# Hardcover.app vs Softcover

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Softcover at none against Hardcover.app's 2. Softcover also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 6 months). Hardcover.app's advantage is review sentiment (52% vs 33%) and ratings volume (66 vs 3). On price, rating, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.2 for Hardcover.app against 4.3 for Softcover. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hardcover.app has 66 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 52% of Hardcover.app's written reviews are positive against 33% of Softcover's.

Hardcover.app ships an update every 6 months, Softcover every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hardcover.app | Softcover |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (66 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hardcoverapp/id1663379893/reviews) | **[4.3 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/softcover/id6753820163/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **66** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | **52.2% of reviews** | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 6 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.5 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Hardcover LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1663379895) | [Robin Bolinsson](https://appshunter.io/developer/1844702769) |

## 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 |


### Softcover

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/softcover/id6753820163)

Track your reading progress, manage book lists, and connect with a community of readers. Discover new titles, follow friends, and engage in discussions. Features include detailed statistics, release notifications, and home screen widgets.

**Highlights:** Track reading progress (page/percentage/time), Manage reading lists (Currently Reading, Want to Read, Finished), Follow friends and explore trending titles, Community book discussions and curated lists, Detailed reading statistics and annual goals, Release notifications for anticipated books, Home screen widgets for reading progress

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hardcover.app free?

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

### Is Softcover free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Hardcover.app or Softcover?

Softcover is rated higher. Hardcover.app averages 4.2 out of 5 from 66 ratings, while Softcover averages 4.3 from 3 ratings.

### Do Hardcover.app or Softcover have ads?

Neither Hardcover.app nor Softcover shows ads.

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

Hardcover.app ships an update every 6 months, and Softcover every 2 months. Most recently, Hardcover.app was updated on October 15, 2026 and Softcover on October 4, 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.*