Comparison

Open Library Reader vs Project Gutenberg Ebooks

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

Head to head
About

Open Library Reader

Access and read millions of books from an online library. Organize your reading lists, track borrowed books, and discover related titles within a familiar reading interface. Requires an internet connection.

Highlights
  • Browse and check out millions of books
  • Track reading progress and wishlists
  • Built-in search and related title discovery
  • Shelf management and edition changes
  • Checkout tracking for borrowed books
  • Customizable reading interface
Features
Read full description

Open Library is an online library with millions of books to browse or check out. You can track the books that you're reading, want to read, etc. and read many of them right there. PLEASE NOTE: This app is an interface to the openlibrary.org web site — if you don't use that site to read books, you may have trouble figuring out what the app is for. I encourage you to familiarize yourself with the site first, and then you'll understand what the app offers. This app is one reader's effort to create the ideal portable experience for taking advantage of Open Library's amazing collection. You'll get the best experience out of this app on an iPad, but you can use it on a smaller screen (if you don't mind squinting). The moment you open the app and log in, any books you've already saved on the Open Library site are laid out on your screen. You can sort them by title, author, publication date, and date saved, see which books are available to read, and open them with a single tap. Once you've opened a book in the familiar reading interface, a tap at the top of the screen will trigger the full screen mode, removing every distraction and expanding the book pages to the limits of your screen for the perfect reading experience. Other features include: - Built-in search: find and add books to your shelves from inside the app. - Shelf management: move books between shelves, remove books, change the edition of a book. - Related title search: choose a book on your shelf and quickly find more books like it. - Checkout tracking: see at a glance how long you have left on limited-access books you've checked out. - Customization: choose which shelves you want to see and manage the size of the books and their titles. This app is essentially an alternative interface to the Open Library site — all of your data is stored there, and the books you read are hosted online, not in the app. As a result, an active internet connection is required when you are using this app. Open Library is an initiative of the Internet Archive, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, building a digital library of Internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. The developer of this app has no legal or contractual relationship with Open Library or the Internet Archive, and bears no responsibility for the content found there.

About

Project Gutenberg Ebooks

Access and read thousands of public domain ebooks from Project Gutenberg. This app offers a customizable reader, smart search, offline access, and annotation tools for a personalized reading experience.

Highlights
  • Thousands of public domain ebooks
  • Smart ebook search and filtering
  • Offline reading capability
  • Ebook annotations and notes
  • Customizable reader with themes
  • Multi-language support
Features
Read full description

Project Gutenberg Ebooks Reader - Your Digital Library Discover the world's largest collection of digital books with this comprehensive Project Gutenberg ebook reader. Access thousands of classic and modern ebooks from the Project Gutenberg library, the oldest digital library in the world, right on your mobile device. ** Project Gutenberg Digital Library Access thousands of ebooks from Project Gutenberg Classic literature, modern works, and educational content Support for 16 different languages Books available in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, and more The most comprehensive Project Gutenberg collection on mobile ** Smart Ebook Search Powerful search by title, author, or keywords Find any Project Gutenberg book instantly Browse by categories and tags Discover new authors and genres in the Gutenberg library ** Personal Ebook Collection Save Project Gutenberg books to favorites Create personal reading lists Track your reading history Never lose a great book from the Gutenberg collection ** Advanced Ebook Reader Customizable Project Gutenberg ebook reader Multiple font sizes and families Dark and light reading themes Auto-scroll feature for hands-free reading Text selection and highlighting Search within Project Gutenberg ebooks ** Ebook Annotations & Notes Highlight important passages in Gutenberg ebooks Add personal notes and comments Organize notes by categories Export annotations for reference Never lose your thoughts while reading Project Gutenberg books ** Offline Ebook Reading Download Project Gutenberg ebooks for offline access Read Gutenberg books anywhere without internet Manage your downloaded ebook library ** Multi-Language Ebook Support App interface in 16 languages Project Gutenberg books in multiple languages Automatic language detection Easy language switching for Gutenberg ebooks ** Customizable Ebook Reader Dark and light themes Intuitive navigation Responsive layout for all screen sizes Personalized Project Gutenberg reading experience Perfect for: Project Gutenberg enthusiasts Classic literature lovers Students and researchers Commuters and travelers Anyone who enjoys reading ebooks on the go Features: Thousands of Project Gutenberg ebooks Smart ebook search and filtering Offline Project Gutenberg reading Ebook annotations and notes system Multi-language Gutenberg support Customizable ebook reader experience Personal Gutenberg library management Dark/light theme support Responsive design Why Choose This Project Gutenberg Reader: Direct access to the Project Gutenberg library Optimized for mobile reading Advanced ebook reader features Regular updates with new Gutenberg books Community-driven Project Gutenberg experience Start your Project Gutenberg journey today and discover the joy of having the world's largest digital library in your pocket. Whether you're looking for classic literature, modern works, or educational content, this Project Gutenberg ebook reader has something for every book lover. Download now and begin exploring thousands of Project Gutenberg ebooks at your fingertips. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.chaptio.com/librivox/privacy-policy.html

Screenshots

Open Library Reader1 screens
Project Gutenberg Ebooks4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Project Gutenberg Ebooks at 4.6 against Open Library Reader's 3.0. Project Gutenberg Ebooks also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). Open Library Reader's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads 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. Project Gutenberg Ebooks sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Open Library Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Project Gutenberg Ebooks holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 50 and 45 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 26% of Open Library Reader's written reviews are positive against 20% of Project Gutenberg Ebooks's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Open Library Reader ships an update every 2 months, Project Gutenberg Ebooks every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Open Library Reader versus Project Gutenberg Ebooks: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOpen Library ReaderProject Gutenberg Ebooks
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (50 ratings)4.6 (45 ratings) — better
Positive reviews26.2% of reviews — better20.0% of reviews
Number of ratings50 — better45
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size24 MB41 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLoomis House, LLCNatalja Morozova

Customer experience

Open Library Reader

All ratings50 ratings
Positive44.0%
Neutral14.0%
Negative42.0%
Written reviews42 reviews
Positive26.2%
Neutral19.0%
Negative54.8%

Project Gutenberg Ebooks

All ratings45 ratings
Positive91.1%
Neutral0.0%
Negative8.9%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive20.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative80.0%

In-app purchases

None

Open Library Reader

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Project Gutenberg Ebooks

Subscriptions3
  • Weekly Premium$4.997 Days
  • Monthly Premium$9.991 Month
  • Yearly Premium$29.991 Year

Questions

Is Open Library Reader free?
Open Library Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Project Gutenberg Ebooks free?
Project Gutenberg Ebooks is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Open Library Reader or Project Gutenberg Ebooks?
Project Gutenberg Ebooks is rated higher. Open Library Reader averages 3.0 out of 5 from 50 ratings, while Project Gutenberg Ebooks averages 4.6 from 45 ratings.
Do Open Library Reader or Project Gutenberg Ebooks have ads?
Neither Open Library Reader nor Project Gutenberg Ebooks shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Open Library Reader or Project Gutenberg Ebooks?
Open Library Reader ships an update every 2 months, and Project Gutenberg Ebooks every 3 weeks. Most recently, Open Library Reader was updated on October 1, 2026 and Project Gutenberg Ebooks on September 20, 2026.

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