# TBR vs Bookjournal.app

The clearest difference is ads: Bookjournal.app at none against TBR's shown. Bookjournal.app also leads on iOS requirement (16.4 vs 18.6). TBR's advantage is review sentiment (72% vs 44%) and ratings volume (4.4K vs 251). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. TBR sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Bookjournal.app sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for TBR against 4.5 for Bookjournal.app. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TBR has 4.4K ratings behind it against 251, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 72% of TBR's written reviews are positive against 44% of Bookjournal.app's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TBR | Bookjournal.app |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (4.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tbr-bookshelf/id1614891654/reviews)** | [4.5 (251 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookjournalapp/id6447931333/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4.4K** | 251 |
| Positive reviews | **71.6% of reviews** | 43.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#29** | — |
| Size | 98 MB | 36 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **16.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [TBR - Bookshelf, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1559382569) | [Rowan Trollope](https://appshunter.io/developer/1683047449) |

## What reviewers say

### TBR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tbr-bookshelf/id1614891654)

**Currently charting:** #29 Top Free · Magazines & Newspapers, #79 Top Grossing · Magazines & Newspapers, #108 Top Free · Book, #142 Top Grossing · Book (US App Store)

Easily track books you want to read, are currently reading, or have finished. Rate and review books, log favorite moments, and discover new reads. Set yearly reading goals and celebrate milestones with fun animations.

**Highlights:** Track books (to-read, reading, finished), Rate and review books, Log favorite moments and quotes, Browse public ratings and genre-specific insights, Set custom yearly reading goals, Earn achievement stickers, Pro features: tropes, playlists, adaptations

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Access | $5.99 | per month |
| Pro Access | $29.99 | per 6 months |
| Pro Access | $39.99 | per year |
| 1500 Gems | $2.99 | one-time |
| 4500 Gems | $5.99 | one-time |
| 20,000 Gems | $9.99 | one-time |
| Gift 6 Months | $19.99 | one-time |
| Gift 1 Year of Pro | $29.99 | one-time |
| Gift Lifetime Pro | $119.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Purchase | $179.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Cute and visually appealing
- 📚 Helpful for tracking reading progress
- 🌟 Unique rating system

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔒 No account/sync option to prevent data loss
- 💰 Too many features locked behind paywall
- 🔍 Limited book database, hard to find some titles

**Reported bugs**

- Books disappearing from shelves
- Inability to edit read dates
- Search function not working properly
- Crashing when trying to access certain features

**Requested features**

- Ability to organize books by series
- Option to view other users' reviews and ratings
- Customizable bookshelves and themes
- Sync across multiple devices
- More genre/category options for ratings


### Bookjournal.app

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookjournalapp/id6447931333)

Easily log books you've read, record ratings, thoughts, and notes. Enhance your entries with stickers and share your favorite reads with others. This app offers a convenient digital alternative to traditional reading journals.

**Highlights:** Track read books, Record ratings and notes, Add stickers to entries, Share favorite books, Digital reading journal

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $49.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 💡 Half-star rating option
- 📚 Good for tracking reading progress
- ✨ Customizable features
- 📖 Great for organizing books

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Deleted books reappear
- 🐛 Goodreads import issues
- 🐛 Incorrect book info
- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- 🐛 App won't open/stay open

**Reported bugs**

- Deleted books reappear
- Goodreads import does not work
- Incorrect book titles/covers after import
- Duplicate books
- App crashes

**Requested features**

- Connect with friends
- Add timer for reading tracking
- More information like a timer
- Audiobooks as a selection
- Add friends


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TBR free?

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

### Is Bookjournal.app free?

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

### Which has better reviews, TBR or Bookjournal.app?

TBR is rated higher. TBR averages 4.5 out of 5 from 4.4K ratings, while Bookjournal.app averages 4.5 from 251 ratings.

### Do TBR or Bookjournal.app have ads?

TBR shows ads; Bookjournal.app does not.

### Which is updated more often, TBR or Bookjournal.app?

TBR ships an update weekly, and Bookjournal.app weekly. Most recently, TBR was updated on November 9, 2026 and Bookjournal.app on November 3, 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.*