# TBR vs Nous

The clearest difference is rating: Nous at 5.0 against TBR's 4.5. Nous also leads on ads (none vs shown). TBR's advantage is ratings volume (4.4K vs 1) and chart position (#34 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. TBR sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Nous sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Nous holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TBR has 4.4K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TBR | Nous |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (4.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tbr-bookshelf/id1614891654/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nous-reading-tracker-and-notes/id6761879422/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **4.4K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 70.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#34** | — |
| Size | 98 MB | 31 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **18.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [TBR - Bookshelf, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1559382569) | [Caelan Mitchell](https://appshunter.io/developer/1891915510) |

## What reviewers say

### TBR

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

**Currently charting:** #34 Top Free · Magazines & Newspapers, #90 Top Grossing · Magazines & Newspapers, #127 Top Free · Book, #147 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


### Nous

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nous-reading-tracker-and-notes/id6761879422)

This app helps you actively track your reading by taking notes, capturing highlights, and organizing your library. It offers features for reflection, goal setting, and seamless integration with other services to enhance your reading experience.

**Highlights:** Real-time reading notes and thoughts, Book library organization, Highlight capture via typing or OCR, Reading session reflection and summary, Goal setting and streak tracking, Sync with Obsidian and Kindle, Homescreen widgets

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Nous Plus — Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Nous Plus — Yearly | $29.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TBR free?

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

### Is Nous free?

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

### Which has better reviews, TBR or Nous?

Nous is rated higher. TBR averages 4.5 out of 5 from 4.4K ratings, while Nous averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do TBR or Nous have ads?

TBR shows ads; Nous does not.

### Which is updated more often, TBR or Nous?

TBR ships an update weekly, and Nous weekly. Most recently, TBR was updated on October 27, 2026 and Nous on October 18, 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.*