# BookOwl vs Shelvd

The clearest difference is rating: BookOwl at 4.8 against Shelvd's 3.9. BookOwl also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 7) and review sentiment (92% vs 67%). Shelvd's advantage is iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Shelvd sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $6.00 per month. BookOwl asks for nothing beyond the download.

BookOwl holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 45 and 11 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 92% of BookOwl's written reviews are positive against 67% of Shelvd's.

BookOwl ships an update every 2 weeks, Shelvd fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BookOwl | Shelvd |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (45 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookowl-reading-tracker/id6749646194/reviews)** | [3.9 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shelvd-smart-book-tracker/id6759407922/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **45** | 11 |
| Positive reviews | **92.3% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 51 MB | 43 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Phil Getzen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1830876966) | [Platform Thirteen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1878497050) |

## What reviewers say

### BookOwl

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookowl-reading-tracker/id6749646194)

Organize your reading life with this free companion app. Build your personal library, track your progress, and customize your profile. Import data from other services and scan books instantly. Enjoy personalized recommendations and share your reading insights.

**Highlights:** Barcode scanner for instant book addition, Import from Goodreads, StoryGraph, Audible, Libby, Customizable profile with aurora colors, Half and quarter-star rating system, Custom shelves and curated book lists, Reading progress tracking, Yearly reading goals and streaks

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Shelvd

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shelvd-smart-book-tracker/id6759407922)

Effortlessly log your reading progress by simply taking a photo of any page. This app organizes your library visually, tracks detailed reading statistics, and syncs with Goodreads. It also facilitates book club participation and helps manage your to-read list.

**Highlights:** Photo-based page logging, Visual book shelves, Goodreads synchronization, Import entire reading history, Detailed reading statistics, Book club features, Add books via cover photo

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plus (Monthly) | $6.00 | per month |
| Pro (Monthly) | $12.00 | per month |
| Full Shelfie (Monthly) | $18.00 | per month |
| Plus (Annual) | $58.00 | per year |
| Pro (Annual) | $114.99 | per year |
| Full Shelfie (Annual) | $172.99 | per year |
| Founders (Annual) | $299.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BookOwl free?

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

### Is Shelvd free?

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

### Which has better reviews, BookOwl or Shelvd?

BookOwl is rated higher. BookOwl averages 4.8 out of 5 from 45 ratings, while Shelvd averages 3.9 from 11 ratings.

### Do BookOwl or Shelvd have ads?

Neither BookOwl nor Shelvd shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BookOwl or Shelvd?

BookOwl ships an update every 2 weeks, and Shelvd fortnightly. Most recently, BookOwl was updated on November 5, 2026 and Shelvd on October 31, 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.*