Comparison

Folio vs PageBack

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

Head to head
About

Folio

Organize your reading list, track progress, and build a personalized digital bookshelf. Log reading sessions, save notes and quotes, and set reading goals. Connect with other readers or keep your library private.

Highlights
  • Track reading progress
  • Organize TBR lists
  • Build visual bookshelves
  • Import from Goodreads/StoryGraph
  • Log reading sessions with timer
  • Set reading goals and streaks
  • Save notes and quotes
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 cloud sync and backup, advanced reading stats, and premium bookshelf styles, decorations, and backgrounds. No ads. Read at your own pace. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

PageBack

Features
Read full description

PAGEBACK THE PLEX FOR BOOKS Bring your books, comics, PDFs and documents together in one organised library. PageBack is built for people who already own their content. Whether your collection lives in Files, iCloud Drive, Calibre, a NAS, or scattered across a dozen folders, PageBack turns it into a beautiful, searchable library you actually want to use. No DRM. No locked ecosystem. No built in bookstore. Just your library, your way. READ EVERYTHING IN ONE PLACE Stop switching between ebook apps, PDF viewers and comic readers. PageBack supports: • EPUB books • PDF documents • CBZ and CBR comics • TXT files • Research papers • Manuals and magazines Every format gets a reading experience designed specifically for it, including reflowable text for ebooks, smooth PDF navigation and guided comic reading. YOUR LIBRARY, AUTOMATICALLY ORGANISED Import a folder of files and let PageBack do the heavy lifting. AI powered organisation automatically: • Identifies books, comics and documents • Finds missing covers and metadata • Detects authors, genres and series • Creates smart collections • Keeps everything organised as your library grows No more mystery files called "book_final_v3.pdf". BUILT FOR SERIOUS READERS PageBack is more than a reader. • Highlights and notes across your library • Reading Memory remembers where you stopped reading • Smart Collections organise content automatically • Reading Radar helps you rediscover forgotten books • Built in audiobook creator for supported text formats Whether you read one book a month or manage thousands of files, PageBack scales with your collection. WORKS WITH THE TOOLS YOU ALREADY USE Import from Files and iCloud Drive. Connect to OPDS servers, WebDAV storage and self hosted libraries. Calibre users welcome. Self hosters welcome. Your files stay yours. READ ANYWHERE WITH PAGEBACK PRO Upgrade to PageBack Pro and take your entire library with you. Sync: • Books and documents • Reading progress • Highlights and notes • Collections and organisation Across all your devices. PageBack Pro £3.99/month • 5GB cloud sync storage PageBack Pro+ £7.99/month • 25GB cloud sync storage • Ideal for large collections and comic libraries OWN YOUR LIBRARY PageBack does not sell books. PageBack does not lock you into a store. PageBack simply gives your existing collection the home it deserves. Terms of Use: https://pageback.app/terms

Screenshots

Folio4 screens
PageBack4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Folio at every 4 days against PageBack's every 9 days. PageBack's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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. Folio sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and PageBack sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Folio ships an update every 4 days, PageBack every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Folio versus PageBack: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFolioPageBack
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (9 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings9 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterEvery 9 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size166 MB66 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMiguel PachecoPaul Edwards

In-app purchases

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
2 purchases

PageBack

Subscriptions2
  • PageBack Plus Monthly$3.991 Month
  • Pageback Premium Monthly$7.991 Month

Questions

Is Folio free?
Folio is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PageBack free?
PageBack is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Folio or PageBack have ads?
Neither Folio nor PageBack shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Folio or PageBack?
Folio ships an update every 4 days, and PageBack every 9 days. Most recently, Folio was updated on November 5, 2026 and PageBack on October 31, 2026.

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