Comparison

Shelvd vs Folio

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

Head to head
About

Shelvd

Effortlessly log your reading progress by simply taking a photo of any page. This app organizes your library visually, tracks detailed reading statistics, and syncs with Goodreads. It also facilitates book club participation and helps manage your to-read list.

Highlights
  • Photo-based page logging
  • Visual book shelves
  • Goodreads synchronization
  • Import entire reading history
  • Detailed reading statistics
  • Book club features
  • Add books via cover photo
Features
Read full description

Log your reading from a photo, not a keyboard. SHELVD is a book tracker that keeps up with how much you read, and keeps your Goodreads library and friends right where they are. FEATURES • Bookmark: Point your camera at any page or Kindle screen and SHELVD marks your place. It reads the page number and updates your progress in about two seconds. No typing. • Visual shelves: Your library lives as real, browsable shelves with spine art, not a list of rows. • Keep your Goodreads updated (Pro): Track everything in SHELVD and your Goodreads profile stays current on its own. Your progress, ratings, and finished books show up there automatically, so the friends you already have keep seeing what you're reading. No other reading app does this. • Bring your whole library: One upload imports your full Goodreads or StoryGraph history: ratings, read dates, and shelves included. • Reading stats: A heatmap of every day you've read, your reading pace, time-to-finish predictions, genre breakdowns, streaks, and progress toward your reading goals. • Book clubs: Read alongside friends, follow live progress on leaderboards, and share what you're into. Create and run your own clubs on Pro. • Snap a cover: Spot a book you want? Photograph the cover and SHELVD adds it to your want-to-read shelf (your TBR). • Hands-free Kindle tracking (Founders): Connect your Amazon account once and your Kindle reading logs itself, no photos needed. Your reading data stays yours. SHELVD never sells or shares your information with third parties. Terms of Use (EULA): https://shelvd.io/legal/terms Privacy Policy: https://shelvd.io/legal/privacy

About

Folio

This app helps you meticulously track your reading progress, manage your book library, and cultivate a consistent reading habit. It allows for detailed logging of quotes, reviews, and reading statistics, offering a private and organized space for bibliophiles.

Highlights
  • Organize books into shelves
  • Save and sync favorite quotes
  • Rate books with quarter-star precision
  • Import from Goodreads/StoryGraph
  • Search, manual entry, or ISBN scan
  • Track pages, minutes, and streaks
  • Set reading goals
Features
Read full description

Track the books you read, organize your TBR, and build a bookshelf that feels like yours. Folio brings your library, reading progress, and favorite passages together on iPhone and iPad. • Keep track of what you're reading, what you've finished, and what you want to read next. • Build visual bookshelves: arrange your books, add decorations, and share an image of your shelf. • Add books with search or barcode scanning, or import your library from Goodreads or StoryGraph. • Log reading sessions with a timer and update your progress by page or percentage. • Set reading goals and see your activity in a calendar, with stats and streaks. • Save notes and quotes, rate books, and write reviews. • Connect with other readers when you choose. Follow their shelves and exchange messages with an account. Control who can see your profile and reading activity. Start tracking your books without an account. Folio Plus adds library sync across devices, advanced stats, widgets, Live Activities, extra goals, curated discovery, and more bookshelf customization. No ads. Read at your own pace.

Screenshots

Shelvd4 screens
Folio4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Folio at 4.8 against Shelvd's 3.9. Folio also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 67%) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). Shelvd's advantage is iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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. Shelvd sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $6.00 per month and Folio sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Folio holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 11 and 9 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Shelvd's written reviews are positive against 100% of Folio's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Shelvd ships an update fortnightly, Folio every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Shelvd versus Folio: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterShelvdFolio
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.9 (11 ratings)4.8 (9 ratings) — better
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings11 — better9
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size43 MB149 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperPlatform ThirteenMiguel Pacheco

Customer experience

Shelvd

All ratings11 ratings
Positive72.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative27.3%
Written reviews15 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%

Folio

All ratings9 ratings
Positive88.9%
Neutral11.1%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

7 purchases

Shelvd

Subscriptions7
  • Plus (Monthly)1 Month trial$6.001 Month
  • Pro (Monthly)1 Month trial$12.001 Month
  • Full Shelfie (Monthly)$18.001 Month
Show 4 more
  • Plus (Annual)1 Month trial$58.001 Year
  • Pro (Annual)1 Month trial$114.991 Year
  • Full Shelfie (Annual)$172.991 Year
  • Founders (Annual)$299.991 Year
5 purchases

Folio

Subscriptions4
  • Folio Plus Monthly$0.991 Month
  • Folio Plus Annual$8.991 Year
  • Folio Plus Annual7 Days trial$8.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Folio Plus Annual14 Days trial$8.991 Year
One-time1
  • Folio Plus Lifetime$24.99

Questions

Is Shelvd free?
Shelvd is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Folio free?
Folio is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Shelvd or Folio?
Folio is rated higher. Shelvd averages 3.9 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while Folio averages 4.8 from 9 ratings.
Do Shelvd or Folio have ads?
Neither Shelvd nor Folio shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Shelvd or Folio?
Shelvd ships an update fortnightly, and Folio every 4 days. Most recently, Shelvd was updated on October 22, 2026 and Folio on October 25, 2026.

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