# bambü vs Reading Journey

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: bambü at none against Reading Journey's 2. bambü also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 11 days) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Reading Journey's advantage is ratings volume (313 vs 1). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Reading Journey sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. bambü asks for nothing beyond the download.

bambü holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Reading Journey has 313 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

bambü ships an update every 2 days, Reading Journey every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | bambü | Reading Journey |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bambu/id6621188327/reviews)** | [4.7 (313 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reading-journey-book-tracker/id6749302195/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **313** |
| Positive reviews | — | 73.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 days** | Every 11 days |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 21 MB | 48 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.4** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bryan May](https://appshunter.io/developer/1761256704) | [Vinh Dinh](https://appshunter.io/developer/412738005) |

## What reviewers say

### bambü

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bambu/id6621188327)

This app helps book lovers discover new titles, manage their reading lists, and track progress. It provides detailed book information, allows for easy organization, and ranks books based on ratings and reading time.

**Highlights:** Book discovery, Reading list tracking, Progress management, Book ranking algorithm, Detailed book information, Library organization

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Reading Journey

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reading-journey-book-tracker/id6749302195)

Easily log your reading sessions, track your emotions, and discover your reading habits. Share your reading journey with visually appealing graphics and import your existing libraries. This app makes tracking books enjoyable, not a chore.

**Highlights:** Log reading sessions with photos, Track reading emotions and reactions, Quick book import via scanning, DNF (Did Not Finish) book tracking, Import from Goodreads and Storygraph, Goodreads library synchronization

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Reading Journey Plus | $4.99 | per month |
| Reading Journey Plus | $39.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🥰 Cute and cozy reading experience
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 📚 Unique features like reading journey and DNF graveyard
- 🤳 Ability to import books from images and social media
- 💻 Responsive developers open to feedback

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤔 Issues with location tracking and map feature
- 📝 Lack of batch import or Goodreads integration

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional bugs and glitches reported

**Requested features**

- Option to edit book page counts
- Additional star rating options (0.25, 0.75)
- Ability to follow other users


## Frequently asked questions

### Is bambü free?

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

### Is Reading Journey free?

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

### Which has better reviews, bambü or Reading Journey?

bambü is rated higher. bambü averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Reading Journey averages 4.7 from 313 ratings.

### Do bambü or Reading Journey have ads?

Neither bambü nor Reading Journey shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, bambü or Reading Journey?

bambü ships an update every 2 days, and Reading Journey every 11 days. Most recently, bambü was updated on September 21, 2026 and Reading Journey on September 26, 2026.

---

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