# Living Library vs BookDiary

The clearest difference is rating: Living Library at 5.0 against BookDiary's 4.0. Living Library also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (3 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BookDiary sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Living Library asks for nothing beyond the download.

Living Library holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 1 respectively.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Living Library | BookDiary |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/living-library/id6762800692/reviews)** | [4.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookdiary-reading-journal/id6765982985/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 55 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Santanu Das](https://appshunter.io/developer/1894350425) | [torankirite](https://appshunter.io/developer/1883564850) |

## What reviewers say

### Living Library

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/living-library/id6762800692)

Organize your reading with custom shelves, track progress, and discover new books. Set reading goals and monitor your habits over time. Share recommendations with friends and stay motivated with personalized notifications.

**Highlights:** Organize books into custom shelves, Track reading progress and page numbers, Log reading sessions and time spent, Receive curated book recommendations, Share book picks with friends, Set and track annual reading goals

**In-app purchases:** none


### BookDiary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookdiary-reading-journal/id6765982985)

A private reading journal to track your books, quotes, and reading habits without requiring an account or social sharing. Log your progress, save memorable passages, and discover new reads all on your device.

**Highlights:** Private reading journal, Save quotes from pages, Reading progress tracking, Digital book shelf, Reading calendar, Personal reading awards, Draw from TBR pile

**In-app purchases (1)**

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


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Living Library free?

Living Library is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is BookDiary free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Living Library or BookDiary?

Living Library is rated higher. Living Library averages 5.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while BookDiary averages 4.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Living Library or BookDiary have ads?

Neither Living Library nor BookDiary shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Living Library or BookDiary?

Living Library ships an update every 2 weeks, and BookDiary every 2 weeks. Most recently, Living Library was updated on October 25, 2026 and BookDiary on October 25, 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.*