Harvard Classics vs The Classic Books
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Harvard Classics
Explore the history of religion, philosophy, civilization, and science through curated classic texts. This app offers a vast collection of essential readings, including the Harvard Classics, with options to read, listen, or follow along. Enjoy features like offline access, customizable reading settings, and integrated Wikipedia articles for deeper understanding.
- Curated classic texts
- Read, listen, or read-along options
- Offline access
- Integrated Wikipedia articles
- Customizable reading settings
- Bookmark and search functionality
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Guided by Dr. Eliot, the famed president of Harvard University, you will journey through the history of religion and philosophy, the history of civilization, and the history of classic science. Along the way, Dr. Eliot will introduce you to the books selected from the famed Harvard Classics. All classics you ever need to read in History and Civilization, in Philosophy and Religion, and in Science are collected in one app. Read, listen, or read-along these books of Harvard Classics, plus 50,000+ Gutenberg classics, on-line, off-line, anywhere, anytime. Text of each book is hand-reformatted for best reading experience, audio books done by experienced readers, and videos professionally presented. Inside each book, you can also explore an in-depth Wikipedia article about the author and the book, Most of the basic features for a book reader are also provided, include, page-turning, bookmarking, night reading, changing font size, changing background color, dictionary, and word and phrase looking up in search engine or Wikipedia.
The Classic Books
Access a vast library of classic and romance literature. Explore timeless novels from renowned authors like Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, and Mark Twain. Discover curated collections and delve into the world of literary masterpieces.
- Extensive collection of classic novels
- Curated romance book selections
- Works by renowned authors
- Organized author collections
- Literary masterpieces library
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The collection of The Classic Books: Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra Moby Dick or The Whale by Herman Melville Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad Jane Eyre: an Autobiography by Charlotte Bronte Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe David Copperfield by Charles Dickens Middlemarch by George Eliot Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain Ulysses by James Joyce all time best romance books: Pride and Prejudice by: Jane Austen Jane Eyre by: Charlotte Bronte Wuthering Heights by: Emily Bronte Sense and Sensibility by: Jane Austen Madame Bovary by: Gustave Falubert Women in Love by: D.H. Lawrence A Room with a View by: E.M. Forster Persuasion by: Jane Austen Little Women by: Louisa May Alcott Northanger Abbey by: Jane Austen Jane Austen books: Pride and Prejudice by: Jane Austen Emma by: Jane Austen Sense and Sensibility by: Jane Austen Mansfield Park by: Jane Austen Persuasion by: Jane Austen Northanger Abbey by: Jane Austen Lady Susan by: Jane Austen Love and Friendship by: Jane Austen Memoir of Jane Austen By: James Edward Austen Leigh Mark Twain's books: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court Tom Sawyer Abroad Tom Sawyer, Detective The Tragedy Of Pudd'nhead Wilson A Tramp Abroad Life on the Mississippi The Prince and the Pauper Following the Equator Mark Twain, A Biography A Dog's Tale The Innocents Abroad Roughing It The Mysterious Stranger Charles Dickens' books: A Tale of Two Cities The Pickwick Papers The Adventures of Oliver Twist David Copperfield A Christmas Carol Hard Times. Book The First Sowing Hard Times. Book The Second Reaping Hard Times. Book The Third Garnering Dombey and Son Our Mutual Friend. Book The First The Cup And The Lip Our Mutual Friend. Book The Second Birds Of A Feather Our Mutual Friend. Book The Third A Long Lane Our Mutual Friend. Book The Fourth A Turning Barnaby Rudge: A Tale of the Riots of Eighty Little Dorrit. Book The First: Poverty Little Dorrit. Book The Second: Riches The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby The Life and Adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit Bleak House Great Expectations and following books: War and Peace is a novel by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy, which is regarded as a central work of world literature and one of Tolstoy's finest literary achievements. The novel chronicles the history of the French invasion of Russia and the impact of the Napoleonic era on Tsarist society through the stories of five Russian aristocratic families. Anna Karenina is a novel by the Russian writer Leo Tolstoy. Tolstoy clashed with editor Mikhail Katkov over political issues that arose in the final instalment; therefore, the novel's first complete appearance was in book form in 1878. Les Miserables is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century.
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Verdict
The clearest difference is price: The Classic Books at Free against Harvard Classics's $2.99. The Classic Books also leads on rating (4.5 vs 3.4). Harvard Classics's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (11 vs 2). On update cadence, 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
The Classic Books is free to download; Harvard Classics costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
The Classic Books holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Harvard Classics has 11 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Harvard Classics ships an update every 3 months, The Classic Books every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Harvard Classics | The Classic Books |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 3.4 (11 ratings) | 4.5 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 25.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 11 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months — better | Every 4 months |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Ad-supported — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 14.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 19 MB | 64 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | himalaya-soft | Guoli Jian |
In-app purchases
Harvard Classics
No in-app purchases
The Classic Books
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Harvard Classics free?
Is The Classic Books free?
Which has better reviews, Harvard Classics or The Classic Books?
Do Harvard Classics or The Classic Books have ads?
Which is updated more often, Harvard Classics or The Classic Books?
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