# Bookshop.org vs Poetry Reader

The clearest difference is update cadence: Bookshop.org at every 5 days against Poetry Reader's every 5 weeks. Bookshop.org also leads on ratings volume (2.2K vs 1) and chart position (#120 vs unranked). Poetry Reader's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Poetry Reader 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, Poetry Reader every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bookshop.org | Poetry Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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/poetry-reader/id6806716611/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.2K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 56.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#120** | — |
| Size | 111 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.4** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Bookshop, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1706515971) | [Joseph Philleo](https://appshunter.io/developer/6772875374) |

## What reviewers say

### Bookshop.org

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

**Currently charting:** #120 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


### Poetry Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/poetry-reader/id6806716611)

Explore classic poems with AI-powered explanations and personalized notes. Discover new authors and works, with offline reading capabilities. Start reading immediately without an account.

**Highlights:** AI poem explanations, Searchable public domain library, Highlight and annotate poems, Save favorite poems, Offline reading, Customizable text appearance, Daily reading reminders

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bookshop.org free?

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

### Is Poetry Reader free?

Poetry Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Bookshop.org or Poetry Reader?

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

### Do Bookshop.org or Poetry Reader have ads?

Neither Bookshop.org nor Poetry Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bookshop.org or Poetry Reader?

Bookshop.org ships an update every 5 days, and Poetry Reader every 5 weeks. Most recently, Bookshop.org was updated on October 27, 2026 and Poetry Reader on October 17, 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.*