### Bookshelf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookshelf-your-virtual-library/id1464032274)

**Currently charting:** #177 Top Grossing · Book (US App Store)

Organize your book collection with virtual shelves and tags. Track reading progress, set goals, and manage your wishlist. Discover new books, share recommendations, and connect with friends through your reading journey.

**Highlights:** Virtual bookshelves and tags, ISBN barcode scanner, Reading progress tracking, Wishlist management, Social reading profiles, Book statistics, OCR text scanning for notes

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bookshelf (1 Month) | $2.99 | per month |
| Bookshelf (1 Year) | $19.99 | per year |
| Bookshelf (Lifetime) | $59.99 | one-time |
| Bookshelf (Lifetime) | $79.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Batch scanning feature
- 📚 Excellent for organizing book collections
- 💰 Free app with no limits
- 🔍 Helpful for avoiding book duplicates

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Search function could be improved
- 🔢 Inability to add multiple copies of the same book
- 📷 Limited cover image options for some books

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional issues with scanning barcodes
- Trouble accessing app after account creation

**Requested features**

- Ability to organize books by author and series
- Option to filter statistics by bookshelf
- Manual page count entry
- Borrowing/lending tracking system


### MLOL Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mlol-reader/id1516845341)

Access and borrow hundreds of thousands of ebooks from Italian publishers through a revamped digital reading platform. Connect with your library account to explore vast collections from public, academic, and school catalogs.

**Highlights:** Borrow ebooks from MLOL catalogs, Access public, academic, and school libraries, Search and borrow from hundreds of thousands of titles, Login with existing library credentials, Read ebooks from major Italian publishers

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bookshelf free?

Bookshelf is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is MLOL Reader free?

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

### Do Bookshelf or MLOL Reader have ads?

Bookshelf shows ads; MLOL Reader does not.

### Which is updated more often, Bookshelf or MLOL Reader?

Bookshelf ships an update every 2 weeks, and MLOL Reader every 2 months. Most recently, Bookshelf was updated on November 3, 2026 and MLOL Reader on November 3, 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.*