# plappa vs Bookcase by Astropad

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Bookcase by Astropad at none against plappa's 2. Bookcase by Astropad also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 5 weeks). plappa's advantage is ratings volume (338 vs 6) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. plappa sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per year. Bookcase by Astropad asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for plappa against 4.7 for Bookcase by Astropad. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: plappa has 338 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 87% of plappa's written reviews are positive against 80% of Bookcase by Astropad's.

plappa ships an update every 5 weeks, Bookcase by Astropad every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | plappa | Bookcase by Astropad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (338 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plappa/id6475201956/reviews)** | [4.7 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookcase-by-astropad/id6736535823/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **338** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | **86.5% of reviews** | 80.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 34 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Leo Wehrfritz](https://appshunter.io/developer/1663611386) | [Astro HQ](https://appshunter.io/developer/934510729) |

## What reviewers say

### plappa

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plappa/id6475201956)

This app is a client for self-hosted media servers like Jellyfin and AudioBookShelf, designed specifically for playing audiobooks. It supports common audio formats, reads metadata, and allows for offline listening with optional in-app purchases for advanced features.

**Highlights:** Jellyfin, Emby, AudioBookShelf client, Supports common audio formats, Saves and syncs playback states, Reads audiobook metadata, Offline listening (via IAP), Podcast and collection support (AudioBookShelf)

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Subscription (1 Year) | $1.99 | per year |
| Full Version (Lifetime) | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great app with all the same features
- 🚀 Excellent, love download to watch
- 🚀 Works great! Just what I needed!
- 👍 Brilliant app
- 👍 Amazing!

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Great player. Audiobookshelf support needs work
- 🐛 Small bugs, good app

**Reported bugs**

- Can't login Audiobookshelf
- Podcasts library not listing all podcasts

**Requested features**

- Auto download when start playing book
- Auto delete when finished book
- Option to add multiple servers
- More sorting and filtering options in the library section
- Refresh button for libraries


### Bookcase by Astropad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookcase-by-astropad/id6736535823)

This app helps create an ideal reading environment by automatically adjusting phone settings and opening preferred reading apps when connected to a specific accessory. Customize your reading experience for seamless immersion.

**Highlights:** Customizable reading environment, Automatic app launching, Phone setting toggles (Do Not Disturb, Reading Mode), Triggered by accessory connection, Personalized reading experience

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is plappa free?

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

### Is Bookcase by Astropad free?

Bookcase by Astropad is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, plappa or Bookcase by Astropad?

plappa is rated higher. plappa averages 4.7 out of 5 from 338 ratings, while Bookcase by Astropad averages 4.7 from 6 ratings.

### Do plappa or Bookcase by Astropad have ads?

Neither plappa nor Bookcase by Astropad shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, plappa or Bookcase by Astropad?

plappa ships an update every 5 weeks, and Bookcase by Astropad every 5 days. Most recently, plappa was updated on October 25, 2026 and Bookcase by Astropad on October 24, 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.*