# Shelfable vs BookTales

The clearest difference is review sentiment: BookTales at 100% against Shelfable's 0%. BookTales also leads on rating (5.0 vs 1.0) and ratings volume (3 vs 1). Shelfable's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

BookTales holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 3 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of Shelfable's written reviews are positive against 100% of BookTales's.

Shelfable ships an update every 5 days, BookTales every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shelfable | BookTales |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shelfable/id6740754533/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/booktales/id6756803073/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **3** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 36 MB | 55 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Frederick Andersen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1766765116) | [OWEN JOHN STOKES CAWLEY](https://appshunter.io/developer/1862946269) |

## What reviewers say

### Shelfable

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shelfable/id6740754533)

Effortlessly manage your book collection with barcode scanning and smart organization. Track reading progress and access detailed book information to find your next read faster.

**Highlights:** Barcode scanning for instant cataloging, Custom organization by room and shelf, Reading progress tracking, Access book metadata, Handles large collections

**In-app purchases:** none


### BookTales

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/booktales/id6756803073)

This app provides a cozy space to organize your books, set reading goals, and connect with a community of readers. Share recommendations, join book clubs, and discover new reads through a unique 'Blind Date With a Book' feature.

**Highlights:** Cozy bookshelf organization, Reading goal setting, Community feed for sharing, Blind Date With a Book discovery, Book club creation and joining, Detailed book reflections, Direct messaging

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shelfable free?

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

### Is BookTales free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Shelfable or BookTales?

BookTales is rated higher. Shelfable averages 1.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while BookTales averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do Shelfable or BookTales have ads?

Neither Shelfable nor BookTales shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Shelfable or BookTales?

Shelfable ships an update every 5 days, and BookTales every 2 months. Most recently, Shelfable was updated on October 10, 2026 and BookTales 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.*