BookAlchemy vs Skim or Dive
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ with what reviewers say about each.
BookAlchemy
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BookAlchemy is an online platform for book enthusiasts who want to manage their books, track their reading progress, and inspire themselves to read. Whether novels, non-fiction, or comics โ this tool brings all your reading experiences together in one place. Key Features: - Personal Book Management: Create your account and build your own library. - Reading Progress Tracking: Track your progress in every book and note where you are. - Multilingual Support: Read and manage your books in your preferred language. - Cross-Device: Manage your books everywhere, whether on tablet, smartphone, or computer. - Secure Management: Full control over your account and your data. BookAlchemy is ideal for avid readers, book lovers, and anyone who wants to organize their reading journey in a structured, motivating, and accessible way.
Skim or Dive
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Skim or Dive is an ebook reader built around one simple idea: you decide how deep you go โ so you finish more of the books you start. Not every book earns 400 pages of your time. When a story drags, or you have less time than it needs, ease the detail down and skim to the end instead of abandoning it. When a story grabs you, dive into every word. Same book, your pacing โ and far fewer half-read books on the shelf. A single slider โ from skim to dive โ reshapes any book in real time. Pull it up to glide across a chapter as a short summary. Push it down to sink into the full, unabridged prose. Every level in between gives you more or less detail, so you can race through a slow stretch and savour the part you love, all without ever leaving the page. WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT โข Finish more books โ when a book isn't working, bail gracefully to a quick skim instead of adding it to the did-not-finish pile. โข Variable detail slider (1โ5) โ read every section at the depth you want, from a one-line skim to the complete text. โข One More Chapter โ reached the end and not ready to let go? Generate a brand-new continuation in the tone you choose: exciting, silly, mundane, mind-bending, or a whole new genre. โข Ask the book โ curious about a character, a plot thread, or what a passage meant? Get instant answers right in the reader, carefully limited to what you've read so far. No spoilers, ever. โข Tap to define โ long-press any word to see its dictionary definition right in the page, without losing your place. โข Bring your own books โ import your EPUB and TXT files and read them your way. โข A reader that stays out of your way โ adjustable font size, light and dark themes, and reading progress that's always saved. โข Bookmarks โ mark the moments worth coming back to. YOUR LIBRARY, YOUR PRIVACY Your books and your account are yours. There are no ads and no trackers. You can delete your account โ and the data tied to it โ at any time, right from the app. Read our privacy policy at https://skimordive.com/privacy. Whether you're catching the gist on a busy commute or diving deep on a lazy Sunday, Skim or Dive lets you read at your own pace, at your own depth โ and actually reach the end.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Skim or Dive at every 2 days against BookAlchemy's every 11 days. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
BookAlchemy ships an update every 11 days, Skim or Dive every 2 days. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.
| Parameter | BookAlchemy | Skim or Dive |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 11 days | Every 2 days โ better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac โ better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 โ better | 15.1 |
| Further details โ not scored | ||
| Size | 27 MB | 43 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Dominik Fuhrmann | ANDREW IRELAND |
In-app purchases
BookAlchemy
No in-app purchases
Skim or Dive
No in-app purchases









