Comparison

SideBooks vs bookend

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

Head to head
About

SideBooks

This app offers a high-performance PDF and comic viewer with realistic paper-turning animations. It supports various viewing directions, enhanced bookshelf management, and secure password protection for your documents. Easily import files from multiple sources and enjoy a customizable reading experience.

Highlights
  • Realistic paper curl animation
  • Multiple viewing directions
  • Enhanced bookshelf management
  • Password protection
  • Dropbox and iTunes file import
  • Supports PDF, ZIP, CBZ, RAR, CBR
Features
Read full description

SideBooks is a high performance, high speed PDF viewer that allows you to enjoy reading with the feel of actual paper. =Features= Curl animation that simulates the actual turning of paper pages has been added to the standard page slide function. Supports viewing from 3 directions, documents that open left to right, right to left and vertically. It provides the optimal environment for viewing any book. All zoom rates have been optimized providing high speed, dynamic screen display. An infinite hierarchy of folders can be created, moved, deleted, renamed, etc. using the enhanced bookshelf management function. Real visual bookshelf function that corresponds to back cover style display. Files can be imported by 3 methods, Network transfer through Dropbox, USB transfer through iTunes and direct transfer from other applications. Books can be protected so others cannot view them by using the password protected locking function. This is a universal application that operates on the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. =Functions= Overall: *Brightness Adjustment *Screen rotates to match the orientation of the device *Screen Rotation Lock *Password Protected Start-up Lock Viewer: *Support PDF,ZIP,CBZ,RAR and CBR format *Page Turning: Choose from slide or curl *Viewing Directions: Choose from opening left to right / right to left / vertically *Page Spacing: Choose form wide / narrow / none *Facing Pages: Choose the pair of facing pages by setting the cover to on or off *Trim function within the range of page display *Cache pre-read function for the previous and next pages *Set the display for each book and remember the page number of the last page read *Text search function (list display type) *Contents function (also supports hierarchy type) *Bookmark function (with editable memos) *Edit handwritten notes *Send to other applications (Open-In) *Send by email *Printing function (Air Print) *In-page link function *Link to outside URL function (built-in browser / Safari / Printing) *Display / Don't Display link buttons *Page turning function using tap or swipe *Expansion / Contraction function using pinch and double tap (1-1024x zoom) *Viewing of encrypted PDF files with password protection *Display / non-display of statusbar when reading Bookshelf: *Display form: Choose form list bookshelf / visual bookshelf *Function to set theme of visual bookshelf with each folder *Bookshelf thema extension pack (Add-On) *Cover editing function (corresponds to the trim) *File editing function: create, move, delete, setting for all books in folder *Bookmark list *Reading history list *Unread list *Edit of mark choose form already read / unread *Book name search function *Network transfer through Dropbox *USB transfer through iTunes *Direct transfer from other applications Special thanks to, "Give My Regards to Black Jack" SHUHO SATO Manga on Web http://mangaonweb.com

About

bookend

This app offers a beautiful and intuitive reading experience for purchased digital books on iPad and iPhone. It allows for easy navigation, page turning, and zooming, with cloud syncing for content across devices. Discover and enjoy a growing library of digital content.

Highlights
  • Beautiful, easy-to-use interface
  • Cloud Library for syncing across devices
  • Easy flick to turn pages
  • Portrait and landscape reading modes
  • Thumbnail view for quick navigation
  • Pinch and zoom pages
  • Bookshelf view with bibliographic data
Read full description

The bookend app is optimized for the iPad and iPhone  providing users with the ability to read bookend books using a beautiful, easy-to-use interface. You can discover and read book contents that are bought in this application with iPad and iPhone. You can share contents with other bookend applications on other devices by simply registering your mail address into bookend Cloud Library. You will see more and more bookend contents coming. Get the best reading experience available on your iPad and iPhone. * Easy flick to turn pages * Read in portrait or landscape mode * Easy thumbnail view for quick jump to page * View both single and center spread pages * Pinch and zoom pages in books * User interface tailored to the size, look, and feel of the iPad and iPhone * Bookshelf view with scrolling support and show additional bibliographic data

Screenshots

SideBooks4 screens
bookend4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: SideBooks at 72% against bookend's 10%. SideBooks also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs monthly) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. SideBooks sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and bookend sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SideBooks ships an update every 9 days, bookend monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
SideBooks versus bookend: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSideBooksbookend
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (97 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews72.4% of reviews — better10.0% of reviews
Number of ratings97 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS9.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size32 MB52 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperTatsumi-system Co., Ltd.iDoc K.K.

Customer experience

SideBooks

All ratings97 ratings
Positive92.8%
Neutral2.1%
Negative5.2%
Written reviews243 reviews
Positive72.4%
Neutral7.8%
Negative19.8%

bookend

Written reviews20 reviews
Positive10.0%
Neutral10.0%
Negative80.0%

Bugs and requests

SideBooks

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes when opening certain PDF files
  • Corrupted files cause repeated crashes
  • Dropbox integration issues on some devices

Requested features

6 requests
  • Add support for ePub and other popular formats
  • Implement iCloud/Google Drive integration
  • Allow manual rearrangement of bookshelf
  • Add dark mode and customizable background options
  • Improve bookmark and annotation features
Show 1 more
  • Implement a more intuitive file management system

bookend

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

SideBooks

One-time1
  • Thema extension Add-On$0.99
10 purchases

bookend

One-time10
  • 神話から読み、知る日本の神様$11.99
  • 大川功 人間の魅力$11.99
  • 読む餃子$11.99
Show 7 more
  • 面白くてよくわかる! 太平洋戦争$11.99
  • 面白くてよくわかる! 古事記$11.99
  • 保存版 上野・谷根千を極める!$11.99
  • 保存版 横浜・中華街を極める!$11.99
  • 40代を素敵にしなやかに生きるシンプルセオリー$11.99
  • 今日もごちそうさまでした$11.99
  • 妄想男子 - 佐藤歩×田中大地 写真集$13.99

Questions

Is SideBooks free?
SideBooks is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is bookend free?
bookend is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do SideBooks or bookend have ads?
Neither SideBooks nor bookend shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SideBooks or bookend?
SideBooks ships an update every 9 days, and bookend monthly. Most recently, SideBooks was updated on September 25, 2026 and bookend on September 21, 2026.

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