# BookStreak vs The Shelf

The clearest difference is price: BookStreak at Free against The Shelf's $4.99. BookStreak also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.0). The Shelf's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.0) and in-app purchases (none vs 4). On review sentiment, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

BookStreak is free to download; The Shelf costs $4.99 up front. BookStreak sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. The Shelf asks for nothing beyond the download.

The Shelf holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 3 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BookStreak | The Shelf |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $4.99 |
| Rating | [4.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookstreak-reading-tracker/id6767014813/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-shelf-reading-tracker/id6790276638/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **4** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 days | Every 3 days |
| Monetization | **Freemium** | Paid |
| Size | 83 MB | 59 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kien Nguyen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1888344326) | [Antonio Gordillo Toledo](https://appshunter.io/developer/6790276640) |

## What reviewers say

### BookStreak

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookstreak-reading-tracker/id6767014813)

This app helps you build a consistent reading habit with flexible goals and tracking tools. Log reading sessions quickly, save notes and quotes, and organize your entire library. It offers insights into your reading patterns and allows for sharing your progress.

**Highlights:** Flexible reading goals, Quick reading session logging, Save quotes and notes, Organize book library, Reading insights and statistics, Share reading progress, Offline functionality

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Supporter Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Pro 6 Months | $16.99 | per 6 months |
| Supporter Annual | $29.99 | per year |
| Pro Lifetime | $49.99 | one-time |


### The Shelf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-shelf-reading-tracker/id6790276638)

Organize your entire book collection, track reading progress, and capture notes and quotes. This app offers a private, customizable space to manage your reading life, from adding new books to reviewing past sessions.

**Highlights:** Build and organize your book library, Track reading progress and focus sessions, Save notes, quotes, and journal entries, View detailed reading statistics, Customize app appearance, Sync and export library data

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BookStreak free?

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

### Is The Shelf free?

The Shelf costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, BookStreak or The Shelf?

The Shelf is rated higher. BookStreak averages 4.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while The Shelf averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do BookStreak or The Shelf have ads?

Neither BookStreak nor The Shelf shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BookStreak or The Shelf?

BookStreak ships an update every 3 days, and The Shelf every 3 days. Most recently, BookStreak was updated on October 25, 2026 and The Shelf on October 28, 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.*