# ARC Bookshelf vs WLS Mobile

The clearest difference is rating: ARC Bookshelf at 3.6 against WLS Mobile's 1.6. ARC Bookshelf also leads on review sentiment (34% vs 5%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

ARC Bookshelf holds the better App Store score, 3.6 against 1.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 38 and 65 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 34% of ARC Bookshelf's written reviews are positive against 5% of WLS Mobile's.

ARC Bookshelf ships an update every 2 months, WLS Mobile every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ARC Bookshelf | WLS Mobile |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.6 (38 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arc-bookshelf/id537997638/reviews)** | [1.6 (65 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wls-mobile/id6739545649/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 38 | **65** |
| Positive reviews | **34.0% of reviews** | 5.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 30 MB | 56 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [American Reading Company](https://appshunter.io/developer/537997641) | [ByWater Solutions](https://appshunter.io/developer/1465780740) |

## What reviewers say

### ARC Bookshelf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arc-bookshelf/id537997638)

This eReader app provides access to award-winning books designed for young learners. It supports children in Kindergarten and first grade as they develop reading confidence and independence through teacher-vetted content.

**Highlights:** Access to American Reading at Home books, Designed for Kindergarten and first-grade levels, Gradual removal of reading support, Builds reading confidence, Independent learning

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great for early readers
- 👍 Helps with reading skills
- 👍 Engaging for children
- 👍 Realistic page turning effect
- 👍 Useful for sight words

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Login issues frequent
- 🐛 Server always down
- 🐛 Crashing after first use
- 🐛 App crashes on iPhone 5S
- 🐛 Crashing after first use

**Reported bugs**

- Cannot make an account
- Keeps asking to log in
- Page stuck in two-page model
- Books do not load
- App closes and goes home

**Requested features**

- Add more books
- Add more reading levels
- Add option to zoom
- Add themes
- Add bookmarks


### WLS Mobile

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wls-mobile/id6739545649)

Discover new and favorite books, movies, and games from your library. Search the full catalog, place holds, and manage your checkouts remotely. Renew eligible items and track due dates with ease.

**Highlights:** Explore library catalog, Search for books, movies, games, Include eContent in searches, Place holds on items, Check due dates, Renew eligible titles

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes frequently
- 🔑 Constant logging out
- ⏱️ Slow loading and performance
- 🔍 Poor search functionality
- 🤖 Buggy and not ready for release

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on opening
- Doesn't stay logged in
- Server errors preventing access

**Requested features**

- Bring back the older app
- Allow login without library card


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ARC Bookshelf free?

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

### Is WLS Mobile free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ARC Bookshelf or WLS Mobile?

ARC Bookshelf is rated higher. ARC Bookshelf averages 3.6 out of 5 from 38 ratings, while WLS Mobile averages 1.6 from 65 ratings.

### Do ARC Bookshelf or WLS Mobile have ads?

Neither ARC Bookshelf nor WLS Mobile shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ARC Bookshelf or WLS Mobile?

ARC Bookshelf ships an update every 2 months, and WLS Mobile every 5 weeks. Most recently, ARC Bookshelf was updated on October 23, 2026 and WLS Mobile on October 22, 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.*