Bookshop.org vs Between Covers
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.
Between Covers
Discover your next favorite romance novel and connect with a passionate community. Get personalized recommendations, join discussions, and explore curated reading experiences. It's the perfect escape for book lovers.
- Curated book recommendations
- Mood-based reading picks
- Community discussions and polls
- Immersive monthly reading themes
- Personalized book bestie assistant
- 7-day free trial
Read full descriptionHide full description
Your next obsession is waiting. Between Covers is the romance escape where you discover, feel, and talk about the stories you love—with a community that gets it. Find your next five-star read, set the vibe, and sink deeper into the world of romance. From curated recommendations to cozy, mood-based picks, every corner is designed to pull you in. Step into the Lounge for real conversations, hot takes, polls, and bookish chaos. Explore Cozy Corner for immersive monthly themes and curated reading experiences. And meet Iris—your romance book bestie, here to guide you, spark debates, and help you find your next favorite story. Because the best part of finishing a book is having someone to talk about it with. Explore everything Between Covers has to offer with a 7-day free trial. After your trial, continue with a monthly or annual membership. SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS - Annual Membership — $89.99/year (about $7.50/month) - Monthly Membership — $9.99/month - Subscription automatically renews unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current billing period - Manage or cancel your subscription in Settings → Apple ID → Subscriptions Terms of Use: https://betweencovers-legal-documents.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/terms-of-use.html Privacy Policy: https://betweencovers-legal-documents.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/privacy-policy.html
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Bookshop.org at none against Between Covers's 2. Bookshop.org also leads on ratings volume (2.2K vs 1) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 weeks). Between Covers's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Between Covers sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Bookshop.org asks for nothing beyond the download.
Between Covers holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bookshop.org has 2.2K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Bookshop.org ships an update every 5 days, Between Covers every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Bookshop.org | Between Covers |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (2.2K ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 56.7% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 2.2K — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days — better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | #151 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 106 MB | 38 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Bookshop, Inc. | Modern Vision Design LLC |
Customer experience
Bookshop.org
Between Covers
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
Between Covers
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Bookshop.org
No in-app purchases
Between Covers
- Between Covers Membership7 Days trial$9.991 Month
- Annual Membership7 Days trial$89.991 Year
