# ARC Bookshelf vs BookWish

The clearest difference is rating: BookWish at 5.0 against ARC Bookshelf's 3.6. BookWish also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). ARC Bookshelf's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ratings volume (38 vs 2). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BookWish sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. ARC Bookshelf asks for nothing beyond the download.

BookWish holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ARC Bookshelf has 38 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

ARC Bookshelf ships an update every 2 months, BookWish every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ARC Bookshelf | BookWish |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.6 (38 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arc-bookshelf/id537997638/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookwish-reader-gift-registry/id6748889200/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **38** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 34.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 30 MB | 95 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [American Reading Company](https://appshunter.io/developer/537997641) | [Terry Heath](https://appshunter.io/developer/1825197895) |

## 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


### BookWish

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookwish-reader-gift-registry/id6748889200)

Easily manage your reading list and connect with other readers. Discover books you want to read, get notified when they're available from other users, and pass on books you've finished to keep them circulating.

**Highlights:** Build and manage book wishlists, Discover books from other readers, Get notified when wishlist books are available, Pass on finished books to others, Add books via search, barcode, or friend's list, Share wishlists for gift-giving

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| BookWish Premium Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| BookWish Premium Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| BookWish Premium | $9.99 | one-time |
| BookWish Premium Lifetime | $79.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ARC Bookshelf free?

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

### Is BookWish free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ARC Bookshelf or BookWish?

BookWish is rated higher. ARC Bookshelf averages 3.6 out of 5 from 38 ratings, while BookWish averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do ARC Bookshelf or BookWish have ads?

Neither ARC Bookshelf nor BookWish shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ARC Bookshelf or BookWish?

ARC Bookshelf ships an update every 2 months, and BookWish every 3 weeks. Most recently, ARC Bookshelf was updated on October 23, 2026 and BookWish on October 28, 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.*