Comparison

Sift vs Bookglance

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

Head to head
About

Sift

This app distills nonfiction books into short, digestible reads that can be finished in minutes. It helps users build a reading habit by integrating with their phone usage and offering features like reading locks and progress tracking. Discover new ideas and expand your knowledge efficiently.

Highlights
  • Short, thread-style book summaries
  • Reading Lock to block distracting apps
  • Daily reading goal and streak tracking
  • Highlight and save key ideas
  • Browse by topic and request books
  • Gentle reading reminders
Features
Read full description

Sift turns the world's best nonfiction into clear, thread-style reads you can finish in a few minutes, so the time you'd normally spend scrolling actually leaves you with something. Instead of fighting your phone habits, Sift works with them. Open the app like you'd open any feed, and read the key ideas from a great book in the time it takes to scroll past a dozen posts. And when you need a push, Sift can lock your most distracting apps until you've hit your reading goal. WHY READERS LOVE SIFT Read in minutes, not hours. Every book is distilled into a focused, easy-to-read thread you can finish in 5 to 10 minutes. Built like a feed, made for depth. A familiar, scrollable experience that finally points your attention somewhere worthwhile. Read first, scroll later. Turn on Reading Lock to block your most distracting apps until you've hit your daily reading goal. Your willpower, on autopilot. Keep what matters. Highlight and save the lines and ideas you want to remember, neatly organized by book. See real progress. Set a daily reading goal, build a streak, and watch your knowledge add up week after week. Find your next read. Browse by topic, search any title or author, and request the books you want covered. Reminders that respect you. Pick the times you read best and get gentle nudges that build the habit, never guilt. HOW IT WORKS Tell Sift what you're curious about and set a daily goal. Open the app whenever you'd reach for a feed, or let Reading Lock nudge you there by pausing your other apps. Read a thread, save the best parts, and keep your streak going. WHO IT'S FOR Sift is for curious people who want to read more but can never seem to find the time. If you'd rather walk away from your screen a little sharper, this is for you. Whether you love psychology, business, philosophy, productivity, or history, there's always something worth reading. Same habit. A better result. Download Sift and turn your daily scroll into a daily reading habit. — Sift is a membership with a free trial, billed as an auto-renewing subscription. Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase. Your subscription renews automatically unless turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account is charged for renewal within 24 hours of the end of the current period. Manage or cancel anytime in your App Store account settings. Terms of Use: https://readwithsift.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://readwithsift.com/privacy

About

Bookglance

Features
Read full description

Explore nonfiction book summaries, one visual idea at a time. Bookglance turns nonfiction book summaries into illustrated, swipeable cards. Explore one idea at a time, see it explained with examples, and revisit what you have learned through quick recall quizzes. Whether you have a few minutes between tasks or want to build a daily reading habit, Bookglance gives you a simple place to start. EXPLORE IDEAS VISUALLY Read bite-sized lessons with illustrations that help explain the key points. Move through each summary at your own pace without facing a long wall of text. PRACTICE WHAT YOU LEARN Use multiple-choice recall questions to revisit ideas from your reading. Spaced repetition brings ideas back for further practice, helping you make review part of your routine. SAVE WHAT MATTERS Bookmark books you want to explore and save individual cards you would like to revisit. Keep useful ideas together in your saved collection. BUILD A LEARNING HABIT Pick up where you left off and follow your progress. Turn a spare moment into a chance to read, reflect, and learn something new. READ OFFLINE Download summaries while connected, then read your downloaded content when you are offline. START WITH FREE PREVIEWS Explore limited free previews to get a feel for Bookglance. A Bookglance Pro subscription unlocks full access to the summary library. Available plans and prices are shown in the app before purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled. Manage or cancel your subscription in your Apple account settings. Privacy Policy: https://www.ergodic.app/privacy-policy.html Terms of Use: https://www.ergodic.app/terms-of-service.html

Screenshots

Sift4 screens
Bookglance4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Bookglance at 15.0 against Sift's 26.1. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Sift sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Bookglance sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Sift ships an update every 4 weeks, Bookglance every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Sift versus Bookglance: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSiftBookglance
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (3 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings3 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 weeksEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscription—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS26.115.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size35 MB113 MB
Age rating+124+
DeveloperSpringtown Labs Inc.AURELLO CODE SOFTWARE GROUP LTD

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Sift

Subscriptions2
  • Sift7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Sift7 Days trial$49.991 Year
3 purchases

Bookglance

Subscriptions2
  • BookGlance Weekly$6.997 Days
  • BookGlance Yearly7 Days trial$49.991 Year
One-time1
  • BookGlance Lifetime$79.99

Questions

Is Sift free?
Sift is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Bookglance free?
Bookglance is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Sift or Bookglance have ads?
Neither Sift nor Bookglance shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Sift or Bookglance?
Sift ships an update every 4 weeks, and Bookglance every 3 weeks. Most recently, Sift was updated on November 5, 2026 and Bookglance on November 6, 2026.

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