Comparison

Reading Journal vs TBR Book Jar

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Reading Journal

Organize your reading life by tracking books, visualizing progress, and cultivating lasting reading habits. Keep all your reading statistics and personal reflections in one central, attractive location.

Highlights
  • Track books read
  • Visualize reading progress
  • Build reading habits
  • Store reading stats
  • Keep personal reflections
Features
Read full description

Transform your reading experience with Reading Journal. Track your books, visualize your progress, and build habits that last. Why Reading Journal? We believe every book deserves a home. Keep all your reading stats and personal reflections in one beautiful place. More to come! This is just the beginning. We are working hard on exciting new updates, and we need your help! Since the app is still in progress, your feedback is our most valuable resource. If you have a feature request or an improvement in mind, let’s make it happen together.

About

TBR Book Jar

This app helps you decide what to read next with over 190 prompts and a customizable digital bookshelf. Track your reading progress, view stats, and personalize your virtual library.

Highlights
  • 190+ reading prompts
  • Customizable digital bookshelf
  • Page progress tracking
  • Reading timer and speed tracking
  • Reading stats and goals
  • Goodreads import
  • Dark mode support
Features
Read full description

Can't decide what to read next? Reach into the jar. TBR Book Jar is the reading app BookTok has been waiting for — a digital TBR jar, a gorgeous customizable bookshelf, an AI book buddy, audiobook magic… and now the biggest thing we've ever shipped: a built-in community of readers. Book clubs, forums, a used-book marketplace, and your shelf synced to the web. Built by a reader who was tired of staring at the TBR pile — now with company. NEW — TBRTALK, YOUR READING COMMUNITY · Book clubs with their own themed rooms — join one or start your own · Forums for every bookish conversation, plus direct messages · A used-book marketplace: list your finished copies, browse everyone else's — buyers and sellers arrange everything directly · Wishlist a book and get alerted when someone lists a used copy · Every book gets its own page: reviews, ratings, clubs reading it, copies for sale · Your library and wishlist sync with tbrtalk.com — your shelf, on the web NEW — YOUR HOME DASHBOARD Pick up right where you left off: a continue-reading carousel, streaks and goals at a glance, quick doors to everything. AUDIOBOOK MODE Your paperbacks just learned to talk. Snap photos of any pages — they're transcribed and read aloud with karaoke-style highlighting that follows along. Studio Voices sound remarkably human and run entirely on your iPhone: downloaded once, private, offline. Have a DRM-free EPUB? Drop it in and listen to the whole book. THE JAR 190+ creative prompts across 17 categories. Tap to pick and let fate decide — or hit Mystery Book to pull randomly from your own shelf. DISCOVER An endless deck of book suggestions dealt from the genres you actually love. Swipe right to wishlist, left to pass — it quietly learns your taste. YOUR BOOKSHELVES Not a list — real bookshelves. Books stand as spines or face-out covers on wooden shelves, sized to their true cover shape. Stack them into piles, drag to rearrange, decorate with wallpapers, stickers and animated GIFs. Unlimited shelves, smart shelves that fill themselves, and a Wishlist shelf for the books you want next. BOOK BUDDY — YOUR AI READING COMPANION Give it a name, then ask for recommendations, chat about books, describe a vibe or "books like ___" — grounded in real, current titles and tuned to what's on your shelf. READING TIMER & FOCUS SCENES The timer is free for every reader. Go Pro and read beside a crackling campfire, rain on the window, ocean waves — seven looping nature scenes plus ambient sound. ADD BOOKS IN SECONDS Search millions of titles with auto-filled covers and summaries · scan a barcode or snap the cover · import your whole Goodreads library via CSV. TRACK & CELEBRATE Page progress, reading speed, ratings and reviews, streaks, a yearly goal ring, genre charts and an activity heatmap. FREE The whole community · 10 books on your shelf · unlimited wishlist · 30 prompts · reading tracker & timer · a daily taste of Book Buddy and page scanning PRO — Monthly, Yearly or Lifetime (start with a 14-day free trial) · Unlimited books & shelves · full Audiobook Mode · All 190+ prompts + custom prompts · Unlimited Book Buddy, Discover deck & smart wishlist · Stats, focus scenes & sounds, goals & reminders · Goodreads import · every wallpaper, theme & decoration Your TBR pile just got fun — and it brought friends. Reach in and start picking. Subscriptions auto-renew unless cancelled 24 hours before the period ends. Manage in App Store settings. Privacy: https://damobo.com/tbrbookjar/privacy Terms: https://apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Support: support@damobo.com

Screenshots

Reading Journal4 screens
TBR Book Jar4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: TBR Book Jar at 5.0 against Reading Journal's 4.3. TBR Book Jar also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 months). Reading Journal's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.6). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. TBR Book Jar sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Reading Journal asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

TBR Book Jar holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 5 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Reading Journal ships an update every 3 months, TBR Book Jar every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 4 level
Reading Journal versus TBR Book Jar: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterReading JournalTBR Book Jar
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (7 ratings)5.0 (5 ratings) — better
Number of ratings7 — better5
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.0 — better18.6
Further details — not scored
Size76 MB118 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperZawaar Abbas DadChristopher Mayberry

In-app purchases

None

Reading Journal

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

TBR Book Jar

Subscriptions3
  • Pro Monthly (One-Time Offer)$3.991 Month
  • TBR Book Jar Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
  • TBR Book Jar Pro Annual14 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • TBR Book Jar Pro Lifetime$69.99

Questions

Is Reading Journal free?
Reading Journal is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is TBR Book Jar free?
TBR Book Jar is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Reading Journal or TBR Book Jar?
TBR Book Jar is rated higher. Reading Journal averages 4.3 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while TBR Book Jar averages 5.0 from 5 ratings.
Do Reading Journal or TBR Book Jar have ads?
Neither Reading Journal nor TBR Book Jar shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Reading Journal or TBR Book Jar?
Reading Journal ships an update every 3 months, and TBR Book Jar every 4 days. Most recently, Reading Journal was updated on October 30, 2026 and TBR Book Jar on November 5, 2026.

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