Bookshop.org vs SELCO
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Bookshop.org
Read your ebooks and discover new titles while supporting independent bookstores. All ebook purchases made through this platform directly benefit local bookshops, ensuring their continued success in the digital age.
- Read ebooks from your library
- Browse millions of ebooks
- Add titles to wishlist
- Support local bookstores with purchases
- Connect seamlessly with Bookshop
Read full descriptionHide full description
Bookshop.org’s mission is simple: We help local, independent bookstores thrive by giving more than 80% of our profits back to our network of 3,000+ stores. In our app, you can read millions of ebooks - and every purchase supports an independent bookstore near you! In the Bookshop app you can: - Read your ebooks in our customizable ebook reader. - Browse millions of titles and discover your next favorite read in romance, thrillers, mystery, fiction, non-fiction, memoir, and more. - Organize your TBR into custom shelves. - Highlight in five different colors, and add notes to your highlighted passages. - Sort & filter highlights and notes by date created, book order, and more. - Save titles to your wishlist so you can read them later. - Shop knowing that over 80% of the profit goes directly to local, independent bookstores. We’re a Certified B Corp, and we’ve raised more than $50 million for independent bookstores nationwide since 2020. Download the Bookshop.org app to support bookstores, not billionaires.
SELCO
This library catalog app allows users to search for books, place holds, and renew loans within the SELCO library consortium. Access ebooks and eaudio with your library card from a participating member library.
- Search library catalog
- Place holds on books
- Renew loans
- Access ebooks
- Access eaudio
Read full descriptionHide full description
Companion library catalog app for the SELCO library consortium in Minnesota. Search books, place holds, renew loans, and access ebooks and eaudio. To use this app, you need a library card at a participating member library.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Bookshop.org at 4.8 against SELCO's 1.5. Bookshop.org also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 11 months) and ratings volume (2.2K vs 4). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Bookshop.org holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 1.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bookshop.org has 2.2K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Bookshop.org ships an update every 5 days, SELCO every 11 months. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Bookshop.org | SELCO |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (2.2K ratings) — better | 1.5 (4 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 56.7% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 2.2K — better | 4 |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days — better | Every 11 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | #142 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 111 MB | 36 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Bookshop, Inc. | Equinox Open Library Initiative, Inc. |
Customer experience
Bookshop.org
SELCO
Bugs and requests
Bookshop.org
Reported bugs
4 issues- Inability to remember last page read
- Scrolling issues and unexpected page skipping
- Formatting problems (stripped italics, weird paragraph spacing)
- Settings not persisting between app sessions
Requested features
7 requests- More font and theme options
- Ability to adjust line spacing, margins, and other formatting
- Implement highlighting, annotation, and note-taking features
- Add search functionality
- Improve page turning and navigation
Show 2 moreShow fewer
- Provide better dark mode/night reading experience
- Sync reading progress across devices
SELCO
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Bookshop.org
No in-app purchases
SELCO
No in-app purchases
