# Hardcover.app vs Ex

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Ex at 100% against Hardcover.app's 52%. Ex also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.2) and in-app purchases (none vs 2). Hardcover.app's advantage is ratings volume (66 vs 1) and device support (3 vs 1). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

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

Ex holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hardcover.app has 66 ratings behind it against 1, 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 Ex's.

Hardcover.app ships an update every 6 months, Ex every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hardcover.app | Ex |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (66 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hardcoverapp/id1663379893/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ex-libris/id6795534325/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **66** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 52.2% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 6 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hardcover LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1663379895) | [Lunabee Studio](https://appshunter.io/developer/991749261) |

## 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 |


### Ex

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ex-libris/id6795534325)

Catalog your personal book collection, track where each book is, and manage loans to friends. Organize your library with custom shelves and discover what your community is reading.

**Highlights:** Scan and catalog books, Organize books on custom shelves, AI-powered shelf arrangement suggestions, Search personal and community libraries, Manage book lending and borrowing, Create custom book lists, Connect with friends and share collections

**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 Ex free?

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

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

Ex is rated higher. Hardcover.app averages 4.2 out of 5 from 66 ratings, while Ex averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

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

Neither Hardcover.app nor Ex shows ads.

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

Hardcover.app ships an update every 6 months, and Ex every 4 days. Most recently, Hardcover.app was updated on October 19, 2026 and Ex on October 11, 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.*