# ZenShelf vs MiniLib

The clearest difference is price: MiniLib at Free against ZenShelf's $0.99. MiniLib also leads on update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 6 months) and ratings volume (7 vs 2). On rating, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

MiniLib is free to download; ZenShelf costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for ZenShelf against 5.0 for MiniLib. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 7 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

ZenShelf ships an update every 6 months, MiniLib every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ZenShelf | MiniLib |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zenshelf/id6670147622/reviews) | [5.0 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/minilib-book-tracker/id6742702097/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **7** |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 4 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 2 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Shaomeng Zhang](https://appshunter.io/developer/1399816359) | [Christopher Brock](https://appshunter.io/developer/1742267837) |

## What reviewers say

### ZenShelf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zenshelf/id6670147622)

Track your reading journey with a minimalist book organizer. Easily add books via barcode scan or import, and view your library in a clean grid. Capture thoughts, share shelves, and sync across devices.

**Highlights:** Barcode scanning for book addition, Import books from Goodreads, Sleek grid view library, Organize into reading, to-read, done, Write book reviews, Share curated shelves, iCloud sync across devices

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### MiniLib

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/minilib-book-tracker/id6742702097)

This app offers a streamlined way to track your reading progress and organize your book collection. It features simple shelves, smart tags, and collections for effortless library management. Easily import books, add notes, and share your reading.

**Highlights:** Simple reading shelves (To Read, Reading, Paused, Finished), Search Google Books and import details, ISBN barcode scanner for quick book addition, Add notes and quotes while reading, Customizable tags and smart collections, Automatic iCloud synchronization, Offline functionality

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ZenShelf free?

ZenShelf costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is MiniLib free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ZenShelf or MiniLib?

ZenShelf and MiniLib are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 7 ratings respectively.

### Do ZenShelf or MiniLib have ads?

Neither ZenShelf nor MiniLib shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ZenShelf or MiniLib?

ZenShelf ships an update every 6 months, and MiniLib every 4 weeks. Most recently, ZenShelf was updated on November 4, 2026 and MiniLib on October 30, 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.*