# ShelfBuddy vs BookWorm

The clearest difference is ads: BookWorm at none against ShelfBuddy's shown. ShelfBuddy's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.2). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ShelfBuddy sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and BookWorm sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ShelfBuddy holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 3 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

ShelfBuddy ships an update every 3 days, BookWorm every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ShelfBuddy | BookWorm |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shelfbuddy-book-tracker/id6755234669/reviews)** | [4.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookworm-reading-tracker/id6761390761/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **3** |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 days** | Every 5 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 52 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.2 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [JAN-HENNING BUNS](https://appshunter.io/developer/1852741600) | [Adam Markocki](https://appshunter.io/developer/1859270013) |

## 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 | $5.99 | one-time |


### BookWorm

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookworm-reading-tracker/id6761390761)

This app helps you build a consistent reading habit by tracking books, ebooks, and audiobooks. Set daily goals, maintain reading streaks, and visualize your progress with a unique calendar. It offers effortless book addition, customizable themes, and cross-device synchronization.

**Highlights:** Track books, ebooks, and audiobooks, Set and achieve daily reading goals, Maintain reading streaks, Visualize progress with a reading calendar, Add books via search or barcode scan, Customizable themes (Light, Dark, Retro), Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets, iCloud sync across devices

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| BookWorm Pro – Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| BookWorm Pro – Annual | $29.99 | per year |
| An espresso | $2.99 | one-time |
| Coffee & croissant | $4.99 | one-time |
| A week of coffee | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ShelfBuddy free?

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

### Is BookWorm free?

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

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

ShelfBuddy is rated higher. ShelfBuddy averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while BookWorm averages 4.7 from 3 ratings.

### Do ShelfBuddy or BookWorm have ads?

ShelfBuddy shows ads; BookWorm does not.

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

ShelfBuddy ships an update every 3 days, and BookWorm every 5 days. Most recently, ShelfBuddy was updated on September 20, 2026 and BookWorm on September 19, 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.*