# Bookshelf vs LockDown Browser

The clearest difference is rating: Bookshelf at 4.7 against LockDown Browser's 1.2. Bookshelf also leads on ratings volume (78K vs 4K) and review sentiment (21% vs 8%). LockDown Browser's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.6). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Bookshelf holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 1.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bookshelf has 78K ratings behind it against 4K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 21% of Bookshelf's written reviews are positive against 8% of LockDown Browser's.

Bookshelf ships an update every 6 weeks, LockDown Browser every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bookshelf | LockDown Browser |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (78K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookshelf/id389359495/reviews)** | [1.2 (4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lockdown-browser/id659101775/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **78K** | 4K |
| Positive reviews | **21.4% of reviews** | 7.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#87** | — |
| Size | 185 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [VitalSource Technologies, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/333263745) | [Respondus Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/365544611) |

## What reviewers say

### Bookshelf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookshelf/id389359495)

**Currently charting:** #87 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

Access and study your digital textbooks on your iPad or iPhone. This app allows for offline reading, note-taking, flashcard creation, and customizable reading settings. Sync your progress across devices for a seamless study experience.

**Highlights:** Offline reading, Customizable highlighters and notes, Flashcard creation, Personalized reading settings, Read Aloud feature, Cross-device syncing

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 📚 Convenient access to textbooks
- 🔍 Useful search functionality
- 📚 Offline reading capability
- 🔖 Bookmark and note-taking features
- 🔊 Text-to-speech option

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy highlighting and annotation tools
- 🖋️ Lack of Apple Pencil support
- 📚 Restricted functionality compared to other e-book apps
- 🔍 Inconsistent search and navigation experience
- 🔋 High battery consumption

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent crashes and freezes
- Issues with page loading and scrolling
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between devices
- Unreliable text-to-speech functionality

**Requested features**

- Improved highlighting and annotation tools
- Apple Pencil support for note-taking
- More customization options (e.g., font, layout, night mode)
- Seamless cross-device synchronization
- Enhanced search and navigation features


### LockDown Browser

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lockdown-browser/id659101775)

This application creates a secure browser environment for online exams, preventing access to other applications, websites, or device functions. It ensures the integrity of assessments by locking users into the exam until submission. It is compatible with specific learning systems and can be used with proctoring systems if enabled by an instructor.

**Highlights:** Locks down exam environment, Prevents switching applications, Blocks access to other URLs, Disables screenshots, Prohibits copying or printing, Integrates with learning systems

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Works well on iPad
- 🔒 Secures exams
- 👍 Helpful for online tests

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezes frequently
- 🔒 Locks down devices too aggressively
- 👎 Unreliable and glitchy
- 💤 Slow and unresponsive
- 🔋 Drains device battery

**Reported bugs**

- Fails to load tests and quizzes
- Prevents device power off and exit
- Incompatible with other apps like Canvas
- Randomly kicks users out of exams

**Requested features**

- Improved compatibility with iPads
- Better error handling and recovery
- Streamlined setup and onboarding
- More user-friendly interface


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bookshelf free?

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

### Is LockDown Browser free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Bookshelf or LockDown Browser?

Bookshelf is rated higher. Bookshelf averages 4.7 out of 5 from 78K ratings, while LockDown Browser averages 1.2 from 4K ratings.

### Do Bookshelf or LockDown Browser have ads?

Neither Bookshelf nor LockDown Browser shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bookshelf or LockDown Browser?

Bookshelf ships an update every 6 weeks, and LockDown Browser every 5 weeks. Most recently, Bookshelf was updated on October 13, 2026 and LockDown Browser on October 12, 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.*