# Reading Journey vs Blackauthored

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Blackauthored at none against Reading Journey's 2. Blackauthored also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 10 days) and chart position (#202 vs unranked). Reading Journey's advantage is ratings volume (397 vs 15) and rating (4.8 vs 4.5). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Reading Journey sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Blackauthored asks for nothing beyond the download.

Reading Journey holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Reading Journey has 397 ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 73% of Reading Journey's written reviews are positive against 80% of Blackauthored's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Reading Journey ships an update every 10 days, Blackauthored every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Reading Journey | Blackauthored |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (397 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reading-journey-book-tracker/id6749302195/reviews)** | [4.5 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blackauthored-book-tracker/id6795180951/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **397** | 15 |
| Positive reviews | 73.1% of reviews | **80.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#202** |
| Size | 69 MB | 55 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **16.4** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Vinh Dinh](https://appshunter.io/developer/412738005) | [Blackauthored](https://appshunter.io/developer/6795180953) |

## What reviewers say

### Reading Journey

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reading-journey-book-tracker/id6749302195)

Log your reading sessions, track your emotions, and discover your reading style. Easily import books, share your reactions visually, and manage your TBR list without pressure. Offers a fun and stress-free way to engage with your literary journey.

**Highlights:** Log reading sessions and emotions, Share reading reactions visually, Quick book import via scanning, DNF Graveyard for unfinished books, Import library from Goodreads/Storygraph, Goodreads automatic synchronization

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Reading Journey Plus | $4.99 | per month |
| Reading Journey Plus | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🥰 Cute and cozy reading experience
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 📚 Unique features like reading journey and DNF graveyard
- 🤳 Ability to import books from images and social media
- 💻 Responsive developers open to feedback

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤔 Issues with location tracking and map feature
- 📝 Lack of batch import or Goodreads integration

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional bugs and glitches reported

**Requested features**

- Option to edit book page counts
- Additional star rating options (0.25, 0.75)
- Ability to follow other users


### Blackauthored

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blackauthored-book-tracker/id6795180951)

**Currently charting:** #202 Top Free · Book (US App Store)

Discover and organize books by Black authors with this app. Filter by genre, trope, and spice level, track your reading progress, and explore community-curated lists. Connect with other readers and manage your reading goals.

**Highlights:** Filter by genre, trope, spice level, Track reading status (want to read, reading, read,DNF), Explore community-made lists, Discover author's full catalogs, Rate reads with decimal precision, Track reading goals and streaks, Connect with other readers

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Reading Journey free?

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

### Is Blackauthored free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Reading Journey or Blackauthored?

Reading Journey is rated higher. Reading Journey averages 4.8 out of 5 from 397 ratings, while Blackauthored averages 4.5 from 15 ratings.

### Do Reading Journey or Blackauthored have ads?

Neither Reading Journey nor Blackauthored shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Reading Journey or Blackauthored?

Reading Journey ships an update every 10 days, and Blackauthored every 3 days. Most recently, Reading Journey was updated on November 9, 2026 and Blackauthored on November 6, 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.*