# Shelfmate vs OpenBookshelf

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Shelfmate at none against OpenBookshelf's 1. On price, update cadence, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. OpenBookshelf sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Shelfmate asks for nothing beyond the download.

Shelfmate ships an update every 3 weeks, OpenBookshelf every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shelfmate | OpenBookshelf |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openbookshelf-book-tracker/id6759491266/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 3 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.1 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mario Mouris](https://appshunter.io/developer/1376063231) | [Jared Floersch](https://appshunter.io/developer/1875435683) |

## 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


### OpenBookshelf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openbookshelf-book-tracker/id6759491266)

Organize your reading list with a clean, focused book tracker. Easily search millions of titles, import your history from other platforms, and sync across devices without ads or subscriptions. Focus solely on your books.

**Highlights:** Track reading progress, Search millions of books, Import from Goodreads, Sync across devices, No ads or subscriptions, Organize reading lists

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shelfmate free?

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

### Is OpenBookshelf free?

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

### Do Shelfmate or OpenBookshelf have ads?

Neither Shelfmate nor OpenBookshelf shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Shelfmate or OpenBookshelf?

Shelfmate ships an update every 3 weeks, and OpenBookshelf every 2 weeks. Most recently, Shelfmate was updated on October 21, 2026 and OpenBookshelf on October 17, 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.*