# Bookshelf vs APLApp

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Bookshelf at 94% against APLApp's 0%. Bookshelf also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.4) and ratings volume (3.1K vs 8). APLApp's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, 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. APLApp asks for nothing beyond the download.

Bookshelf holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bookshelf has 3.1K ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 94% of Bookshelf's written reviews are positive against 0% of APLApp's.

Bookshelf ships an update every 2 weeks, APLApp every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 21, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bookshelf | APLApp |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (3.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookshelf-your-virtual-library/id1464032274/reviews)** | [3.4 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aplapp/id1548992958/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3.1K** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | **93.7% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#167** | — |
| Size | 80 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SquidBit d.o.o.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1464032273) | [Capira Technologies](https://appshunter.io/developer/1010559443) |

## What reviewers say

### Bookshelf

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

**Currently charting:** #167 Top Grossing · Book (US App Store)

Organize your book collection with virtual shelves and tags. Track reading progress, set goals, and manage your TBR list. Discover new books, share recommendations, and connect with friends' reading journeys.

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

**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


### APLApp

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aplapp/id1548992958)

Access your local library's catalog, manage your account, and discover events and resources on the go. Reserve items, track checkouts, and explore online learning materials from your mobile device.

**Highlights:** Search library catalog, Reserve items, Manage multiple library accounts, View and register for events, Access online learning resources, View library hours and locations

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bookshelf free?

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

### Is APLApp free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Bookshelf or APLApp?

Bookshelf is rated higher. Bookshelf averages 4.8 out of 5 from 3.1K ratings, while APLApp averages 3.4 from 8 ratings.

### Do Bookshelf or APLApp have ads?

Bookshelf shows ads; APLApp does not.

### Which is updated more often, Bookshelf or APLApp?

Bookshelf ships an update every 2 weeks, and APLApp every 3 weeks. Most recently, Bookshelf was updated on October 21, 2026 and APLApp on October 21, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*