Hardcover.app vs plappa
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Hardcover.app
This app helps you organize and discover books. Track what you've read, create custom lists, and see what friends are reading. Set reading goals and share your thoughts on books.
- Track read and to-read books
- Organize with lists and tags
- See friends' reading activity
- Discover trending books
- Rate and review books
- Set reading goals
- Track reading statistics
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Hardcover is a book tracking app with a social side, built for readers, not algorithms. Add books you’ve read or want to read. Keep your library tidy with lists and tags. See what your friends are reading, explore trending picks, and discover hidden gems through curated lists. Rate, review, and share your thoughts. Make your profile public, private, or friends-only—your reading, your rules. Set goals, track your stats, and find your reading rhythm. We use Apple's standard Terms of Service (EULA). https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
plappa
This app is a client for self-hosted media servers like Jellyfin and AudioBookShelf, designed specifically for playing audiobooks. It supports common audio formats, reads metadata, and allows for offline listening with optional in-app purchases for advanced features.
- Jellyfin, Emby, AudioBookShelf client
- Supports common audio formats
- Saves and syncs playback states
- Reads audiobook metadata
- Offline listening (via IAP)
- Podcast and collection support (AudioBookShelf)
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Disclaimer: plappa only works in connection with a Jellyfin or AudioBookShelf media server! plappa is an audiobook player/client for Jellyfin, Emby and AudioBookShelf, the popular self-hosted media server. Features: - Support for most common audio formats - Purpose built for audiobooks - Save and sync playback states via iCloud or your AudioBookShelf server - Reads metadata like author, narrator and others - Download audiobooks and podcast episodes for offline listening* - Support for podcasts, collections and series with AudioBookShelf * plappa allows you to unlock additional features like downloads and customization options through optional in-app purchases: You can choose between a one-time purchase or an auto-renewing subscription (1 month free trial included). The one-time purchase unlocks all current and future updates. With the subscription, all features are available for the duration of your subscription. Both the subscription and one-time purchase can be shared with your family. plappa is licensed under the Apple standard EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: plappa at 4.7 against Hardcover.app's 4.2. plappa also leads on review sentiment (86% vs 52%) and update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 6 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
Both are free to download. Hardcover.app sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and plappa sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
plappa holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: plappa has 331 ratings behind it against 60, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 52% of Hardcover.app's written reviews are positive against 86% of plappa's.
Hardcover.app ships an update every 6 months, plappa every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Hardcover.app | plappa |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.2 (60 ratings) | 4.7 (331 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 52.4% of reviews | 86.4% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 60 | 331 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | Every 5 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 6 MB | 34 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Hardcover LLC | Leo Wehrfritz |
Customer experience
Hardcover.app
plappa
Bugs and requests
Hardcover.app
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
plappa
Reported bugs
2 issues- Can't login Audiobookshelf
- Podcasts library not listing all podcasts
Requested features
9 requests- Auto download when start playing book
- Auto delete when finished book
- Option to add multiple servers
- More sorting and filtering options in the library section
- Refresh button for libraries
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- Easy way to change server address without logging out
- Sync the unplayed/unlistened flags with AudiobookShelf
- Shortcut to bookmarks from within the player
- Slider for fine-tuned control of playback speed
In-app purchases
Hardcover.app
- Supporter - Monthly$4.991 Month
- Supporter - Yearly$49.991 Year
plappa
- Subscription (1 Year)1 Month trial$1.991 Year
- Full Version (Lifetime)$4.99
