# ShelfBuddy vs OpenBookshelf

The clearest difference is ads: OpenBookshelf at none against ShelfBuddy's shown. OpenBookshelf also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). ShelfBuddy's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 2 weeks) and ratings volume (5 vs 1). On price, rating, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ShelfBuddy sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and OpenBookshelf sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. 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 OpenBookshelf. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ShelfBuddy has 5 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

ShelfBuddy ships an update every 2 days, OpenBookshelf every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ShelfBuddy | OpenBookshelf |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shelfbuddy-book-tracker/id6755234669/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openbookshelf-book-tracker/id6759491266/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 57 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [JAN-HENNING BUNS](https://appshunter.io/developer/1852741600) | [Jared Floersch](https://appshunter.io/developer/1875435683) |

## 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 |


### OpenBookshelf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openbookshelf-book-tracker/id6759491266)

Organize your reading list with a clean, focused book tracker. Easily search millions of titles, import your history from other platforms, and sync across devices without ads or subscriptions. Focus solely on your books.

**Highlights:** Track reading progress, Search millions of books, Import from Goodreads, Sync across devices, No ads or subscriptions, Organize reading lists

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ShelfBuddy free?

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

### Is OpenBookshelf free?

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

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

ShelfBuddy and OpenBookshelf are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 5 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do ShelfBuddy or OpenBookshelf have ads?

ShelfBuddy shows ads; OpenBookshelf does not.

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

ShelfBuddy ships an update every 2 days, and OpenBookshelf every 2 weeks. Most recently, ShelfBuddy was updated on October 30, 2026 and OpenBookshelf on October 17, 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.*