Margins vs BookLock
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Margins
This app helps you discover, track, and share your reading journey. It offers detailed tracking options, customizable features, and powerful search capabilities. Stay focused on your reading goals with built-in tools to minimize distractions.
- Half-star ratings
- Track recommendations
- Customizable book covers
- Fuzzy date tracking
- Advanced book search
- Reading goals
- Reading timer
- Distraction blocking
Read full descriptionHide full description
Margins is a beautifully designed app for people who love books. - App of the Day in 20+ countries - 4.9 rating (40,000+ reviews) - Featured in USA Today, BookRiot, and more TRACK YOUR READING - Log books, series, authors, recommendations, and more - Track Strava-style goals, stats, and streaks - Curate lists of books you care about SEARCH BOOKS BY VIBES - Search books by mood, plot, setting, vibe, and more - Try things like “books like 1920s Paris,” “thriller with a love triangle,” or “indie romantasy” - You can even turn images from Pinterest or your camera roll into book recommendations BLOCK DISTRACTING APPS - Block social media, notifications, and other apps while you read - Use meditation reading timer for soothing rain sounds CHOOSE YOUR COVERS - Pick the cover that matches your version of the book - Curate covers to fit your aesthetic - Sort your library by color CUSTOMIZE YOUR PROFILE - Turn your picture into a sketched portrait you’d see in a book - Show off your favorite books SEE WHAT FRIENDS ARE READING - Find and follow other book lovers - See what they’re reading in Stories - Enjoy gorgeous, hand-illustrated monthly recaps INVITE YOUR BOOK CLUB - Schedule gatherings - Suggest and vote on books - Log your club’s history LEAVE GOODREADS FOR GOOD - Import from Goodreads, StoryGraph, and Fable - Half-star ratings - Support a small, indie team WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING “LOVE this app! so easy to import data from goodreads. it excels where others fail. like letterboxd for books. Really glad there’s finally a good book app out there, i’ve been waiting for something like this!” — scruffythejanitor01 “I love the UI of this app, easy to use and aesthetically pleasing. Also, I've been struggling getting back into reading and the screentime feature has helped me loads. I haven't been able to read this much since 4 years ago. Thank you Margins” — mitakaluvr “The search by vibes is so cool. I am a WWII buff, but this search popped up a two-book WWII saga I had never even heard of, much less read. It ended up being my top read of 2025.” —Michigancolt FREE TO USE Almost all features are free to use. An optional subscription unlocks premium features and priority support. FOLLOW US Instagram: @readwithmargins TikTok: @margins TERMS OF USE Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Margins Terms of Service: https://margins.app/terms Privacy Policy: https://margins.app/privacy “Without the margins, writing is just words on a page. But with them, each of us is invited to leave our mark in the endless conversation between books and the people that love them.” — Excerpt from the Margins manifesto
BookLock
Read full descriptionHide full description
BookLock transforms your device into a tool for better reading habits by helping you trade mindless scrolling for focused, distraction-free reading. Instead of losing time to social media, turn your screen time into meaningful reading sessions and build a habit that lasts. FEATURES Swap Screen Time for Reading Time: Lock distracting apps while you read and reclaim your time for books. Set reading goals and stay on track without interruptions. Customizable Reading Sessions: Set timed reading goals and let BookLock guide you. Whether it’s a quick 10-minute session or an hour-long deep dive, smart timers and reminders keep you accountable. Track Your Reading Progress: Monitor pages read, session duration, and focus levels with real-time analytics. Earn a Focus Score based on your consistency and engagement. Effortless Library Management: Scan book barcodes or search titles to track your reading list. Organize books with intuitive filters like Not Started, In Progress, and Completed. Widgets & Smart Reminders: Stay motivated with iOS 17 Dynamic Island and Home Screen widgets. Get reading session reminders and real-time progress updates. Minimalist, Immersive Design: A clean, distraction-free UI with dynamic animations and inspiring quotes designed to enhance your reading experience. Upgrade with BookLock Premium: Unlock advanced tracking, customize your Distraction Shield, and sync your progress across devices with iCloud. Make Every Minute Count: Stop wasting screen time—start investing it in books. Download BookLock today and turn your phone into the ultimate reading companion! Terms: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy: https://booklockapp.com/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: Margins at none against BookLock's shown. Margins also leads on chart position (#86 vs unranked). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Margins sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and BookLock sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
| Parameter | Margins | BookLock |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (20K ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 95.3% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 20K — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 4 days | — |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Best chart rank | #86 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 115 MB | 18 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Paratext Inc. | Ruvix |
Bugs and requests
Margins
Reported bugs
3 issues- Reading time not saving correctly
- Inability to delete or edit books from lists
- Inconsistent behavior when importing data from Goodreads
Requested features
4 requests- Add ability to track page progress and percentage read
- Implement a profile system with custom avatars and bios
- Introduce a social feed to share reading activity with friends
- Add more advanced statistics and reading analytics
BookLock
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Margins
- Monthly$5.991 Month
- Monthly$9.991 Month
- Annual$59.991 Year
BookLock
- GymLock Pro Weekly$4.997 Days
- BookLock Pro Annual$9.991 Year
- BookLock Pro Annual3 Days trial$39.991 Year









