Comparison

NetGalley Shelf vs BookLock

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

Head to head
About

NetGalley Shelf

Access and review digital books and audiobooks provided by publishers and authors. Discover new titles, download them for offline reading, or stream audiobooks directly within the app. This platform is designed for book advocates and industry professionals to provide valuable feedback.

Highlights
  • Access digital review copies
  • Listen to audiobooks
  • Download books for offline reading
  • Stream audiobooks
  • Discover new titles
  • Request and review books
Currently charting
Read full description

NetGalley Shelf is a reading and listening app for NetGalley members. NetGalley helps publishers and authors promote digital review copies and audiobooks to book advocates and industry professionals. Publishers make digital review copies and audiobooks available for the NetGalley community to discover, request, read, and review. NetGalley does not sell any content, including books or audiobooks. Each book on NetGalley is provided to specific members by the publisher directly, at no cost to the NetGalley member. Books on the NetGalley site are used for review and promotional purposes only. Users of the NetGalley Shelf app will need to register as NetGalley members on NetGalley.com or NetGalley.co.uk, then all your approved NetGalley books and audiobooks will automatically appear in this app. No need to press Download on the NetGalley website! Reading is easy and convenient using the NetGalley Shelf app. Download approved books for access on the go, or start listening right away with streaming for audiobooks.

About

BookLock

Features
Read full description

BookLock transforms your device into a tool for better reading habits by helping you trade mindless scrolling for focused, distraction-free reading. Instead of losing time to social media, turn your screen time into meaningful reading sessions and build a habit that lasts. FEATURES Swap Screen Time for Reading Time: Lock distracting apps while you read and reclaim your time for books. Set reading goals and stay on track without interruptions. Customizable Reading Sessions: Set timed reading goals and let BookLock guide you. Whether it’s a quick 10-minute session or an hour-long deep dive, smart timers and reminders keep you accountable. Track Your Reading Progress: Monitor pages read, session duration, and focus levels with real-time analytics. Earn a Focus Score based on your consistency and engagement. Effortless Library Management: Scan book barcodes or search titles to track your reading list. Organize books with intuitive filters like Not Started, In Progress, and Completed. Widgets & Smart Reminders: Stay motivated with iOS 17 Dynamic Island and Home Screen widgets. Get reading session reminders and real-time progress updates. Minimalist, Immersive Design: A clean, distraction-free UI with dynamic animations and inspiring quotes designed to enhance your reading experience. Upgrade with BookLock Premium: Unlock advanced tracking, customize your Distraction Shield, and sync your progress across devices with iCloud. Make Every Minute Count: Stop wasting screen time—start investing it in books. Download BookLock today and turn your phone into the ultimate reading companion! Terms: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy: https://booklockapp.com/privacy

Screenshots

NetGalley Shelf4 screens
BookLock4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: NetGalley Shelf at 2.1 against BookLock's 1.0. NetGalley Shelf also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ads (none vs shown). On price 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. BookLock sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. NetGalley Shelf asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

NetGalley Shelf holds the better App Store score, 2.1 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NetGalley Shelf has 87 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
NetGalley Shelf versus BookLock: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNetGalley ShelfBookLock
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.1 (87 ratings) — better1.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews19.9% of reviews—
Number of ratings87 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 6 months—
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
Best chart rank#166 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size24 MB18 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNetGalley, LLCRuvix

Bugs and requests

NetGalley Shelf

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Login issues
  • Downloading issues with audiobooks
  • Books disappearing from shelf
  • Inability to remove expired books
  • Inconsistent behavior when opening books

Requested features

7 requests
  • Add ability to write reviews within the app
  • Improve audiobook playback controls
  • Add font size adjustment
  • Implement dark mode
  • Sync reading progress across devices
Show 2 more
  • Add highlighting and note-taking features
  • Improve organization and sorting of books

BookLock

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

NetGalley Shelf

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

BookLock

Subscriptions3
  • GymLock Pro Weekly$4.997 Days
  • BookLock Pro Annual$9.991 Year
  • BookLock Pro Annual3 Days trial$39.991 Year

Questions

Is NetGalley Shelf free?
NetGalley Shelf is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is BookLock free?
BookLock is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, NetGalley Shelf or BookLock?
NetGalley Shelf is rated higher. NetGalley Shelf averages 2.1 out of 5 from 87 ratings, while BookLock averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.
Do NetGalley Shelf or BookLock have ads?
BookLock shows ads; NetGalley Shelf does not.

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