# Reading Journal vs ReadMaze

The clearest difference is ads: Reading Journal at none against ReadMaze's shown. Reading Journal also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and ratings volume (35 vs 2). ReadMaze's advantage is update cadence (every 6 days vs fortnightly) and iOS requirement (15.5.0 vs 18.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Reading Journal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and ReadMaze sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReadMaze holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Reading Journal has 35 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

Reading Journal ships an update fortnightly, ReadMaze every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Reading Journal | ReadMaze |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (35 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reading-journal-book-tracker/id6757375623/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/readmaze-book-reading-tracker/id6758606513/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **35** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 5 MB | 92 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.5.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | +4 |
| Developer | [Sergii Nesterenko](https://appshunter.io/developer/1686841405) | [Habibullah Abdulsalam](https://appshunter.io/developer/1873904259) |

## What reviewers say

### Reading Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reading-journal-book-tracker/id6757375623)

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Access | $3.99 | per month |
| Yearly Access | $19.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Access | $12.99 | one-time |


### ReadMaze

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/readmaze-book-reading-tracker/id6758606513)

This app gamifies your reading habit by tracking sessions, rewarding progress, and building streaks. It offers AI-powered book analysis, note-taking, and a digital bookshelf to organize your entire library.

**Highlights:** Gamified reading habit tracker, AI chat for book analysis, Digital bookshelf organization, Reading streak building, XP, badges, and achievements, Built-in ebook reader, Quote and note capture

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Premium Yearly | $34.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Reading Journal free?

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

### Is ReadMaze free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Reading Journal or ReadMaze?

ReadMaze is rated higher. Reading Journal averages 4.8 out of 5 from 35 ratings, while ReadMaze averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Reading Journal or ReadMaze have ads?

ReadMaze shows ads; Reading Journal does not.

### Which is updated more often, Reading Journal or ReadMaze?

Reading Journal ships an update fortnightly, and ReadMaze every 6 days. Most recently, Reading Journal was updated on October 25, 2026 and ReadMaze on October 24, 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.*