Comparison

Hardcover.app vs eBook Manager

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

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
Read full description

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/

About

eBook Manager

Features
Read full description

eBook Manager for iOS puts your whole e-book library in your pocket — the companion app to eBook Manager for Mac. YOUR LIBRARY, EVERYWHERE Everything syncs through your personal iCloud account — no accounts to create, no third-party servers. Books, covers, metadata, ratings, collections, reading lists, and reading positions stay identical across Mac, iPhone, and iPad. Download any book on demand; a quick filter shows what's already on your device for offline reading. A READER THAT GETS OUT OF THE WAY Built on Readium, the open-source EPUB engine. Tap the edges or swipe to turn pages, tap the center to hide the controls, and fine-tune fonts, text size, and light, sepia, or dark themes — your reader settings sync between devices too. Start a chapter on your Mac and your iPhone offers to continue from the same spot. PDFs open in a full PDF view. BROWSE BEAUTIFULLY A cover grid or detailed list, live search across titles, authors, series, and tags, and instant filters for favorites and reading status. On iPad, a three-column layout puts your sidebar, library, and book page side by side. ORGANIZE ON THE GO Edit metadata, set ratings and reading status, favorite with a swipe, and browse the collections, reading lists, and smart lists you built on the Mac — edits sync back instantly. EVERYTHING ELSE YOU'D EXPECT • Statistics and a yearly reading goal • Series completeness — see which volumes you're missing • Online metadata and covers from Google Books, Open Library, and Hardcover • Import EPUB and PDF files directly on the device • A free starter set of classic literature to try the app with • Tidy Up repairs defective EPUB files right on your phone eBook Manager for iOS is a native SwiftUI app — fast, light, and at home on iPhone and iPad. Works standalone or paired with eBook Manager for Mac. DRM-protected books are not supported. A few classic books have been included from Standard eBooks.

Screenshots

Hardcover.app4 screens
eBook Manager4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: eBook Manager at none against Hardcover.app's 2. eBook Manager also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 6 months). Hardcover.app's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Hardcover.app ships an update every 6 months, eBook Manager daily. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Hardcover.app versus eBook Manager: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHardcover.appeBook Manager
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (66 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews52.2% of reviews—
Number of ratings66 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 6 monthsDaily — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB17 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperHardcover LLCNathan Mace

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Hardcover.app

Subscriptions2
  • Supporter - Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Supporter - Yearly$49.991 Year
None

eBook Manager

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Hardcover.app free?
Hardcover.app is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is eBook Manager free?
eBook Manager is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Hardcover.app or eBook Manager have ads?
Neither Hardcover.app nor eBook Manager shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Hardcover.app or eBook Manager?
Hardcover.app ships an update every 6 months, and eBook Manager daily. Most recently, Hardcover.app was updated on October 19, 2026 and eBook Manager on October 12, 2026.

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