# NetGalley Shelf vs Kernel

The clearest difference is price: NetGalley Shelf at Free against Kernel's $0.99. NetGalley Shelf also leads on chart position (#180 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). Kernel's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 6 months). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

NetGalley Shelf is free to download; Kernel costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

NetGalley Shelf ships an update every 6 months, Kernel weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NetGalley Shelf | Kernel |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $0.99 |
| Rating | **[2.1 (87 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/netgalley-shelf/id1499581600/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **87** | — |
| Positive reviews | 19.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Best chart rank | **#180** | — |
| Size | 24 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NetGalley, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1499581599) | [Joshua Trommel](https://appshunter.io/developer/6779522177) |

## What reviewers say

### NetGalley Shelf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/netgalley-shelf/id1499581600)

**Currently charting:** #180 Top Free · Book (US App Store)

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Works fine for some users
- 👍 Keeps user logged in
- 👍 Audiobooks work well
- 🚀 Able to read ebooks

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Narration speed issues
- 🐛 Confusing interface
- 🔒 Login issues
- 🐛 Bookmarks and positions don't sync
- 🐛 No built-in dictionary

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

- Add ability to write reviews within the app
- Improve audiobook playback controls
- Add font size adjustment
- Implement dark mode
- Sync reading progress across devices


### Kernel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kernel/id6792376485)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NetGalley Shelf free?

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

### Is Kernel free?

Kernel costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do NetGalley Shelf or Kernel have ads?

Neither NetGalley Shelf nor Kernel shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NetGalley Shelf or Kernel?

NetGalley Shelf ships an update every 6 months, and Kernel weekly. Most recently, NetGalley Shelf was updated on October 29, 2026 and Kernel on October 31, 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.*