# BookShelves eBook Reader vs Cinder Reader

The clearest difference is rating: Cinder Reader at 5.0 against BookShelves eBook Reader's 3.9. Cinder Reader also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 66%). BookShelves eBook Reader's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BookShelves eBook Reader sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Cinder Reader sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Cinder Reader holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 15 and 8 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 66% of BookShelves eBook Reader's written reviews are positive against 100% of Cinder Reader's.

BookShelves eBook Reader ships an update weekly, Cinder Reader every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BookShelves eBook Reader | Cinder Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookshelves-ebook-reader/id6756848973/reviews) | **[5.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cinder-reader/id6761286580/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **15** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | 65.6% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 56 MB | 73 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.4 | **16.4** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [CPE Verm. GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1863249600) | [JESSE LAMAR MARTIN](https://appshunter.io/developer/1888667782) |

## What reviewers say

### BookShelves eBook Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookshelves-ebook-reader/id6756848973)

This app allows you to read EPUB, PDF, and comic books with access to over 1.5 million free public domain books. Organize your library, customize your reading experience with multiple themes and fonts, and sync your progress across devices.

**Highlights:** 1.5 million+ free books, EPUB, PDF, and comic reader, Customizable themes and fonts, iCloud sync across devices, Smart library management, Highlighting and note-taking, Export highlights

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Tip | $2.99 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $3.99 | one-time |
| Large Tip | $8.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Pro | $9.99 | one-time |


### Cinder Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cinder-reader/id6761286580)

A modern, ad-free app for reading ebooks, comics, manga, and PDFs. Organize your personal library, import files from various sources, and customize your reading experience with flexible tools and appearance settings.

**Highlights:** Read ebooks, comics, manga, and PDFs, Import and manage personal library, Connect to content sources, Customize reader appearance, Track reading progress, Create highlights and notes, Organize with folders and filters

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cinder Pro Lifetime | $8.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BookShelves eBook Reader free?

BookShelves eBook Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Cinder Reader free?

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

### Which has better reviews, BookShelves eBook Reader or Cinder Reader?

Cinder Reader is rated higher. BookShelves eBook Reader averages 3.9 out of 5 from 15 ratings, while Cinder Reader averages 5.0 from 8 ratings.

### Do BookShelves eBook Reader or Cinder Reader have ads?

Neither BookShelves eBook Reader nor Cinder Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BookShelves eBook Reader or Cinder Reader?

BookShelves eBook Reader ships an update weekly, and Cinder Reader every 3 weeks. Most recently, BookShelves eBook Reader was updated on October 14, 2026 and Cinder Reader on October 8, 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.*