# BorrowBox vs Minimalistic Reading List

The clearest difference is review sentiment: BorrowBox at 77% against Minimalistic Reading List's 0%. BorrowBox also leads on rating (4.7 vs 1.5) and in-app purchases (none vs 2). Minimalistic Reading List's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Minimalistic Reading List sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. BorrowBox asks for nothing beyond the download.

BorrowBox holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 1.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BorrowBox has 869 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 77% of BorrowBox's written reviews are positive against 0% of Minimalistic Reading List's.

BorrowBox ships an update every 6 days, Minimalistic Reading List every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BorrowBox | Minimalistic Reading List |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (869 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/borrowbox/id562843562/reviews)** | [1.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/minimalistic-reading-list/id1479602836/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **869** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | **76.6% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Every 10 days |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#92** | — |
| Size | 165 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bolinda digital](https://appshunter.io/developer/562843565) | [Carl Henningsson](https://appshunter.io/developer/1203904200) |

## What reviewers say

### BorrowBox

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/borrowbox/id562843562)

**Currently charting:** #92 Top Free · Magazines & Newspapers (US App Store)

Access a vast digital library of eAudiobooks, eBooks, eMagazines, and eNewspapers from your local library. Browse, borrow, and enjoy content on any device with seamless syncing and personalized features.

**Highlights:** Borrow eAudiobooks, eBooks, eMagazines, eNewspapers, All library formats in one app, Read and listen directly in the app, Curated collections and themes, Multi-language browsing, Automatic new issue downloads, Cross-device syncing, Adjustable playback speed and sleep timer

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Convenient access to books
- 💡 Free service through local library
- 🎧 Great for audiobooks
- 📚 Wide selection of books

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🕰️ Long wait times for popular books
- 🔍 Limited search and filtering options
- 🔖 Lack of bookmark/progress tracking features
- 🔋 Battery drain issues
- 🐛 App crashes and bugs

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes after recent update
- Loses reading progress when switching devices
- Night mode issues with invisible text
- Audiobook controls not working with Bluetooth
- Inconsistent behavior when using sleep timer

**Requested features**

- Add a wishlist or reading list feature
- Improve search and filtering capabilities
- Implement bookmark/progress tracking for audiobooks
- Integrate with Apple CarPlay for safer driving
- Add user reviews and ratings for books


### Minimalistic Reading List

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/minimalistic-reading-list/id1479602836)

Organize your reading with this minimalist app. Scan barcodes, search by author or genre, and categorize books into 'Reading,' 'To Read,' and 'Finished.' Discover popular titles and get reading tips.

**Highlights:** Scan book barcodes, Search by title, author, genre, Categorize into Reading, To Read, Finished, Create personalized genre groups, Explore popular books and reading tips, Purchase books via integrated links

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Access Subscription | $0.99 | per month |
| Lifetime Access | $12.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BorrowBox free?

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

### Is Minimalistic Reading List free?

Minimalistic Reading List is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, BorrowBox or Minimalistic Reading List?

BorrowBox is rated higher. BorrowBox averages 4.7 out of 5 from 869 ratings, while Minimalistic Reading List averages 1.5 from 2 ratings.

### Do BorrowBox or Minimalistic Reading List have ads?

Neither BorrowBox nor Minimalistic Reading List shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BorrowBox or Minimalistic Reading List?

BorrowBox ships an update every 6 days, and Minimalistic Reading List every 10 days. Most recently, BorrowBox was updated on October 21, 2026 and Minimalistic Reading List on October 12, 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.*