Comparison

Hardcover.app vs booKlub

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

booKlub

Features
Read full description

Reading is better when you have people to talk to — but finding the right conversation at the right time is difficult. Book Club brings readers together around the book they are reading now. Set your progress, join a club at the same point, and take part in discussions designed to keep later chapters out of sight. READ TOGETHER AT YOUR OWN PACE You do not need to wait for a scheduled monthly meeting or rush to keep up with everybody else. Join readers who are currently near your chapter and move through the book at a pace that works for you. SPOILER-AWARE DISCUSSIONS Every club is connected to a specific book and reading boundary. The app uses your recorded progress to separate conversations, helping you avoid posts about chapters you have not reached. BUILD YOUR BOOKSHELF Search for books, save titles you want to read, mark what you are currently reading, and keep a simple record of books you have finished. JOIN OR CREATE A CLUB Find an existing club for your book or create one for other readers to join. Each club has its own members, reading progress and conversation. TALK ABOUT THE BOOK Start discussions, reply to other readers, react to posts, and continue the conversation as you move through the book. STAY IN CONTROL Update your reading progress whenever you finish a chapter. Manage your clubs and profile, control notifications, and use built-in reporting and blocking tools when needed. Book Club V1 is focused on the human reading experience. It does not include AI reading companions or AI-generated discussions. Whether you are reading a new release, revisiting a favourite, or finally opening the book that has been waiting on your shelf, Book Club helps you find people who are ready to talk about the same part of the story. Standard Apple Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Hardcover.app4 screens
booKlub4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: booKlub at none against Hardcover.app's 2. Hardcover.app's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence, 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. booKlub asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Hardcover.app ships an update every 6 months, booKlub daily. The most recent releases landed on November 12, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Hardcover.app versus booKlub: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHardcover.appbooKlub
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 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB6 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperHardcover LLCThomas Richardson

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Hardcover.app

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

booKlub

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Hardcover.app free?
Hardcover.app is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is booKlub free?
booKlub is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Hardcover.app or booKlub have ads?
Neither Hardcover.app nor booKlub shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Hardcover.app or booKlub?
Hardcover.app ships an update every 6 months, and booKlub daily. Most recently, Hardcover.app was updated on November 12, 2026 and booKlub on November 10, 2026.

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