# BookCircle vs Reading Journal

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Reading Journal at 100% against BookCircle's 50%. Reading Journal also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.5) and ratings volume (33 vs 2). BookCircle's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (16.6 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Reading Journal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. BookCircle asks for nothing beyond the download.

Reading Journal holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Reading Journal has 33 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of BookCircle's written reviews are positive against 100% of Reading Journal's.

BookCircle ships an update weekly, Reading Journal fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BookCircle | Reading Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookcircle-reading-notes/id6741431798/reviews) | **[4.8 (33 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reading-journal-book-tracker/id6757375623/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **33** |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 22 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.6** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Genau Factory](https://appshunter.io/developer/1512838460) | [Sergii Nesterenko](https://appshunter.io/developer/1686841405) |

## What reviewers say

### BookCircle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookcircle-reading-notes/id6741431798)

This app helps you track reading progress, organize book details, and capture thoughts. It encourages building an active reading habit by monitoring finished books and summarizing insights.

**Highlights:** Track reading progress, Log books and pages read, Auto-fill book details, Write short reviews, Monitor reading habits, Organize book library

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Reading Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reading-journal-book-tracker/id6757375623)

This app helps you remember what you read by tracking your library, reading status, and favorite quotes. Set reading goals, join challenges, and keep your progress organized with personal notes and summaries.

**Highlights:** Track books (want to read, reading, finished), Save quotes, reviews, and summaries, Set reading goals and track progress, Join reading challenges, Sync library with iCloud, Export/import data (JSON/CSV)

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Access | $3.99 | per month |
| Yearly Access | $19.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Access | $12.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BookCircle free?

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

### Is Reading Journal free?

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

### Which has better reviews, BookCircle or Reading Journal?

Reading Journal is rated higher. BookCircle averages 4.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Reading Journal averages 4.8 from 33 ratings.

### Do BookCircle or Reading Journal have ads?

Neither BookCircle nor Reading Journal shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BookCircle or Reading Journal?

BookCircle ships an update weekly, and Reading Journal fortnightly. Most recently, BookCircle was updated on October 10, 2026 and Reading Journal 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.*