Comparison

BorrowBox vs Bookshelf.nz

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

Head to head
About

BorrowBox

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
Read full description

Discover the Ultimate Library Experience – Borrow eAudiobooks, eBooks, eMagazines, and eNewspapers – All in One Place. With BorrowBox, browsing, borrowing, reading, or listening has never been simpler. Take your library with you, wherever you go, whenever you want. If your local library offers BorrowBox, simply sign in with your membership details to unlock a world of digital reading and listening. ALL YOUR LIBRARY FAVOURITES, ONE APP Explore eAudiobooks, eBooks, eMagazines, and eNewspapers – all the formats your library offers, all in one place. EVERYTHING IN ONE PLACE Read or listen to your borrowed titles directly in the app. No extra downloads, no extra steps. MADE FOR YOU Enjoy curated collections and themes that make discovering your next read and listen a breeze. BROWSE IN ANY LANGUAGE Our Language Browsing feature makes it simple to find content in multiple languages, tailored for different audiences. NEVER MISS A RELEASE Subscribe to your favourite eMagazines or eNewspapers, and they’ll be borrowed and downloaded automatically as new issues arrive. STAY IN SYNC Your reading and listening progress seamlessly follows you across all your devices. TAILORED TO YOU Set a sleep timer for your eAudiobooks, add your favourites to your reading lists, and adjust playback speed to suit your listening style.

About

Bookshelf.nz

Features
Read full description

Bookshelf turns your phone into the fastest way to catalogue, track, and actually finish the books you own. Scan to Add — Instantly Point your camera at any barcode and Bookshelf identifies the book in under a second using a rich local catalog plus live metadata sources. Scan multiple books back‑to‑back without waiting. Scan to Wishlist Browsing a bookstore but not ready to commit? Switch to Wishlist mode and scan potential reads to compare later — without adding them to your main library. Your Library, Anywhere Your entire collection is cached on your device, so you can browse and search with zero signal. Pull to refresh whenever you’re back online. Track Your Reading Mark books as To Read, Reading, Read, or DNF. Rate titles 1–5 stars, keep private notes, and track your page progress — or listening time for audiobooks. Reading Sessions Start a session before you settle in and Bookshelf automatically pauses its own notifications for true focus. When you’re done, it asks for your current page and logs your time toward your stats. Reviews See what others thought or write your own, complete with star rating and spoiler warning. Wishlist & Shopping List Keep a running list of books you want so it’s ready when you’re actually standing in a bookstore. Mark a title as “Got it!” the moment you buy it. Make It Yours Choose light, dark, or auto to match your system. Set default reading status and ownership type so adding books is one tap, not four. Secure by Default Lock the app with Face ID or Touch ID. Enable optional push notifications only for the things you want to be interrupted for — you’re in control. Bookshelf syncs with your account at bookshelf.nz, so everything you add on your phone is instantly available on the web too.

Screenshots

BorrowBox4 screens
Bookshelf.nz3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is chart position: BorrowBox at #53 against Bookshelf.nz's unranked. BorrowBox also leads on device support (3 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

BorrowBox ships an update every 6 days, Bookshelf.nz every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 9 level
BorrowBox versus Bookshelf.nz: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBorrowBoxBookshelf.nz
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (871 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews76.6% of reviews—
Number of ratings871 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 6 days — betterEvery 9 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
Best chart rank#53 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.016.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size165 MB43 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperBolinda digitalHayden Searle

Bugs and requests

BorrowBox

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • 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

5 requests
  • 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

Bookshelf.nz

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

BorrowBox

No in-app purchases

None

Bookshelf.nz

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is BorrowBox free?
BorrowBox is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Bookshelf.nz free?
Bookshelf.nz is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do BorrowBox or Bookshelf.nz have ads?
Neither BorrowBox nor Bookshelf.nz shows ads.
Which is updated more often, BorrowBox or Bookshelf.nz?
BorrowBox ships an update every 6 days, and Bookshelf.nz every 9 days. Most recently, BorrowBox was updated on October 25, 2026 and Bookshelf.nz on October 14, 2026.

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