Comparison

Chapters vs Ex Libris

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

Head to head
About

Chapters

Features
Read full description

Chapters is a thoughtful reading companion for readers who want their library, reading time, and next great book in one calm place. MAKE YOUR LIBRARY YOURS Create a visual bookshelf for every part of your reading life. Search for books, scan a barcode, arrange titles across shelves, and make each space feel personal with custom styles and decor. Filter and sort to find exactly what you’re looking for. FIND WHAT TO READ NEXT Browse a swipeable discovery feed, save promising titles to your library, and keep track of what you want to read, are reading, and have finished. CREATE A BETTER READING RITUAL Start a reading session for a book—or simply read freely. Use a stopwatch or countdown timer, choose ambient sound, and pause or minimize a session whenever you need to. With Screen Time authorization, Bookshelf can help reduce distractions by blocking the apps you select while you read. SEE YOUR PROGRESS Log where you stopped by page or percentage, set a daily reading goal, and watch your reading time, pages, activity, and streak develop over time. Schedule reminders for the nudge you need to pick up your book. KEEP READING WITH YOU See your shelves and reading activity at a glance with widgets and a Live Activity on supported devices. Chapters comes with weekly and yearly offer weekly at $6.99 billed weekly yearly at $39.99 billed yearly Chapters is made for the quiet satisfaction of a growing library and a consistent reading habit. terms: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ privacy: https://www.kissanheggadey.com/privacy

About

Ex Libris

Organize your reading life with this app. Easily add books by scanning barcodes or covers, track your reading progress, and save memorable passages. Connect with friends to see what they're reading and share your own literary discoveries.

Highlights
  • Add books via barcode scan or cover photo
  • Track reading progress and pace
  • Save and share favorite passages
  • Create custom bookplates
  • Connect with friends to see their reading
  • Discuss books with other readers
Features
Read full description

Ex Libris is a quiet & cozy home for your reading life. Scan a book's barcode or snap its cover and it lands on your shelf with the details already filled in. Nudge your progress as you read, keep the passages worth keeping, and share the whole thing with your friends. ADD A BOOK IN SECONDS Point your camera at the barcode on the back, or photograph the cover and let your iPhone read the title. Search by title or author, or add rare finds and borrowed copies by hand. FOLLOW YOUR PROGRESS Ex Libris keeps the sessions quietly in the background, works out your pace, and tells you roughly how many days are left in the book. When you finish, rate it, write a line to remember it by, and pass it on. KEEP THE GOOD LINES Scan a page and pull the text straight off it. Highlight the passages that stopped you, add a personal note, and share it with friends. MARK IT AS YOURS Design your own bookplate — a frame, a typeface for your initials, a color. It follows you everywhere you turn up: your profile, your comments, your friends' pages. READ WITH FRIENDS Add friends by handle and see what they're reading. Browse their shelf, read the quotes they've kept, talk about a book with everyone else reading the same edition, and recommend the ones you think they'd enjoy reading too. No ads, or tracking, or a feed to scroll. Just your books, and the people you want to share them with. Ex Libris...from the library of you.

Screenshots

Chapters4 screens
Ex Libris4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Ex Libris at none against Chapters's 3. Chapters's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs monthly). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Chapters sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per 7 days. Ex Libris asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Chapters ships an update every 2 weeks, Ex Libris monthly. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Chapters versus Ex Libris: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChaptersEx Libris
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—3 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size158 MB10 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKissan Tejas heggadeyAtreides LLC

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Chapters

Subscriptions3
  • Chapters - Book Tracker & TBR$7.997 Days
  • Chapters - Book Tracker & TBR$24.991 Year
  • Chapters - Book Tracker & TBR$39.991 Year
None

Ex Libris

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Chapters free?
Chapters is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Ex Libris free?
Ex Libris is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Chapters or Ex Libris have ads?
Neither Chapters nor Ex Libris shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Chapters or Ex Libris?
Chapters ships an update every 2 weeks, and Ex Libris monthly. Most recently, Chapters was updated on October 31, 2026 and Ex Libris on October 31, 2026.

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