# RYA Books vs BookPlayer

The clearest difference is review sentiment: BookPlayer at 83% against RYA Books's 27%. BookPlayer also leads on rating (4.8 vs 2.5) and update cadence (every 10 days vs every 3 months). RYA Books's advantage is iOS requirement (16.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. RYA Books sells 37 one-off in-app purchases and BookPlayer sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

BookPlayer holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BookPlayer has 20K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 27% of RYA Books's written reviews are positive against 83% of BookPlayer's.

RYA Books ships an update every 3 months, BookPlayer every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | RYA Books | BookPlayer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rya-books/id451481707/reviews) | **[4.8 (20K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookplayer/id1138219998/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **20K** |
| Positive reviews | 27.0% of reviews | **82.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#61** |
| Size | 110 MB | 70 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Royal Yachting Association](https://appshunter.io/developer/709375005) | [Gianni Carlo](https://appshunter.io/developer/1138219997) |

## What reviewers say

### RYA Books

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rya-books/id451481707)

Explore enhanced digital books with interactive features like animations, videos, and tools. Try free tasters before purchasing full editions, supporting RYA training courses for various boating levels. Optimized for tablets and smartphones.

**Highlights:** Interactive eBooks, Embedded animations and videos, 360° tools for navigation and regulations, Animated examples for VHF procedures, Tidal curve simulation tool, Bookmarking and note-taking, Free taster versions

**In-app purchases (37)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Guide to Boating Knots (E-G60) | $3.99 | one-time |
| First Aid (E-FAB) | $6.99 | one-time |
| Instructor Handbook (E-G27) | $9.99 | one-time |
| Handy Guide to CEVNI (E-G106) | $9.99 | one-time |
| Intro to Radar (E-G34) | $9.99 | one-time |
| Euro Waterways Regs (E-G17) | $9.99 | one-time |
| Training Almanac North (E-TAN) | $9.99 | one-time |
| Stability and Buoyancy (E-G23) | $9.99 | one-time |
| Yachtmaster Quizzes (E-G79) | $11.99 | one-time |
| ICC Handbook (E-G81) | $12.99 | one-time |
| Racing Rules of Sailing ERRS25 | $12.99 | one-time |
| Day Skipper Practical(E-DSPCN) | $12.99 | one-time |
| Day Skipper Shorebased (E-DSN) | $14.99 | one-time |
| Yachtmaster Shorebased (E-YSN) | $14.99 | one-time |
| Comp Crew Skills (E-CCPCN) | $14.99 | one-time |
| Collision Regulations (E-G2) | $14.99 | one-time |
| Intro to Navigation (E-G77) | $14.99 | one-time |
| Astro Navigation Handbook (E-G78) | $14.99 | one-time |
| Day Skipper Shorebased(E-G113) | $14.99 | one-time |
| Start to Race (E-G66) | $14.99 | one-time |
| Passage Planning (E-G69) | $17.99 | one-time |
| Dinghy Techniques (E-G93) | $17.99 | one-time |
| Boat Safety Handbook (E-G103) | $17.99 | one-time |
| Day Skipper – Motor (E-G97) | $19.99 | one-time |
| Advanced Powerboat (E-G108) | $19.99 | one-time |
| Diesel Engine (E-G25) | $19.99 | one-time |
| VHF Handbook (E-G31) | $19.99 | one-time |
| Yachtmaster Handbook (E-G70) | $19.99 | one-time |
| Navigation Handbook (E-G6) | $19.99 | one-time |
| Day Skipper Sail (E-G71) | $19.99 | one-time |
| Multihull Handbook (E-G92) | $19.99 | one-time |
| Offshore Sailing (E-G87) | $19.99 | one-time |
| Sail Trim Handbook (E-G99) | $19.99 | one-time |
| Boat Handling Sail Power E-G68 | $19.99 | one-time |
| Electrics Handbook (E-G67) | $19.99 | one-time |
| Weather Handbook (E-G133) | $19.99 | one-time |
| Manual of Seamanship (E-G36) | $22.99 | one-time |


### BookPlayer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookplayer/id1138219998)

**Currently charting:** #61 Top Free · Book, #187 Top Grossing · Book (US App Store)

This app provides a dedicated listening experience for audiobooks in M4B, M4A, MP3, and FLAC formats. It offers robust import, management, and playback features, including chapter navigation, variable playback speed, and cloud sync for seamless listening across devices.

**Highlights:** Import audiobooks via AirDrop, Files, iTunes, servers, and zip files, Manage library with progress tracking, sorting, and playlists, Advanced playback controls including speed, rewind, and volume boost, Chapter navigation and lock screen controls, Cloud sync for cross-device listening, CarPlay and Apple Watch companion app support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Siri integration, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Support Monthly (1 Month) | $1.99 | per month |
| Support Monthly (1 Month) | $2.99 | per month |
| Support Monthly (1 Month) | $3.99 | per month |
| Pro Monthly (1 Month) | $4.99 | per month |
| Support Monthly (1 Month) | $6.99 | per month |
| Support Monthly (1 Month) | $9.99 | per month |
| Pro Yearly (1 Year) | $49.99 | per year |
| Kind tip | $2.99 | one-time |
| Kind Tip | $2.99 | one-time |
| Excellent Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Incredible Tip | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Flawless playback
- 👍 Intuitive and clean interface
- 💡 Ability to import from various sources
- 🚀 Fast and responsive
- 👍 Remembers playback position

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or glitches
- 🐛 Issues with importing or playing certain files
- 🐛 Syncing issues between devices
- 🐛 Unreliable performance after updates

**Reported bugs**

- Playback issues with certain audio formats
- Importing problems with large audiobook libraries
- Crashes when deleting books

**Requested features**

- Bookmark management
- Percentage completion tracking
- Improved multi-file book handling
- Customizable sleep timer
- iCloud/cloud sync between devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is RYA Books free?

RYA Books is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is BookPlayer free?

BookPlayer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, RYA Books or BookPlayer?

BookPlayer is rated higher. RYA Books averages 2.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while BookPlayer averages 4.8 from 20K ratings.

### Do RYA Books or BookPlayer have ads?

Neither RYA Books nor BookPlayer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, RYA Books or BookPlayer?

RYA Books ships an update every 3 months, and BookPlayer every 10 days. Most recently, RYA Books was updated on October 24, 2026 and BookPlayer on October 25, 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.*