Comparison

Reading Tracker vs Reading Journal

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Reading Tracker

Features
Read full description

Your entire reading life, beautifully organized. Bookster turns your phone into the ultimate book companion - scan any barcode to add books instantly, set reading goals, track your progress, and discover what friends are reading. No clutter, no ads, just a clean and personal space for your books. Whether you read 5 books a year or 50, Bookster adapts to you. SCAN & ADD IN SECONDS - Point your camera at any barcode and your book is added instantly with cover, author, and details filled in automatically - Search millions of titles by name, author, or ISBN - Add books manually with custom covers and details - Upload your own photos of physical copies ORGANIZE YOUR WAY - Create unlimited custom shelves with emoji icons and colors - Smart Shelves auto-sort your library: Currently Reading, Favorites, Recently Added, Read This Year, and more - Rate books on a 0-10 scale, write personal notes, and track reading dates - Mark books as Want to Read, Currently Reading, Finished, or Did Not Finish SET GOALS & SEE YOUR PROGRESS - Set an annual reading goal and watch your progress ring fill up - View detailed stats: books finished, average rating, monthly reading pace, and rating distribution - Beautiful charts that make your reading habits visible at a glance - Celebrate milestones as you hit your targets SHARE YOUR LIBRARY - Build a public or private reader profile - Follow friends and discover what they're reading - Get book recommendations from readers you trust - Export your shelves as beautiful images to share on social media - with multiple layouts, themes, and customization options HOME SCREEN & LOCK SCREEN WIDGETS - Reading Goal widget to stay motivated every time you unlock your phone - Currently Reading widget so your next chapter is always one tap away - Stats widget to see your year in books at a glance - Lock Screen widget for a minimal, always-visible reading goal tracker FREE TO START Bookster is free with up to 5 shelves and 5 barcode scans per day. Upgrade to Bookster Premium for unlimited shelves, unlimited scans, all widgets, and more. --- Bookster respects your privacy. Your data belongs to you. Privacy Policy: https://bookster.alaikssi.com/privacy-policy Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Questions? Contact us: https://alaikssi.com#contact ---

About

Reading Journal

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
Read full description

Reading Journal is a clean, focused reading tracker for people who want to remember more of what they read. Track your library, update reading status, rate finished books, save favorite quotes, and keep personal notes tied to each book. Set yearly or monthly reading goals, join reading challenges, and keep your progress organized without clutter. Use Reading Journal to: - Track books you want to read, are reading, or finished - Save quotes, reviews, summaries, and favorite moments - Set reading goals and follow your progress - Join reading challenges for extra motivation - Keep your library synced with iCloud - Export or import your data with JSON or CSV backups Reading Journal is built for readers who want a simple, elegant place for their books, thoughts, and progress. Subscribe to unlock all features. Manage anytime in Settings. Terms of Use - https://sifterapps.com/terms.html Privacy Policy - https://sifterapps.com/policy.html

Screenshots

Reading Tracker4 screens
Reading Journal4 screens

Verdict

The call

Reading Tracker and Reading Journal are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Reading Tracker sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Reading Journal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Reading Tracker ships an update every 9 days, Reading Journal fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
Reading Tracker versus Reading Journal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterReading TrackerReading Journal
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.8 (35 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—35 — better
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS18.218.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size41 MB5 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAlexis GadbinSergii Nesterenko

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Reading Tracker

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Subscription$3.991 Month
  • Annual Subscription14 Days trial$22.991 Year
One-time2
  • Lifetime Access$34.99
  • Lifetime Access$69.99
3 purchases

Reading Journal

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Access$3.991 Month
  • Yearly Access$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Access$12.99

Questions

Is Reading Tracker free?
Reading Tracker is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Reading Journal free?
Reading Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Reading Tracker or Reading Journal have ads?
Neither Reading Tracker nor Reading Journal shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Reading Tracker or Reading Journal?
Reading Tracker ships an update every 9 days, and Reading Journal fortnightly. Most recently, Reading Tracker was updated on October 19, 2026 and Reading Journal on October 25, 2026.

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