Comparison

BookBound vs Shelf

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

Head to head
About

BookBound

Features
Read full description

BookBound is a reading tracker for people who love books. Keep your entire reading life in one calm, beautifully designed app β€” from the titles on your wish list to the page you finished last night. THREE SMART SHELVES Sort every book into Want to Read, Reading, and Finished. Moving a book between shelves is a single tap, and BookBound records the dates you start and finish each title so your reading history builds itself. PAGE-BY-PAGE PROGRESS Log your current page whenever you pick up a book. A visual progress bar shows exactly how far you've come, and BookBound automatically moves a book to Finished the moment you reach the last page. SET AND CRUSH YOUR READING GOAL Choose a yearly reading goal and track your pace all year. Your stats dashboard shows books read, books in progress, and how your year is shaping up β€” so every finish feels like a milestone. RATE, REVIEW & REFLECT Give every book a star rating and write a personal review you can revisit anytime. Your reviews stay with you, building a private journal of everything you've read. DISCOVER MILLIONS OF BOOKS Search the full Google Books catalog right inside the app. Browse cover art, read descriptions, check page counts, and add any title to your shelves in seconds. KNOW YOUR READING TASTE Take a quick taste quiz and BookBound builds a personal reading profile from the genres you love β€” a simple way to decide what to read next. BEAUTIFUL LITERARY DESIGN Warm serif typography, a burgundy-and-cream palette, and carefully considered spacing give BookBound the feeling of a well-typeset book. TRUE DARK MODE Every screen adapts to your system appearance, with a genuine dark theme that's easy on the eyes at any hour. BUILT FOR EVERYONE Full VoiceOver support, Dynamic Type scaling, and clear navigation make BookBound comfortable for every reader. BookBound is made for readers who love keeping track of what they read β€” and dreaming up what to read next. Download it today and turn every book into a chapter of your reading story.

About

Shelf

Features
Read full description

Shelf is the simple, beautiful way to track every book you read β€” and actually show it off. Most reading apps are bloated social networks. Shelf does one thing well: it tracks your reading and turns it into stats you’re proud to share. ADD BOOKS IN SECONDS β€’ Scan a barcode to add a book in one tap β€’ Or add it manually β€” title, author, pages TRACK WHAT MATTERS β€’ Currently reading, want to read, finished β€’ Log reading sessions (pages & minutes) β€’ Page-by-page progress and star ratings BUILD A READING STREAK β€’ A gentle daily streak that keeps you turning pages β€’ No shame, no pressure β€” just momentum YOUR YEAR IN BOOKS β€’ A gorgeous, shareable stats card with a streak grid β€’ Perfect for BookTok and Instagram β€’ Home-screen widget with your streak at a glance PRIVATE BY DESIGN β€’ Your library lives on your device β€’ No account required, no ads, ever Shelf Pro (subscription) unlocks all card styles & themes, detailed stats, your animated Year in Books recap, and widgets. Free 7-day trial. Track. Show off. Read more. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

BookBound3 screens
Shelf3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: BookBound at none against Shelf's 2. Shelf's advantage is iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. Shelf sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. BookBound asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard2 real differences Β· 4 level
BookBound versus Shelf: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBookBoundShelf
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsβ€”
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo β€” betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad β€” betteriPhone
Requires iOS26.017.0 β€” better
Further details β€” not scored
Size10 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSteve ScottYusuf Fuat Sarac

In-app purchases

None

BookBound

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Shelf

Subscriptions2
  • Shelf Pro Monthly7 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • Shelf Pro Yearly7 Days trial$22.991 Year

Questions

Is BookBound free?
BookBound is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Shelf free?
Shelf is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do BookBound or Shelf have ads?
Neither BookBound nor Shelf shows ads.

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