Comparison

Monocle vs Shelf

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

Head to head
About

Monocle

Features
Read full description

Read Together, Think Deeper. Monocle brings curious readers into one vibrant space to highlight, discuss, and discover books in new ways. What You Can Do 1. Share Highlights & Notes β€’ Mark any passage and add text, images, or GIFs. Make your note public for conversation or keep it private for later. 2. Create Snippets (Book Stories) β€’ Capture a quote, layer on visuals or doodles, and publish a story-style post that sparks instant engagement. 3. Ask Beacon (AI Companion) β€’ Unsure about a theme, reference, or character arc? Want to learn more about a particular topic? Beacon answers context-aware questions right inside the book. 4. Discover New Reads β€’ Follow readers you admire, browse trending notes, and get smart recommendations based on the ideas you love. Reading is richer when it’s social. Download Monocle and bring your books to lifeβ€”one highlight, question, and conversation at a time. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Shelf

Features
Read full description

Shelf is the simple, beautiful way to track every book you read β€” and actually show it off. Most reading apps are bloated social networks. Shelf does one thing well: it tracks your reading and turns it into stats you’re proud to share. ADD BOOKS IN SECONDS β€’ Scan a barcode to add a book in one tap β€’ Or add it manually β€” title, author, pages TRACK WHAT MATTERS β€’ Currently reading, want to read, finished β€’ Log reading sessions (pages & minutes) β€’ Page-by-page progress and star ratings BUILD A READING STREAK β€’ A gentle daily streak that keeps you turning pages β€’ No shame, no pressure β€” just momentum YOUR YEAR IN BOOKS β€’ A gorgeous, shareable stats card with a streak grid β€’ Perfect for BookTok and Instagram β€’ Home-screen widget with your streak at a glance PRIVATE BY DESIGN β€’ Your library lives on your device β€’ No account required, no ads, ever Shelf Pro (subscription) unlocks all card styles & themes, detailed stats, your animated Year in Books recap, and widgets. Free 7-day trial. Track. Show off. Read more. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Monocle4 screens
Shelf3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is device support: Monocle at 3 against Shelf's 1. Monocle also leads on iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). On price, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. Monocle sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Shelf sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Scorecard2 real differences Β· 4 level
Monocle versus Shelf: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMonocleShelf
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 daysβ€”
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod β€” betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.6 β€” better17.0
Further details β€” not scored
Size119 MB1 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperMonocle Group Inc.Yusuf Fuat Sarac

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Monocle

Subscriptions2
  • Monocle AI$3.991 Month
  • Monocle AI$35.991 Year
2 purchases

Shelf

Subscriptions2
  • Shelf Pro Monthly7 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • Shelf Pro Yearly7 Days trial$22.991 Year

Questions

Is Monocle free?
Monocle is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Shelf free?
Shelf is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Monocle or Shelf have ads?
Neither Monocle nor Shelf shows ads.

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