Comparison

Barnes & Noble vs Aesop Reader

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

Head to head
About

Barnes & Noble

Access a vast selection of books, eBooks, audiobooks, and more. Discover new releases, bestsellers, and personalized recommendations. Shop for toys, gifts, and home items, with options for home delivery or in-store pickup.

Highlights
  • Shop millions of books
  • Browse eBooks and audiobooks
  • Discover new releases and bestsellers
  • Scan barcodes for product details
  • Digital member card
  • Store locator
  • Manage account and wishlists
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

The Barnes & Noble app is the ideal companion for book lovers who want quick and easy access to the world of books. Search, browse and shop our massive selection of books, eBooks, audiobooks, NOOK eReaders & tablets, toys, games, home items, gifts and much more. Ship your items directly to your door, or use our store locator to find the nearest Barnes & Noble bookstore to pick up your order on your own schedule. As an added convenience for Barnes & Noble Members, the app includes a scannable digital Member card for instant access to your Member benefits when shopping in-store. (Please note that in order to provide the best pricing for our customers, we are currently unable to provide an in-app purchasing experience for Digital Content, including eBooks and digital audiobooks.) SHOP Explore our massive selection of millions of Books, Kids' books, Magazines, Manga, CDs, Vinyl, DVDs, Blu-ray, Toys & Games, Home & Gift items, Gift Cards and much more. Buy books from a variety of bestselling genres including astrology, biographies, business, children's books, classics, comics and graphic novels, cookbooks, history, horror, manga, mystery & crime, religion & bibles, romance, sci-fi & fantasy, self-help, teens & YA, test prep books, true crime. Access unique Barnes & Noble content including Product Details, Product Images, Bookseller Reviews, Customer Reviews, Editorial Reviews, Best Sellers, NOOK devices and much more. Fully secure. All purchases go through the secure Barnes & Noble systems. DISCOVER Wondering what to read next? Browse through new releases, classics, best sellers, and book recommendations curated especially for you by our experienced booksellers! Explore a large assortment of eBooks and audiobooks and add them to your Wishlist for easy purchasing on the Barnes and Noble website. Enhance your search by using your camera as a barcode scanner and instantly pull up the product details, book reviews, and more. VISIT YOUR LOCAL B&N Find your closest Barnes & Noble bookstore with our new store locator to browse with our expert booksellers in person or pick up your recent purchase. YOUR ACCOUNT Barnes & Noble Members have direct access to their membership benefits in-store with a scannable digital membership card. Access your online purchase history and manage your Barnes & Noble account all through the app. Access and add items to your Wishlist for easy access across all of your devices.

About

Aesop Reader

Discover and share stories in a modern digital format. This app blends classical storytelling with contemporary digital presentation, offering literature and poetry.

Highlights
  • Story discovery
  • Story sharing
  • Digital literature
  • Digital poetry
  • Classical storytelling
  • Modern storytelling
Features
Read full description

Named after the ancient Greek storyteller, Aesop is a new way to tell stories. To find them and share them with others. Stories exist because we do. And we share them because we are compelled to. They bring us together in ways nothing else can. Aesop is an app that pays homage to the classical forms of story while embracing the modern modes of storytelling. Literature and poetry, presented in the digital medium where we spend much of our day already.

Screenshots

Barnes & Noble4 screens
Aesop Reader4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Aesop Reader at 5.0 against Barnes & Noble's 1.8. Barnes & Noble's advantage is ratings volume (2.4K vs 1) and chart position (#12 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Aesop Reader holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Barnes & Noble has 2.4K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Barnes & Noble ships an update every 3 weeks, Aesop Reader every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
Barnes & Noble versus Aesop Reader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBarnes & NobleAesop Reader
PriceFreeFree
Rating1.8 (2.4K ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews7.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings2.4K — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 11 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
Best chart rank#12 — better—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS16.4 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size70 MB43 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperBarnes & NobleOWLCODE SOLUTIONS LLC

Customer experience

Barnes & Noble

All ratings2,309 ratings
Positive15.7%
Neutral5.5%
Negative78.8%
Written reviews1,324 reviews
Positive7.7%
Neutral7.4%
Negative84.9%

Aesop Reader

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Barnes & Noble

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App crashes frequently
  • Cart items disappearing
  • Inability to log in or stay logged in
  • Inconsistent behavior across features

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add Face ID/Touch ID login
  • Improve search and filtering options
  • Integrate order tracking and digital receipts
  • Allow in-app ebook purchases

Aesop Reader

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Barnes & Noble

No in-app purchases

None

Aesop Reader

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Barnes & Noble free?
Barnes & Noble is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Aesop Reader free?
Aesop Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Barnes & Noble or Aesop Reader?
Aesop Reader is rated higher. Barnes & Noble averages 1.8 out of 5 from 2.4K ratings, while Aesop Reader averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Barnes & Noble or Aesop Reader have ads?
Neither Barnes & Noble nor Aesop Reader shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Barnes & Noble or Aesop Reader?
Barnes & Noble ships an update every 3 weeks, and Aesop Reader every 11 days. Most recently, Barnes & Noble was updated on November 8, 2026 and Aesop Reader on November 4, 2026.

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