# Shelfmate vs Reading Tracker

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Shelfmate at none against Reading Tracker's 4. Reading Tracker's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Reading Tracker sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Shelfmate asks for nothing beyond the download.

Shelfmate ships an update every 3 weeks, Reading Tracker every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shelfmate | Reading Tracker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 3 MB | 41 MB |
| Requires iOS | **18.1** | 18.2 |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mario Mouris](https://appshunter.io/developer/1376063231) | [Alexis Gadbin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1804423978) |

## What reviewers say

### Shelfmate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shelfmate-book-tracker/id6739967392)

Organize your personal library, track reading progress, and receive personalized book suggestions. This app prioritizes user privacy with secure iCloud storage and no analytics.

**Highlights:** Organize physical, eBook, and audiobook libraries, Track reading progress, AI-powered book recommendations, Goodreads import, Privacy-first data storage, iCloud synchronization

**In-app purchases:** none


### Reading Tracker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reading-tracker-bookster/id6743769341)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| Annual Subscription | $22.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Access | $34.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Access | $69.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shelfmate free?

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

### Is Reading Tracker free?

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

### Do Shelfmate or Reading Tracker have ads?

Neither Shelfmate nor Reading Tracker shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Shelfmate or Reading Tracker?

Shelfmate ships an update every 3 weeks, and Reading Tracker every 9 days. Most recently, Shelfmate was updated on October 21, 2026 and Reading Tracker on October 2, 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.*