# AniShelf vs PaperVN

AniShelf and PaperVN are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

Both are free to download. AniShelf sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and PaperVN sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | AniShelf | PaperVN |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/papervn/id6793787678/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 29 MB | 68 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [子谦 何](https://appshunter.io/developer/1877110965) | [训杰 潘](https://appshunter.io/developer/6793770620) |

## What reviewers say

### AniShelf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/anishelf/id6759359144)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tip Small | $0.99 | one-time |
| Tip Medium | $2.99 | one-time |
| Tip Large | $6.99 | one-time |


### PaperVN

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/papervn/id6793787678)

Discover and track your visual novel journey with this companion app. Explore titles, characters, and manage your personal library. Features personalized recommendations and detailed information.

**Highlights:** Discover visual novels, Track play progress, Manage personal library, Personalized recommendations, Detailed character info, Search visual novels and characters

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PaperVN Premium | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is AniShelf free?

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

### Is PaperVN free?

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

### Do AniShelf or PaperVN have ads?

Neither AniShelf nor PaperVN shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, AniShelf or PaperVN?

AniShelf ships an update weekly, and PaperVN weekly. Most recently, AniShelf was updated on October 25, 2026 and PaperVN on October 23, 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.*