# StoryGraph vs Messer CATS

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Messer CATS at none against StoryGraph's 2. Messer CATS also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.0). StoryGraph's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months) and chart position (#37 vs unranked). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. StoryGraph sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Messer CATS asks for nothing beyond the download.

StoryGraph ships an update monthly, Messer CATS every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | StoryGraph | Messer CATS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (3.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/storygraph-reading-tracker/id1570489264/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **3.6K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 70.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Best chart rank | **#37** | — |
| Size | 3 MB | 121 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [The StoryGraph](https://appshunter.io/developer/1570489926) | [Messer North America Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1622195380) |

## What reviewers say

### StoryGraph

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/storygraph-reading-tracker/id1570489264)

**Currently charting:** #37 Top Free · Book, #115 Top Grossing · Book (US App Store)

Track your reading habits with insightful stats and personalized book recommendations powered by AI. Discover new books based on mood, pace, and genre, and connect with friends for shared reading experiences.

**Highlights:** Import Goodreads data, Personalized book recommendations, Track reading habits with stats, Discover books by mood and pace, Read with friends (buddy reads), Custom reading challenges, Content warnings for books

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The StoryGraph Plus Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| The StoryGraph Plus Annual | $49.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 🚀 Excellent reading stats and data visualization
- 💡 Innovative features like buddy reads and reading challenges
- 👍 Clean and modern design
- 💡 Independent company, not owned by big tech

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🐛 Slow performance and loading times
- 🐛 Issues with importing data from other platforms
- 🐛 Missing some basic features like custom shelves/lists
- 🐛 Confusing navigation and UI in places

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes or freezes when trying to update reading progress
- Incorrect book details and page counts
- Login issues where users get logged out frequently

**Requested features**

- Ability to track re-reads and multiple editions of books
- More robust social features like following friends, liking reviews
- Barcode scanning to easily add books
- Customizable reading challenges and goal tracking
- Dark mode option


### Messer CATS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/messer-cats/id1629910136)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is StoryGraph free?

StoryGraph is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Messer CATS free?

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

### Do StoryGraph or Messer CATS have ads?

Neither StoryGraph nor Messer CATS shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, StoryGraph or Messer CATS?

StoryGraph ships an update monthly, and Messer CATS every 3 months. Most recently, StoryGraph was updated on October 27, 2026 and Messer CATS on October 14, 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.*