Chapter vs BookShelf Reader
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β with what reviewers say about each.
Chapter
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Chapter is made for spending more time with your books. Read your EPUBs and PDFs, listen to EPUB books, and keep your library and reading history in one place. READ YOUR WAY Make your EPUB books comfortable to read with adjustable fonts, spacing, and light, dark, or sepia themes. Keep your PDF books alongside them in the same library. LISTEN TO YOUR BOOKS Let Chapter read your EPUB books aloud. Choose a voice and playback speed that suit you, then enjoy the next chapter. A PLACE FOR EVERY BOOK Organize your books into collections and keep track of what youβre reading. Search for titles or add them manually to include your physical books too. PICK UP WHERE YOU LEFT OFF Keep your library and progress in sync across iPhone and iPad with iCloud. Jump back into your current book from the Continue Reading widget. GET TO KNOW YOUR READING HABITS Keep a history of your reading sessions. Chapter Pro adds daily and yearly goals, streaks, activity views, and deeper insights to help you see your progress over time. YOUR READING STAYS PERSONAL Chapter does not collect, sell, or share your personal data. Your reading data stays on your device and, if enabled, in your personal iCloud account. Chapter Pro is available as a one-time purchase. Privacy Policy: https://sergiu-prodan.github.io/Chapter/privacy.html Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
BookShelf Reader
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BookShelf is a clean, distraction-free PDF reader built for people who love books. Import your files, track your reading, and organize your library exactly the way you want β with no ads, no subscriptions, and no accounts required. READ YOUR WAY Scroll vertically or flip pages horizontally like a real book. Adjust brightness and switch between clean white and warm sepia mode. Every reading preference, covered. YOUR LIBRARY, YOUR RULES View your books as a grid or a list. Sort by title, last read, or progress. Build custom reading lists β To Read, Reading, Finished β and organize everything with categories and favorites. TRACK YOUR PROGRESS See how many pages you've read, time spent reading, your current streak, and your 30-day reading chart. Stats that keep you motivated without getting in the way. BOOKMARKS & ANNOTATIONS Mark any page with a bookmark and write notes as you read. All your annotations are organized and easy to find when you need them. WORKS OFFLINE. ALWAYS. BookShelf works 100% offline. No internet connection required to read, organize, or track your progress. OPTIONAL CLOUD SYNC Sign in with Google to optionally sync your library, progress, bookmarks, and notes across all your devices. Your PDFs are backed up securely. Turn it off anytime β your data stays on your device. PRIVATE BY DESIGN No ads. No trackers. No analytics SDKs. No behavioral data collection of any kind. If you never sign in, absolutely nothing leaves your device. AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH Full app interface in both languages. Switch anytime from Settings. WHAT YOU GET β’ Grid and list library views β’ Horizontal page-flip and vertical scroll reading modes β’ Warm sepia and brightness controls β’ Bookmarks and text annotations β’ Custom reading lists and categories β’ Reading statistics and daily streaks β’ 30-day reading progress chart β’ Optional cloud sync across devices β’ PDF file backup and restore β’ Dark mode support β’ English and Spanish interface β’ No ads, no subscriptions, no tracking BookShelf is made for readers who want a simple, beautiful app that respects their time and privacy.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: BookShelf Reader at none against Chapter's 1. BookShelf Reader also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 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
Both are free to download. Chapter sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. BookShelf Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.
| Parameter | Chapter | BookShelf Reader |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 11 days | β |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No β better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod β better |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 13.0 β better |
| Further details β not scored | ||
| Size | 37 MB | 37 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Sergiu Prodan | Heyson Betancourt |
In-app purchases
Chapter
- Chapter Pro$9.99
BookShelf Reader
No in-app purchases









