# Pagebound vs Reading Journal

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Pagebound at 15.1 against Reading Journal's 17.0. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pagebound sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per month and Reading Journal sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pagebound | Reading Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (526 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pagebound-social-book-tracker/id6751526412/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **526** | — |
| Positive reviews | 88.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 64 MB | 47 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Pagebound LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1835603506) | [程辉 杨](https://appshunter.io/developer/6789610048) |

## What reviewers say

### Pagebound

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pagebound-social-book-tracker/id6751526412)

This app allows users to discuss books in real-time forums tied to specific titles. Earn points and badges for tracking your reading progress and engaging with the community. Organize your reading list, rate books, and connect with fellow readers based on shared literary tastes.

**Highlights:** Book-specific discussion forums, Gamified reading challenges, Points and badge system, Organize TBR lists, Half-star book ratings, Anonymous reader profiles

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pagebound Royalty | $9.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 🤩 Obsessed with the app
- 👍 Amazing and user-friendly UI
- 🤝 Great social features and community
- 🎨 Beautiful and visually appealing design
- 🎯 Excellent for book tracking and planning

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Difficulty finding specific language editions of books

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional spoilers in forums

**Requested features**

- Save reading progress across forums
- Dark mode option


### Reading Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reading-journal-tabmap/id6796663483)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| TabMap Pro Annual | $6.99 | per year |
| TabMap Lifetime Pro | $14.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pagebound free?

Pagebound 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 Pagebound or Reading Journal have ads?

Neither Pagebound nor Reading Journal shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pagebound or Reading Journal?

Pagebound ships an update fortnightly, and Reading Journal fortnightly. Most recently, Pagebound was updated on October 30, 2026 and Reading Journal on October 25, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*