# BookPine vs PocketShelf

The clearest difference is review sentiment: PocketShelf at 85% against BookPine's 25%. BookPine's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.4) and monetization model (ad-supported vs freemium). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BookPine sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and PocketShelf sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

BookPine holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BookPine has 78 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 25% of BookPine's written reviews are positive against 85% of PocketShelf's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

BookPine ships an update weekly, PocketShelf every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | BookPine | PocketShelf |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (78 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookpine-book-tracker-and-stats/id6739737366/reviews)** | [4.4 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocketshelf-tbr-book-tracker/id6745476834/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **78** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | 25.0% of reviews | **84.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Freemium |
| Size | 101 MB | 159 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.4** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Devpri SRL](https://appshunter.io/developer/1679575613) | [Klemens Strasser](https://appshunter.io/developer/889417671) |

## What reviewers say

### BookPine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookpine-book-tracker-and-stats/id6739737366)

Track your reading journey with detailed stats, custom lists, and reading goals. Easily import your library from other platforms and discover ambient sounds for focused reading. Share your progress and connect with a community of book lovers.

**Highlights:** Detailed reading stats and insights, Custom lists and shelves for organization, Personalized reading goals and challenges, Import from Goodreads, StoryGraph, LibraryThing, Ambient sounds for focused reading, Social features to follow friends and share reviews, Transaction log for borrowed, lent, or purchased books

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| BookPine Pro | $4.99 | per month |
| BookPine Pro | $49.99 | per year |


### PocketShelf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocketshelf-tbr-book-tracker/id6745476834)

Easily organize your book collection and track your reading progress. Save notes, get session recaps, and start reading directly from your home screen.

**Highlights:** Organize book library, Track reading sessions, Add notes and summaries, Home screen widget, Accessibility features, AI-powered recaps

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $19.99 | per year |
| One Extra Book Slot | $4.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime | $49.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BookPine free?

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

### Is PocketShelf free?

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

### Which has better reviews, BookPine or PocketShelf?

BookPine is rated higher. BookPine averages 4.8 out of 5 from 78 ratings, while PocketShelf averages 4.4 from 8 ratings.

### Do BookPine or PocketShelf have ads?

Neither BookPine nor PocketShelf shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BookPine or PocketShelf?

BookPine ships an update weekly, and PocketShelf every 2 weeks. Most recently, BookPine was updated on October 30, 2026 and PocketShelf 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.*