Comparison

Frankenstein vs Shelf Scan

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

Head to head
About

Frankenstein

Experience Mary Shelley's classic novel like never before. Make choices that shape Victor Frankenstein's story, from building his creation to navigating the tragic consequences. This interactive adaptation features stunning visuals and the original 1818 text.

Highlights
  • Interactive novel-length retelling
  • Shape Victor Frankenstein's choices
  • Beautiful, easy-to-use interface
  • 65 illustrations including anatomical engravings
  • Full text of the 1818 original
  • Annotated gallery of illustrations
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

+ 'a brilliantly designed app; the current benchmark for high-quality storytelling via tablet.' Kirkus starred review + ‘This masterful new adaptation of Mary Shelley's classic novel may be the best interactive fiction yet’ — Laura Miller, Salon.com + “Superb” — Tim Harford, senior columnist for the FT + ‘the most eye-catching development in April's digital publishing’ — The Guardian + “Enormous sensitivity to Shelley's narrative... There's enormous intelligence behind the reworking” — Dr. Dale Townshend, lecturer in Gothic and Romantic Literature at Stirling University + ‘a visual and textual masterpiece that you will be thrilled to experience’ — John Bardinelli, Jayisgames.com --------------------------------------------------------- The year is 1792 and in his Paris laboratory, Victor Frankenstein is building a man... Guide his tale with your choices in this unique literary app. Written by best-selling author Dave Morris, designed and developed by creative studio inkle and published by award-winning independent publisher, Profile Books, Frankenstein is a new way of experiencing Mary Shelley's classic tale of terror and revenge. The original text has been fully adapted into interactive form, allowing you the reader to visit Frankenstein's workshop, help him make his monster, and guide him through the disastrous events that follow. This is a reading experience like no other, that will put you into the heart of the story. With breath-taking visuals and sleek design, Frankenstein is an unputdownable reading experience, and a whole new kind of ebook. * * * Features: - New novel-length interactive re-telling of the classic story - Weave your own narrative as you guide Victor Frankenstein's choices - Innovative and beautiful easy-to-use interface provides a seamless reading experience - 65 illustrations including detailed 16th century anatomical engravings - The full text of the original Frankenstein, as published in 1818 - The Art of Frankenstein, an annotated gallery of the illustrations used

About

Shelf Scan

Instantly identify books from a photo of any bookshelf using AI. See ratings at a glance and discover your next great read. Integrates with your reading list to highlight books you want to read.

Highlights
  • Instant book recognition from shelf photos
  • View book ratings at a glance
  • Reading list integration
  • Smart highlighting of to-read books
  • Scan history saving
  • No account required for basic use
Features
Read full description

Overwhelmed by endless bookshelves? Can't decide which book to read next? Shelf Scan uses AI to instantly identify books from a single photo and shows you the highest-rated titles at a glance. Whether you're browsing a bookstore, library, or your own collection, find your next great read in seconds. HOW IT WORKS: -Snap a photo of any bookshelf -AI identifies every book spine instantly -See ratings for each book -Discover which books are on your reading list -Find the highest-rated books immediately KEY FEATURES: -Instant Book Recognition Point your camera at a bookshelf and watch the magic happen. Our AI identifies multiple books simultaneously from spine text alone. -Ratings at a Glance Every book shows its rating so you can spot the gems instantly. Sort by rating to find the best books first. -Reading List Integration Import your Goodreads reading list and instantly see which books are yours. No more forgetting what's on your to-read list! -Smart Highlighting Books on your reading list are automatically highlighted with a special badge. Never miss a book you've been meaning to read. -Scan History Save your scans and revisit them later. Perfect for tracking books you discovered at different locations. -Works Everywhere Bookstores, libraries, friends' homes, thrift stores, used book sales - if there's a bookshelf, we can scan it. -No Account Required Use the app instantly without signing up. Create an optional account to save scans and sync your reading list. PERFECT FOR: -Book lovers browsing bookstores or libraries -Readers trying to remember what's on their to-read list -Anyone overwhelmed by too many book choices -Library visitors who want to find the best books quickly -Book collectors organizing their shelves -Gift shoppers looking for highly-rated books WHY Shelf Scan? Stop wasting time checking every book individually on your phone. One photo gives you everything you need to make an informed choice. Find hidden gems, avoid disappointing reads, and never forget which books you wanted to read. PRIVACY FIRST: -Use without an account (guest mode) -Images processed temporarily, never stored permanently -You control all your data -No ads, no tracking, no data selling -Download Shelf Scan today and transform how you discover your next favorite book!

Screenshots

Frankenstein4 screens
Shelf Scan4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Frankenstein at 78% against Shelf Scan's 0%. Frankenstein also leads on rating (3.9 vs 3.5) and ratings volume (32 vs 2). Shelf Scan's advantage is price (Free vs $3.99). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases 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

Shelf Scan is free to download; Frankenstein costs $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Frankenstein holds the better App Store score, 3.9 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Frankenstein has 32 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 78% of Frankenstein's written reviews are positive against 0% of Shelf Scan's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Frankenstein ships an update every 3 weeks, Shelf Scan monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Frankenstein versus Shelf Scan: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFrankensteinShelf Scan
Price$3.99Free — better
Rating3.9 (32 ratings) — better3.5 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews77.5% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings32 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
Best chart rank#109 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS8.0 — better15.5
Further details — not scored
Size227 MB26 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperinkleDaniel Anthony Dolewski Ii

Customer experience

Frankenstein

All ratings32 ratings
Positive68.8%
Neutral9.4%
Negative21.9%
Written reviews40 reviews
Positive77.5%
Neutral12.5%
Negative10.0%

Shelf Scan

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

In-app purchases

None

Frankenstein

No in-app purchases

None

Shelf Scan

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Frankenstein free?
Frankenstein costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Shelf Scan free?
Shelf Scan is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Frankenstein or Shelf Scan?
Frankenstein is rated higher. Frankenstein averages 3.9 out of 5 from 32 ratings, while Shelf Scan averages 3.5 from 2 ratings.
Do Frankenstein or Shelf Scan have ads?
Neither Frankenstein nor Shelf Scan shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Frankenstein or Shelf Scan?
Frankenstein ships an update every 3 weeks, and Shelf Scan monthly. Most recently, Frankenstein was updated on October 26, 2026 and Shelf Scan on October 16, 2026.

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