# ShelfBuddy vs BookSafe

The clearest difference is ads: BookSafe at none against ShelfBuddy's shown. BookSafe also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). ShelfBuddy's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs weekly) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, review sentiment, 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 BookSafe sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ShelfBuddy ships an update every 2 days, BookSafe weekly. Both last shipped on October 28, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | ShelfBuddy | BookSafe |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shelfbuddy-book-tracker/id6755234669/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **6** | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 days** | Weekly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 57 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [JAN-HENNING BUNS](https://appshunter.io/developer/1852741600) | [Fabian Grill](https://appshunter.io/developer/6779730180) |

## 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 |


### BookSafe

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/booksafe/id6779730178)

Manage your personal book collection, track reading progress, and organize wishlists. Features include ISBN scanning, custom lists, reading statistics, and borrowed book tracking. Syncs across Apple devices via iCloud.

**Highlights:** Build and manage personal book library, Track reading progress and statistics, Organize wishlists with release date countdowns, Scan ISBNs for automatic book data import, Create custom lists and series groupings, Syncs via iCloud across Apple devices, Track borrowed books with due dates

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| BookSafe Pro | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ShelfBuddy free?

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

### Is BookSafe free?

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

### Do ShelfBuddy or BookSafe have ads?

ShelfBuddy shows ads; BookSafe does not.

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

ShelfBuddy ships an update every 2 days, and BookSafe weekly. Most recently, ShelfBuddy was updated on October 28, 2026 and BookSafe on October 28, 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.*