MiniLib vs BookSafe
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
MiniLib
This app offers a streamlined way to track your reading progress and organize your book collection. It features simple shelves, smart tags, and collections for effortless library management. Easily import books, add notes, and share your reading.
- Simple reading shelves (To Read, Reading, Paused, Finished)
- Search Google Books and import details
- ISBN barcode scanner for quick book addition
- Add notes and quotes while reading
- Customizable tags and smart collections
- Automatic iCloud synchronization
- Offline functionality
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MiniLib: Simple Book Tracker & Reading Journal MiniLib is a focused reading tracker for people who prefer simplicity. Instead of page counters and social feeds, it gives you four clear shelves—To Read, Reading, Paused, and Finished—plus smart tags and collections so your library stays organized without extra effort. Core Features • Clean, distraction-free design that's quick to navigate • Search the Open Library catalogue by title, author or ISBN—and import details with one tap • Lightning-fast ISBN barcode scanner to add books in seconds • Add short Book Notes to capture ideas, quotes or reminders while you read • Tags: choose from thoughtfully designed tags (each with its own color and icon) or create your own—organize once, find books instantly • Smart Collections: rule-based or manual lists (e.g. Recently Added, Finished This Year, Fantasy Favorites) that update automatically in the background • Custom book covers: upload your own images for a personalized library • Reading history: track multiple reads of the same book with detailed dates • Share any book via the standard Share Sheet—message, email or post it anywhere • Export your entire library as a CSV file for backups or spreadsheets • Automatic iCloud synchronization between iPhone and iPad • Light and Dark Mode that follows your system setting • Works offline; all data is stored locally and synced only through your personal iCloud account Why choose MiniLib MiniLib keeps the essentials at hand—track what you plan to read, what you're reading now, what you've paused, and what you've finished—while adding powerful organization tools you actually need. Colorful tags let you sort however you think about your library; smart collections do the heavy lifting so you never lose track of your reading goals. The result is an app that opens instantly and stays out of your way, leaving more time for the books themselves.
BookSafe
Manage your personal book collection, track reading progress, and organize your wishlist. Scan books via ISBN or add them manually. Features include reading stats, custom lists, and borrowed book tracking.
- Scan ISBN to add books automatically
- Track reading status and progress
- Organize books into custom lists
- Manage wishlist with release date countdowns
- Record borrowed books with due dates
- Syncs via iCloud across Apple devices
- Detailed reading statistics and achievements
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BookSafe is your personal book manager – beautiful, fast and private. Build your library, track your reading, keep an eye on your wishlist. No account, no ads, no data collection. YOUR DAY AT A GLANCE • The Today tab shows you a daily page: quote, yearly goal, current book, upcoming dates. • A new reading quote every day – in a card design that changes daily. ON IPHONE, IPAD, IPHONE DUO AND APPLE WATCH • iPhone + iPad, always in sync – via your private iCloud, no sign-up needed. • A full iPad layout: sidebar, wide lists, two-column statistics, large calendar – and in landscape, list and book side by side. • Made for iPhone Duo: fully usable on the outer and inner display, cover and details on either side of the fold when unfolded, the reading timer above the fold in tabletop mode. • An extra-large widget for your iPad Home Screen. • Apple Watch: start, pause, finish or discard reading sessions right on your wrist – works without your iPhone, too. ADD BOOKS IN SECONDS • Scan an ISBN – title, author, cover and publisher arrive automatically from several book databases. • No readable barcode? The scanner reads the printed ISBN, too. • Or add books manually and edit them freely. • Duplicates are detected before they end up in your library. • Import CSV files from other book apps – with ratings, reading status, tags and notes. YOUR LIBRARY, YOUR OVERVIEW • Reading status: Unread, Reading, Finished, Listened (audiobooks), Abandoned and Wishlist. • List and gallery views, sorted and filtered by status, tag or series. • Half-star ratings and notes. • Your own lists like “Autumn reads” or “Holiday 2027” – with their own view, search and sorting. • Series are grouped automatically – you see which volume is missing and add it in the edition you prefer. Special volumes like “book 8.5” sit right, too. • If you like, your library shows each series as a single entry. • A location for your own books: record place and shelf – and search by them. • Picked the wrong edition? Simply swap it for another edition of the same volume. READING PROGRESS & STATS • Reading sessions with a live timer, reading streak and pace insights. • Your running session shows on the Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island – pause or end it with a single tap. • Statistics on finished books, genres, pages and years. • Achievements, badges and a yearly reading challenge with your own goal. • Year in Review: your numbers, your top 3 with medals – and your reading year as a film to share, in three designs. • Authors and genres are tappable – browse on and add finds straight to your wishlist. WISHLIST & COUNTDOWN WIDGET • Save upcoming books with their release date. • A countdown shows the days until release – with a reminder. • On release day, BookSafe celebrates with a big cover and a little fireworks display. • The widget shows your next release on your Home and Lock Screen. KEEP TRACK OF BORROWED BOOKS • Mark books as borrowed – with source (library, friends) and due date. • A countdown reminds you before the loan period ends. • Extend or return with a single tap. SHARE & EXPORT • Share your favourite books as share cards – or your reading update as a story image. • Share your own lists and your wishlist as an image or as text. • Export your library as CSV or PDF – your data is yours. • A complete backup as a single file – restore it on a new device. GERMAN & ENGLISH • The app follows your device language automatically. FREE & BOOKSAFE PRO • Free for up to 50 books – with every feature. • With BookSafe Pro, unlimited books. One-time purchase, no subscription. Your library is yours: no login, no tracking, no third-party servers – everything lives on your device and syncs only to your private iCloud. Offline, too. Happy reading!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: MiniLib at none against BookSafe's 1. BookSafe's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 4 weeks). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. BookSafe sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. MiniLib asks for nothing beyond the download.
MiniLib ships an update every 4 weeks, BookSafe weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | MiniLib | BookSafe |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (7 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 7 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 8 MB | 27 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Christopher Brock | Fabian Grill |
Customer experience
MiniLib
BookSafe
In-app purchases
MiniLib
No in-app purchases
BookSafe
- BookSafe Pro$3.99









