# Open Library Reader vs Project Gutenberg Ebooks

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.

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.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Open Library Reader | Project Gutenberg Ebooks |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (50 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/open-library-reader/id1573989409/reviews) | **[4.6 (45 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/project-gutenberg-ebooks/id6755909445/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **50** | 45 |
| Positive reviews | **26.2% of reviews** | 20.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 24 MB | 41 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Loomis House, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1573989411) | [Natalja Morozova](https://appshunter.io/developer/1852342078) |

## What reviewers say

### Open Library Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/open-library-reader/id1573989409)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Project Gutenberg Ebooks

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/project-gutenberg-ebooks/id6755909445)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Premium | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Premium | $9.99 | per month |
| Yearly Premium | $29.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*