# plappa vs Softcover

The clearest difference is review sentiment: plappa at 87% against Softcover's 33%. plappa also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.3) and ratings volume (331 vs 3). Softcover's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2). On price, update cadence, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

plappa holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: plappa has 331 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 87% of plappa's written reviews are positive against 33% of Softcover's.

plappa ships an update every 5 weeks, Softcover every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | plappa | Softcover |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (331 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plappa/id6475201956/reviews)** | [4.3 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/softcover/id6753820163/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **331** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | **86.5% of reviews** | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 34 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 18.5 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Leo Wehrfritz](https://appshunter.io/developer/1663611386) | [Robin Bolinsson](https://appshunter.io/developer/1844702769) |

## 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


### Softcover

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/softcover/id6753820163)

Track your reading progress, manage book lists, and connect with a community of readers. Discover new titles, follow friends, and engage in discussions. Features include detailed statistics, release notifications, and home screen widgets.

**Highlights:** Track reading progress (page/percentage/time), Manage reading lists (Currently Reading, Want to Read, Finished), Follow friends and explore trending titles, Community book discussions and curated lists, Detailed reading statistics and annual goals, Release notifications for anticipated books, Home screen widgets for reading progress

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is plappa free?

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

### Is Softcover free?

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

### Which has better reviews, plappa or Softcover?

plappa is rated higher. plappa averages 4.7 out of 5 from 331 ratings, while Softcover averages 4.3 from 3 ratings.

### Do plappa or Softcover have ads?

Neither plappa nor Softcover shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, plappa or Softcover?

plappa ships an update every 5 weeks, and Softcover every 2 months. Most recently, plappa was updated on October 18, 2026 and Softcover on October 4, 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.*