# ShelfBuddy vs ReadMaze

The clearest difference is update cadence: ShelfBuddy at every 2 days against ReadMaze's every 6 days. On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ShelfBuddy sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and ReadMaze sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for ShelfBuddy against 5.0 for ReadMaze. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5 and 2 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

ShelfBuddy ships an update every 2 days, ReadMaze every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ShelfBuddy | ReadMaze |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shelfbuddy-book-tracker/id6755234669/reviews) | [5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/readmaze-book-reading-tracker/id6758606513/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 days** | Every 6 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 57 MB | 92 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.5.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [JAN-HENNING BUNS](https://appshunter.io/developer/1852741600) | [Habibullah Abdulsalam](https://appshunter.io/developer/1873904259) |

## What reviewers say

### ShelfBuddy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shelfbuddy-book-tracker/id6755234669)

Manage your physical book collection digitally with virtual shelves, wishlists, and reading timelines. Track borrowed books with return reminders and view reading statistics. Easily add books by scanning, searching, or manual entry.

**Highlights:** Virtual shelves and wishlists, ISBN barcode scanning, Reading progress tracking, Borrowed book management, Customizable notes and genres, Multilingual interface

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ShelfBuddy Freischaltung | $19.99 | one-time |


### ReadMaze

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/readmaze-book-reading-tracker/id6758606513)

This app gamifies your reading habit by tracking sessions, rewarding progress, and building streaks. It offers AI-powered book analysis, note-taking, and a digital bookshelf to organize your entire library.

**Highlights:** Gamified reading habit tracker, AI chat for book analysis, Digital bookshelf organization, Reading streak building, XP, badges, and achievements, Built-in ebook reader, Quote and note capture

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Premium Yearly | $34.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ShelfBuddy free?

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

### Is ReadMaze free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ShelfBuddy or ReadMaze?

ShelfBuddy and ReadMaze are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 5 and 2 ratings respectively.

### Do ShelfBuddy or ReadMaze have ads?

Both ShelfBuddy and ReadMaze show ads.

### Which is updated more often, ShelfBuddy or ReadMaze?

ShelfBuddy ships an update every 2 days, and ReadMaze every 6 days. Most recently, ShelfBuddy was updated on October 30, 2026 and ReadMaze on October 28, 2026.

---

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