Comparison

BookJournal vs Reading Journal

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

Head to head
About

BookJournal

Features
Read full description

BookJournal is your personal reading journal – for all the books you've read, are currently reading, or want to read next. Save your books with covers, keep your notes, and track your reading progress – simple, private, and clutter-free. And thanks to iCloud sync, your library is always up to date on all your devices. Features: • Add books via search, ISBN scan, or manually – with cover image • Wishlist for books you still want to read • Custom shelves: organize your library into your own collections with color and icon • Start reading sessions with a timer and log the pages you've read • Journal: capture thoughts, moods, and favorite quotes about your books • Statistics for your reading goal, reading hours, and streak • iCloud sync: your data stays private in your iCloud – automatically on all your devices • Clear reading list, sorted by status BookJournal is for everyone who wants to document their reading life privately and without the fuss – a reading journal that grows with you.

About

Reading Journal

This app helps you remember what you read by tracking your library, reading status, and favorite quotes. Set reading goals, join challenges, and keep your progress organized with personal notes and summaries.

Highlights
  • Track books (want to read, reading, finished)
  • Save quotes, reviews, and summaries
  • Set reading goals and track progress
  • Join reading challenges
  • Sync library with iCloud
  • Export/import data (JSON/CSV)
Features
Read full description

Reading Journal is a warm, quiet home for the books you read and everything they leave behind. Just say what page you're on. Reading Journal keeps the rest: pages read today, your week at a glance, how many sessions are left in the book, and a streak worth keeping. YOUR LIBRARY • Shelves for Reading, To Read, Finished and Did Not Finish • Add books by title, author or ISBN, or scan the barcode on the back • Real covers, and handsome cloth covers for books without one • Series kept in reading order A DIARY FOR EVERY BOOK • Every session with its pages and minutes • The lines you loved, with chapter and page • Stars, a one-line review, a summary and your favorite moment • Notebook pages on lined, dotted, grid or blank paper GOALS AND CHALLENGES • A yearly goal that fills a shelf with your covers • Monthly goals, a page target and a mood board • A–Z, Reading Bingo, 52 Books in 52 Weeks, genres, romance tropes and more • Finish a book and it lands in the right challenge slot Your library syncs through iCloud across iPhone and iPad, looks lovely in light and dark, and backs up to a JSON file or exports your books as CSV whenever you like.

Screenshots

BookJournal4 screens
Reading Journal4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: BookJournal at none against Reading Journal's 3. BookJournal also leads on update cadence (every 6 days vs every 3 weeks). Reading Journal's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, device support and iOS requirement 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. Reading Journal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. BookJournal asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

BookJournal ships an update every 6 days, Reading Journal every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
BookJournal versus Reading Journal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBookJournalReading Journal
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.8 (35 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—35 — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 days — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.518.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size27 MB7 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGarip KoeylueceSergii Nesterenko

In-app purchases

None

BookJournal

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Reading Journal

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Access$3.991 Month
  • Yearly Access$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Access$12.99

Questions

Is BookJournal free?
BookJournal is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Reading Journal free?
Reading Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do BookJournal or Reading Journal have ads?
BookJournal shows ads; Reading Journal does not.
Which is updated more often, BookJournal or Reading Journal?
BookJournal ships an update every 6 days, and Reading Journal every 3 weeks. Most recently, BookJournal was updated on October 24, 2026 and Reading Journal on October 28, 2026.

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