# NetGalley Shelf vs Blackauthored

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Blackauthored at 80% against NetGalley Shelf's 20%. Blackauthored also leads on rating (4.5 vs 2.1) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 6 months). NetGalley Shelf's advantage is chart position (#191 vs unranked) and ratings volume (88 vs 15). 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.

Blackauthored holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 2.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NetGalley Shelf has 88 ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 20% of NetGalley Shelf's written reviews are positive against 80% of Blackauthored's.

NetGalley Shelf ships an update every 6 months, Blackauthored every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NetGalley Shelf | Blackauthored |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.1 (88 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/netgalley-shelf/id1499581600/reviews) | **[4.5 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blackauthored-book-tracker/id6795180951/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **88** | 15 |
| Positive reviews | 19.9% of reviews | **80.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#191** | — |
| Size | 24 MB | 55 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [NetGalley, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1499581599) | [Blackauthored](https://appshunter.io/developer/6795180953) |

## What reviewers say

### NetGalley Shelf

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

**Currently charting:** #191 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


### Blackauthored

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blackauthored-book-tracker/id6795180951)

Easily discover and track books by Black authors. Filter by genre, trope, and spice level to find your next read. Organize your reading list, rate books with precision, and connect with other readers.

**Highlights:** Discover books by Black authors, Filter by genre, trope, spice level, Track reading status (want to read, reading, read,DNF), Explore community-made lists, View author catalogs in order, Rate books with decimal precision, Set reading goals and streaks, Connect with other readers

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, 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 Blackauthored free?

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

### Which has better reviews, NetGalley Shelf or Blackauthored?

Blackauthored is rated higher. NetGalley Shelf averages 2.1 out of 5 from 88 ratings, while Blackauthored averages 4.5 from 15 ratings.

### Do NetGalley Shelf or Blackauthored have ads?

Neither NetGalley Shelf nor Blackauthored shows ads.

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

NetGalley Shelf ships an update every 6 months, and Blackauthored every 4 days. Most recently, NetGalley Shelf was updated on November 11, 2026 and Blackauthored on November 10, 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.*