Comparison

ShelfLog vs Gutenberg eBooks Reader

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

Head to head
About

ShelfLog

Features
Read full description

ShelfLog turns your personal library into a social lending circle. Catalogue the books you own, connect with friends, and track every book you lend or borrow β€” so you never lose a book to a forgotten loan again. ADD YOUR SHELF IN SECONDS β€’ Search any title or author β€’ Scan a book's barcode with your camera β€’ Snap a photo of your bookshelf and let AI identify the books for you LEND WITH CONFIDENCE β€’ Log who borrowed each book and when it's due β€’ Approve or decline borrow requests from friends β€’ Get reminders before a loan runs overdue β€’ See your full lending history at a glance BORROW FROM FRIENDS β€’ Browse your friends' shelves β€’ Request a book in one tap β€’ Join a waitlist when a book is already out β€’ Ask for an extension when you need more time CONNECT YOUR CIRCLE β€’ Invite friends with a personal link β€’ Find friends already on ShelfLog β€’ Discover people you may know through mutual friends β€’ Keep a wishlist of books you're hoping to read EVERYTHING IN ONE PLACE β€’ Rate and review the books you've read β€’ Follow an activity feed of what friends add and return β€’ Your library stays private β€” visible only to friends you approve ShelfLog is free. Sign in with Apple, Google, or email. Lend books. Stay friends. Never lose track.

About

Gutenberg eBooks Reader

Features
Read full description

Discover over 75,000 classic books, enjoy a comfortable reading experience, and build a daily reading habit with Gutenberg eBooks Reader. Explore timeless literature from Project Gutenberg and Standard Ebooks, from beloved novels and mysteries to adventures, romance, science fiction, history, philosophy, and poetry. DISCOVER 75,000+ CLASSIC BOOKS Find great books by some of the world's most celebrated authors: β€’ Pride and Prejudice β€” Jane Austen β€’ The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes β€” Arthur Conan Doyle β€’ Frankenstein β€” Mary Shelley β€’ Dracula β€” Bram Stoker β€’ Jane Eyre β€” Charlotte BrontΓ« β€’ Wuthering Heights β€” Emily BrontΓ« β€’ A Tale of Two Cities β€” Charles Dickens β€’ Great Expectations β€” Charles Dickens β€’ The Picture of Dorian Gray β€” Oscar Wilde β€’ The Time Machine β€” H. G. Wells β€’ The Count of Monte Cristo β€” Alexandre Dumas READING FOCUS β€” BLOCK DISTRACTIONS Want to read more and scroll less? Reading Focus helps you protect your reading time. Select distracting apps on your iPhone, set a daily reading goal, and block access to those selected apps until you complete your reading goal. Spend more time reading and less time switching between apps. BUILD A DAILY READING HABIT β€’ Set a daily reading goal. β€’ Track your reading time and progress. β€’ Build and maintain reading streaks. β€’ Use daily reading reminders to make reading a routine. β€’ See your reading journey over time. A READER MADE FOR YOU β€’ Enjoy a clean, distraction-free reading experience. β€’ Customize fonts, text size, themes, and reading layout. β€’ Explore books by author, subject, and collection. β€’ Save books to your personal library. β€’ Continue reading where you left off. READ OFFLINE WITH PREMIUM Download supported books with Premium and enjoy reading even without an internet connection. EXPLORE CLASSIC LITERATURE Whether you enjoy literary fiction, detective stories, adventure, romance, philosophy, or poetry, discover books worth reading and authors worth remembering. Start exploring your next great book and make reading part of every day. Reading Focus requires a compatible iOS device and the necessary permissions. Book availability and public-domain status may vary by country. Some features require Premium. Gutenberg eBooks Reader is an independent reading app and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Project Gutenberg or Standard Ebooks.

Screenshots

ShelfLog3 screens
Gutenberg eBooks Reader4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ShelfLog at none against Gutenberg eBooks Reader's 1. ShelfLog also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. Gutenberg eBooks Reader sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. ShelfLog asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ShelfLog ships an update every 3 weeks, Gutenberg eBooks Reader every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences Β· 3 level
ShelfLog versus Gutenberg eBooks Reader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterShelfLogGutenberg eBooks Reader
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks β€” betterEvery 2 months
AdsNo β€” betterYes
In-app purchasesNo β€” betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 β€” better15.1
Further details β€” not scored
Size5 MB78 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMax ShemtobVaneet Gupta

In-app purchases

None

ShelfLog

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Gutenberg eBooks Reader

One-time1
  • Premium Lifetime$19.99

Questions

Is ShelfLog free?
ShelfLog is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Gutenberg eBooks Reader free?
Gutenberg eBooks Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do ShelfLog or Gutenberg eBooks Reader have ads?
Gutenberg eBooks Reader shows ads; ShelfLog does not.
Which is updated more often, ShelfLog or Gutenberg eBooks Reader?
ShelfLog ships an update every 3 weeks, and Gutenberg eBooks Reader every 2 months. Most recently, ShelfLog was updated on October 31, 2026 and Gutenberg eBooks Reader on November 5, 2026.

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