# Bookshop.org vs Between Covers

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bookshop.org | Between Covers |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (2.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookshoporg-ebook-reader/id6465290096/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/between-covers/id6757622557/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.2K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 56.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#151** | — |
| Size | 106 MB | 38 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Bookshop, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1706515971) | [Modern Vision Design LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1867887781) |

## What reviewers say

### Bookshop.org

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookshoporg-ebook-reader/id6465290096)

**Currently charting:** #151 Top Free · Book (US App Store)

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.

**Highlights:** Read ebooks from your library, Browse millions of ebooks, Add titles to wishlist, Support local bookstores with purchases, Connect seamlessly with Bookshop

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Wonderful app
- 👍 Great alternative to Amazon
- 👍 Supports local bookstores
- 👍 Clean and pleasing interface
- 👍 Solid app for a new release

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Formatting issues (lack of italics, poor paragraph spacing, etc.)
- 🐛 Buggy page turning and navigation
- 🔧 Limited customization options (fonts, themes, brightness, etc.)
- 🔧 Missing essential features (highlighting, note-taking, search, etc.)

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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


### Between Covers

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/between-covers/id6757622557)

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.

**Highlights:** Curated book recommendations, Mood-based reading picks, Community discussions and polls, Immersive monthly reading themes, Personalized book bestie assistant, 7-day free trial

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Between Covers Membership | $9.99 | per month |
| Annual Membership | $89.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bookshop.org free?

Bookshop.org is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Between Covers free?

Between Covers is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Bookshop.org or Between Covers?

Between Covers is rated higher. Bookshop.org averages 4.8 out of 5 from 2.2K ratings, while Between Covers averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Bookshop.org or Between Covers have ads?

Neither Bookshop.org nor Between Covers shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bookshop.org or Between Covers?

Bookshop.org ships an update every 5 days, and Between Covers every 3 weeks. Most recently, Bookshop.org was updated on October 23, 2026 and Between Covers on October 22, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*