Comparison

PocketShelf vs Folio

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

Head to head
About

PocketShelf

Easily organize your book collection and track your reading progress. Save notes, get session recaps, and start reading directly from your home screen.

Highlights
  • Organize book library
  • Track reading sessions
  • Add notes and summaries
  • Home screen widget
  • Accessibility features
  • AI-powered recaps
Features
Read full description

Track your reading. Remember what matters. Meet PocketShelf, the easiest way to keep track of your books and your reading journey. No matter what kind of reader you are, PocketShelf helps you stay organised and makes coming back to your books feel effortless. What you can do with PocketShelf: - Your Library: Add books in seconds and keep your collection neat - Track your reading sessions: See how much time you spend reading and celebrate your progress - Notes & Summaries: Write down notes while reading. PocketShelf gives you recaps of you last reading session to help you jump right back in again - Widget: Start your reading session right from the Home Screen with our widget - Accessibility: Support for VoiceOver, dynamic type and accessible fonts. Plus, you can get those recaps also in plain language - Beautifully designed: Crafted by an Apple Design Award Winner We have so much more planned for the future. To keep up to date, follow us at the following platforms: - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pocketshelf.app - TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@PocketShelf - X: https://x.com/PocketShelfApp —— Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://pocketshelf.app/privacy

About

Folio

Features
Read full description

Folio is a fast, beautiful reader for DRM-free EPUB books. Bring your own library - open books from the Files app, or share them to Folio from any app. Covers, reading progress, and your place in every book are always kept. READING • Paged or continuous scrolled reading - chapters flow together with no breaks • Four themes: Paper, Sepia, Dusk, and Ink, with a match-system option • Seven typefaces, adjustable size, line spacing, margins, and alignment • Pinch to change text size • Footnotes open in place; images open full screen YOUR LIBRARY • Grid or list layout, four sort orders, search • Shelves to group books your way • Reading progress and finished-book tracking NOTES AND NAVIGATION • Five highlight colors, with notes • Bookmarks and a full table of contents • Search across the whole book • Share quotes with title and author • Export highlights and notes as HTML or text Folio reads DRM-free EPUB files.

Screenshots

PocketShelf4 screens
Folio4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Folio at none against PocketShelf's 4. PocketShelf's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. PocketShelf sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Folio asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PocketShelf ships an update every 2 weeks, Folio every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
PocketShelf versus Folio: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPocketShelfFolio
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (8 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews84.6% of reviews—
Number of ratings8 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.026.0
Further details — not scored
Size159 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKlemens StrasserK Srinivas Rao

In-app purchases

4 purchases

PocketShelf

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly$3.991 Month
  • Yearly$19.991 Year
One-time2
  • One Extra Book Slot$4.99
  • Lifetime$49.99
None

Folio

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is PocketShelf free?
PocketShelf is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Folio free?
Folio is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do PocketShelf or Folio have ads?
Neither PocketShelf nor Folio shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PocketShelf or Folio?
PocketShelf ships an update every 2 weeks, and Folio every 2 months. Most recently, PocketShelf was updated on October 30, 2026 and Folio on October 31, 2026.

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