Comparison

Open Library Reader vs BookPad

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

BookPad

Discover your next favorite book with this free reading app. It offers unlimited access to thousands of books across all genres and includes a daily streak tracker to help build consistent reading habits. Enjoy a beautiful, distraction-free reading experience with smart search and personalized recommendations.

Highlights
  • Unlimited free books
  • Daily reading streak tracker
  • Smart search and discovery
  • Distraction-free interface
  • Daily reading reminders
  • Personalized recommendations
Features
Read full description

Discover Your Next Great Read with BookPad Transform your reading habits with BookPad - the ultimate free book reading app that combines unlimited access to thousands of books with daily reading streak. UNLIMITED FREE BOOKS Access a vast library of popular books across all genres - fiction, non-fiction, romance, mystery, sci-fi, and many more. Use the search to find your desired book and enjoy the ultimate premium reading experience in the palm of your hands unlike available anywhere. Don't have time to read no worries, save it for later or add a review for the book. All of which is available under your profile. Book reading experience has never been this easy before BookPad. READING STREAK TRACKER Build a consistent reading habit with our motivating streak system. Track your daily reading progress and watch your streak grow. Miss a day? No problem - pick up right where you left off! SMART SEARCH & DISCOVERY Find your next favorite book instantly with powerful search. Browse popular titles, trending books, and personalized recommendations based on your reading history. BEAUTIFUL READING EXPERIENCE - Clean, distraction-free interface - Easy-to-read layouts optimized for long reading sessions - Recently read section for quick access - Seamless reading progress synced daily DAILY READING REMINDERS Never forget to read! Our custom daily reminder is here to help you maintain your reading streak and build lasting habits. BOOKPAD PREMIUM Unlock the ultimate reading experience: • Remove all advertisements • Ad-free, uninterrupted reading • Access to million of e-books • Offline reading capability Perfect for: - Book lovers looking for free reading content - Students and educators - Anyone building a daily reading habit - People who want to read more books - Commuters looking for entertainment Why Choose BookPad? Unlike other book apps, BookPad combines FREE unlimited books with habit-tracking features that actually help you read more. Our clean interface and smart features make reading enjoyable and accessible for everyone. Join thousands of readers who have already discovered more books, built consistent reading habits, and transformed their lives through reading. Download BookPad today and start your reading journey! SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION • BookPad offers monthly and yearly premium subscriptions • Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase • Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period • Account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period • Subscriptions may be managed and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to Account Settings after purchase • Any unused portion of a free trial period will be forfeited when purchasing a subscription Privacy Policy: https://doc-hosting.flycricket.io/bookpad/d16c5b6e-c9c9-4362-b57e-df81e1fda38f/privacy Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Open Library Reader1 screens
BookPad4 screens

Verdict

The call

Open Library Reader and BookPad both sit at 3.1 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of BookPad's written reviews are positive against 26% of Open Library Reader's. BookPad also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). Open Library Reader's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ads (none vs shown). On price, rating and device support 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. BookPad sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Open Library Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 3.1 for Open Library Reader against 3.0 for BookPad. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Open Library Reader has 51 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 26% of Open Library Reader's written reviews are positive against 100% of BookPad's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Open Library Reader ships an update every 2 months, BookPad every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Open Library Reader versus BookPad: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOpen Library ReaderBookPad
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.1 (51 ratings) — better3.0 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews26.2% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings51 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size24 MB25 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLoomis House, LLCAmmad Akhtar

Customer experience

Open Library Reader

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

BookPad

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Open Library Reader

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

BookPad

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly$3.991 Month
  • Yearly$12.991 Year

Questions

Is Open Library Reader free?
Open Library Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is BookPad free?
BookPad is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Open Library Reader or BookPad?
Open Library Reader is rated higher. Open Library Reader averages 3.1 out of 5 from 51 ratings, while BookPad averages 3.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Open Library Reader or BookPad have ads?
BookPad shows ads; Open Library Reader does not.
Which is updated more often, Open Library Reader or BookPad?
Open Library Reader ships an update every 2 months, and BookPad every 3 weeks. Most recently, Open Library Reader was updated on October 20, 2026 and BookPad on October 24, 2026.

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