# Hardcover.app vs Now Reading

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Now Reading at 100% against Hardcover.app's 52%. Now Reading also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.2) and in-app purchases (none vs 2). Hardcover.app's advantage is ratings volume (60 vs 2) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.5). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hardcover.app sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Now Reading asks for nothing beyond the download.

Now Reading holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hardcover.app has 60 ratings behind it against 2, 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 100% of Now Reading's.

Hardcover.app ships an update every 6 months, Now Reading weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hardcover.app | Now Reading |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (60 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hardcoverapp/id1663379893/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/now-reading/id6627332935/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **60** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 52.4% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 6 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.5 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hardcover LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1663379895) | [Minsang choi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1762237320) |

## What reviewers say

### Hardcover.app

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hardcoverapp/id1663379893)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

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


### Now Reading

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/now-reading/id6627332935)

Log books you are currently reading, have finished, or want to read. Display original or custom book covers and share your reading progress with friends through widgets or by swiping through your logged books.

**Highlights:** Track current reads, Archive finished books, Manage wishlist, Display book covers, Share reading progress, Widget support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hardcover.app free?

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

### Is Now Reading free?

Now Reading is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Hardcover.app or Now Reading?

Now Reading is rated higher. Hardcover.app averages 4.2 out of 5 from 60 ratings, while Now Reading averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Hardcover.app or Now Reading have ads?

Neither Hardcover.app nor Now Reading shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Hardcover.app or Now Reading?

Hardcover.app ships an update every 6 months, and Now Reading weekly. Most recently, Hardcover.app was updated on September 23, 2026 and Now Reading on September 21, 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.*