Comparison

Margins vs Random Book

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Half-star ratings
  • Track recommendations
  • Customizable book covers
  • Fuzzy date tracking
  • Advanced book search
  • Reading goals
  • Reading timer
  • Distraction blocking
Features
Read 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

About

Random Book

Struggling to find your next read? This app offers random book recommendations across a wide range of categories, from popular titles to hidden gems. Discover new stories tailored to your mood and interests with just a tap.

Highlights
  • Random book recommendations
  • Discover books by category
  • Popular and bestseller lists
  • Wide range of genres
  • Easy-to-use interface
Features
Read full description

Discover Your Next Favorite Book! Struggling to find your next read? Random Book can help you discover the perfect book! With our random book picker, you’ll get recommendations across a wide range of categories that suit your mood and interests. From popular titles to hidden gems, our app brings you books from various genres. Categories Include: Random: Get a surprise recommendation every time! Popular: Discover the trending books everyone is talking about! Bestsellers: Find the bestsellers that are making waves in the reading world! Art: Dive into the world of creativity and inspiration with books on art and design. History: Travel through time and explore fascinating historical events and figures. Romance: Get lost in love stories with our collection of romantic books. Fiction: Escape into fictional worlds full of adventure and imagination. Sci-Fi: Venture into the future with science fiction books that push the boundaries of possibility. Science: Expand your knowledge with books on the wonders of science and technology. Travel: Embark on a journey to new places and cultures with travel books. Horror: Get spooked with thrilling horror novels that will keep you up at night. Drama: Experience powerful emotions and gripping stories in the drama genre. Medical: Explore the fascinating world of medicine and health-related books. Mystery: Unravel secrets and solve mysteries with suspenseful thrillers. Sport: Stay motivated with sports books, from biographies to strategies. Biography: Learn from the lives of inspiring individuals in this genre. Business: Master the world of business, entrepreneurship, and leadership. Cooking: Discover new recipes and culinary adventures with cooking books. Comics: Enjoy an exciting mix of graphic novels, comic books, and manga. Family: Read heartwarming stories about family bonds and relationships. Health: Take control of your health and well-being with informative health books. Fantasy: Enter magical realms with fantasy books full of enchantment and adventure. Find books from any category with just a tap and get ready to explore new stories! Whether you’re into sci-fi, romance, or mystery, Random Book makes discovering your next great read easier than ever.

Screenshots

Margins4 screens
Random Book3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Margins at 4.9 against Random Book's 2.0. Margins also leads on ratings volume (20K vs 1) and chart position (#56 vs unranked). Random Book's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, ads and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Margins sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Random Book asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Margins holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Margins has 20K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Margins versus Random Book: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMarginsRandom Book
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (20K ratings) — better2.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews95.2% of reviews—
Number of ratings20K — better1
Update frequencyEvery 4 days—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank#56 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size115 MB24 MB
Age rating12+9+
DeveloperParatext Inc.CAN EMRE

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

Random Book

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Margins

Subscriptions3
  • Monthly$5.991 Month
  • Monthly$9.991 Month
  • Annual$59.991 Year
None

Random Book

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Margins free?
Margins is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Random Book free?
Random Book is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Margins or Random Book?
Margins is rated higher. Margins averages 4.9 out of 5 from 20K ratings, while Random Book averages 2.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Margins or Random Book have ads?
Neither Margins nor Random Book shows ads.

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