# Openreads vs BookShelves eBook Reader

The clearest difference is rating: Openreads at 4.8 against BookShelves eBook Reader's 3.8. Openreads also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 60%) and in-app purchases (none vs 4). BookShelves eBook Reader's advantage is update cadence (every 8 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BookShelves eBook Reader sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Openreads asks for nothing beyond the download.

Openreads holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 20 and 21 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Openreads's written reviews are positive against 60% of BookShelves eBook Reader's.

Openreads ships an update every 3 weeks, BookShelves eBook Reader every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Openreads | BookShelves eBook Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openreads/id6476542305/reviews)** | [3.8 (21 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookshelves-ebook-reader/id6756848973/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 20 | **21** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 60.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 38 MB | 64 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [MATEUSZ JAN BAK](https://appshunter.io/developer/1727066973) | [CPE Verm. GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1863249600) |

## What reviewers say

### Openreads

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openreads/id6476542305)

Organize your reading life with this app. Track books you've finished, are currently reading, or want to read later. Add books by searching, scanning barcodes, or manual entry, and view insightful statistics.

**Highlights:** Organize reading lists, Track finished books, Track current reads, Track future reads, Add books via search, Add books via barcode scan, Manual book entry, Reading statistics

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### BookShelves eBook Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookshelves-ebook-reader/id6756848973)

This app allows you to read EPUB, PDF, and comic books with access to over 1.5 million free public domain books. Organize your library, customize your reading experience with multiple themes and fonts, and sync your progress across devices.

**Highlights:** 1.5 million+ free books, EPUB, PDF, and comic reader, Customizable themes and fonts, iCloud sync across devices, Smart library management, Highlighting and note-taking, Export highlights

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Tip | $2.99 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $3.99 | one-time |
| Large Tip | $8.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Pro | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Openreads free?

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

### Is BookShelves eBook Reader free?

BookShelves eBook Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Openreads or BookShelves eBook Reader?

Openreads is rated higher. Openreads averages 4.8 out of 5 from 20 ratings, while BookShelves eBook Reader averages 3.8 from 21 ratings.

### Do Openreads or BookShelves eBook Reader have ads?

Neither Openreads nor BookShelves eBook Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Openreads or BookShelves eBook Reader?

Openreads ships an update every 3 weeks, and BookShelves eBook Reader every 8 days. Most recently, Openreads was updated on November 4, 2026 and BookShelves eBook Reader on November 9, 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.*
