# SageCat vs Bookshop.org

The clearest difference is update cadence: Bookshop.org at every 5 days against SageCat's every 8 months. Bookshop.org also leads on ratings volume (2.2K vs 1) and review sentiment (57% vs 33%). SageCat's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

SageCat holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bookshop.org has 2.2K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 33% of SageCat's written reviews are positive against 57% of Bookshop.org's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

SageCat ships an update every 8 months, Bookshop.org every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SageCat | Bookshop.org |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sagecat/id1492950794/reviews)** | [4.8 (2.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookshoporg-ebook-reader/id6465290096/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **2.2K** |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | **56.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | — | **#120** |
| Size | 9 MB | 111 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Kenneth Cox](https://appshunter.io/developer/1400443993) | [Bookshop, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1706515971) |

## What reviewers say

### SageCat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sagecat/id1492950794)

Access and manage your library account for the Sage Library System. Search for materials, place holds, and review your checked-out items. Requires a library card from a participating SageCat member library.

**Highlights:** Search library catalog, Place holds on materials, Review checked-out items, Renew borrowed items, Access materials from 70+ libraries

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Bookshop.org

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookshoporg-ebook-reader/id6465290096)

**Currently charting:** #120 Top Free · Book (US App Store)

Read your ebooks and discover new titles while supporting independent bookstores. All ebook purchases made through this platform directly benefit local bookshops, ensuring their continued success in the digital age.

**Highlights:** Read ebooks from your library, Browse millions of ebooks, Add titles to wishlist, Support local bookstores with purchases, Connect seamlessly with Bookshop

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Wonderful app
- 👍 Great alternative to Amazon
- 👍 Supports local bookstores
- 👍 Clean and pleasing interface
- 👍 Solid app for a new release

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Formatting issues (lack of italics, poor paragraph spacing, etc.)
- 🐛 Buggy page turning and navigation
- 🔧 Limited customization options (fonts, themes, brightness, etc.)
- 🔧 Missing essential features (highlighting, note-taking, search, etc.)

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to remember last page read
- Scrolling issues and unexpected page skipping
- Formatting problems (stripped italics, weird paragraph spacing)
- Settings not persisting between app sessions

**Requested features**

- More font and theme options
- Ability to adjust line spacing, margins, and other formatting
- Implement highlighting, annotation, and note-taking features
- Add search functionality
- Improve page turning and navigation


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SageCat free?

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

### Is Bookshop.org free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SageCat or Bookshop.org?

SageCat is rated higher. SageCat averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Bookshop.org averages 4.8 from 2.2K ratings.

### Do SageCat or Bookshop.org have ads?

Neither SageCat nor Bookshop.org shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SageCat or Bookshop.org?

SageCat ships an update every 8 months, and Bookshop.org every 5 days. Most recently, SageCat was updated on October 24, 2026 and Bookshop.org on October 27, 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.*