# StoryGraph vs Margins

The clearest difference is rating: Margins at 4.9 against StoryGraph's 4.5. Margins also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs monthly) and review sentiment (95% vs 70%). StoryGraph's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. StoryGraph sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Margins sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Margins holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Margins has 20K ratings behind it against 3.6K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 70% of StoryGraph's written reviews are positive against 95% of Margins's.

StoryGraph ships an update monthly, Margins every 4 days. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | StoryGraph | Margins |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (3.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/storygraph-reading-tracker/id1570489264/reviews) | **[4.9 (20K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/margins-book-tracker/id6737528718/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 3.6K | **20K** |
| Positive reviews | 70.3% of reviews | **95.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#41** | #94 |
| Size | 3 MB | 115 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [The StoryGraph](https://appshunter.io/developer/1570489926) | [Paratext Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1724586882) |

## What reviewers say

### StoryGraph

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

**Currently charting:** #41 Top Free · Book, #108 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


### Margins

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/margins-book-tracker/id6737528718)

**Currently charting:** #94 Top Free · Book (US App Store)

This app helps you discover, track, and share your reading journey. It offers detailed tracking options, customizable features, and powerful search capabilities. Stay focused on your reading goals with built-in tools to minimize distractions.

**Highlights:** Half-star ratings, Track recommendations, Customizable book covers, Fuzzy date tracking, Advanced book search, Reading goals, Reading timer, Distraction blocking

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $5.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Annual | $59.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🎨 Aesthetically pleasing design
- 🔍 Helpful search and recommendation features
- 📚 Comprehensive book tracking capabilities
- 🔄 Smooth import from Goodreads

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Missing books in the database
- 🔍 Limited search and filtering options
- 🔒 Concerns about using phone number for sign-up
- 🔢 Lack of social features and community

**Reported bugs**

- Reading time not saving correctly
- Inability to delete or edit books from lists
- Inconsistent behavior when importing data from Goodreads

**Requested features**

- Add ability to track page progress and percentage read
- Implement a profile system with custom avatars and bios
- Introduce a social feed to share reading activity with friends
- Add more advanced statistics and reading analytics


## Frequently asked questions

### Is StoryGraph free?

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

### Is Margins free?

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

### Which has better reviews, StoryGraph or Margins?

Margins is rated higher. StoryGraph averages 4.5 out of 5 from 3.6K ratings, while Margins averages 4.9 from 20K ratings.

### Do StoryGraph or Margins have ads?

Neither StoryGraph nor Margins shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, StoryGraph or Margins?

StoryGraph ships an update monthly, and Margins every 4 days. Most recently, StoryGraph was updated on October 31, 2026 and Margins on October 31, 2026.

### Which is more popular, StoryGraph or Margins?

StoryGraph currently peaks at #41 in the App Store charts, and Margins at #94. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*