# Better Bookshelf vs Project Gutenberg eBook Reader

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Better Bookshelf at 50% against Project Gutenberg eBook Reader's 0%. Better Bookshelf also leads on ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). Project Gutenberg eBook Reader's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.2). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Better Bookshelf sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Project Gutenberg eBook Reader sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Project Gutenberg eBook Reader holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Better Bookshelf has 6 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 50% of Better Bookshelf's written reviews are positive against 0% of Project Gutenberg eBook Reader's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Better Bookshelf ships an update every 3 days, Project Gutenberg eBook Reader every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Better Bookshelf | Project Gutenberg eBook Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/better-bookshelf/id6791765002/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/project-gutenberg-ebook-reader/id6798842310/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **6** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **50.0% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 days** | Every 4 days |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 42 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Matthew Smith](https://appshunter.io/developer/6791765004) | [Burak Kose](https://appshunter.io/developer/1683133609) |

## What reviewers say

### Better Bookshelf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/better-bookshelf/id6791765002)

Consolidate all your books from physical shelves, Kindle, and Audible into a single, private digital library. Easily add books by scanning barcodes, taking photos, or importing existing libraries. Revisit your favorite highlighted passages and track your reading progress.

**Highlights:** Scan barcodes or covers to add books, Import Kindle and Audible libraries, Consolidate books across multiple formats, Save and revisit highlighted passages, Track reading status and personal ratings, Mark books as lent

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium — Unlimited Library | $9.99 | one-time |
| 6 Whole Shelf AI Scans | $10.00 | one-time |
| Premium — Unlimited Library | $29.99 | one-time |


### Project Gutenberg eBook Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/project-gutenberg-ebook-reader/id6798842310)

Access over 75,000 public-domain classic books offline. Enjoy a customizable reading experience with themes, adjustable text, and bookmarks. Listen to audiobooks with synchronized text highlighting.

**Highlights:** 75,000+ public-domain classic books, Offline reading, Read-along audiobooks, Customizable reader (themes, text size), Bookmarks and table of contents, Search and browse by subject

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Subscription | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Yearly Subscription | $24.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Access | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Better Bookshelf free?

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

### Is Project Gutenberg eBook Reader free?

Project Gutenberg eBook Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Better Bookshelf or Project Gutenberg eBook Reader?

Project Gutenberg eBook Reader is rated higher. Better Bookshelf averages 4.2 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Project Gutenberg eBook Reader averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Better Bookshelf or Project Gutenberg eBook Reader have ads?

Project Gutenberg eBook Reader shows ads; Better Bookshelf does not.

### Which is updated more often, Better Bookshelf or Project Gutenberg eBook Reader?

Better Bookshelf ships an update every 3 days, and Project Gutenberg eBook Reader every 4 days. Most recently, Better Bookshelf was updated on October 31, 2026 and Project Gutenberg eBook Reader on November 1, 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.*