Comparison

Bibliotheca vs ShelfStream

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

Head to head
About

Bibliotheca

Discover and borrow books from nearby libraries in Japan. Search by title or ISBN, check availability, and reserve titles. You can also find library information and bookmark your favorites.

Highlights
  • Search books by title or ISBN
  • Barcode scanning for book search
  • Find nearby libraries
  • Check book availability
  • Reserve books for borrowing
  • Bookmark books and libraries
Read full description

When you found book you want to read, if you can borrow this book from library nearby, so you can enjoy the reading without unnnecessary expense. And at that time, it is helpful to be able to confirm the library, and reserve to borrow this book. This app will support to borrow the book in library nearby with the book you searched by book title or ISBN code. This app support libraries in Japan. This app is available in iOS 6 and later. - You can search for books by keyword or ISBN code. Barcode scan is available. - You can search libraries nearby include library info, location, etc. - You can confirm that you are allowed to borrow book you want to read to target libraries nearby. - You can reserve to borrow the book in some library. - You can also buy the book at online bookstore. - You can bookmark searched for books and libraries.

About

ShelfStream

This app is a powerful comic and manga viewer that supports a wide range of file formats and cloud storage services. It offers a premium reading experience with intelligent prefetching and multiple viewing modes, along with easy library management.

Highlights
  • Cloud storage integration (iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, Box)
  • NAS and server connection (SMB, WebDAV, FTP/SFTP)
  • Zero load time prefetching
  • Multiple reading modes (single, spread, vertical scroll)
  • Support for ZIP, CBZ, RAR, CBR, PDF, 7z
  • Library organization and bookmarks
Features
Read full description

【The Ultimate Comic & Manga Viewer】 ShelfStream is the next-generation viewer designed for comic enthusiasts who want the best reading experience for their scanned ebook and comic collection. ■ Cloud Storage Support (Premium) • Works with iCloud Drive, Dropbox, Google Drive, and Box • Read your files where they are, without copying them to your device ■ NAS & Server Connection (Premium) • SMB, WebDAV, FTP/SFTP protocols supported • Open books on your home server without copying them • Handle massive libraries effortlessly ■ Comfortable Reading Experience • ZIP/CBZ files prefetch page by page, so you can start reading without waiting for the whole file (RAR/CBR/7z/PDF are retrieved in full before display) • 7 reading styles (single page, two-page spread, vertical scroll (Webtoon), and more) • Right-to-left and left-to-right reading support • Save display settings per book and series ("Apply to Series" for batch setup) • Set the fit method separately for portrait/landscape, plus a landscape layout option ■ Extensive Format Support • ZIP, CBZ, RAR, CBR, PDF, 7z compatible • Image files (JPEG, PNG, WebP) ■ Easy Library Management • Organize by series • Bookmarks and reading history (reading position is stored on this device) • Intuitive library controls ■ Pricing • Free: local file reading, all 7 reading styles, series management, bookmarks • ShelfStream Premium: cloud and NAS connections with streaming  Monthly plan (1 month, auto-renewing) US$0.49 / Yearly plan (1 year, auto-renewing) US$5.99  Both include a 7-day free trial • No ads, including on the free plan Subscriptions renew automatically unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel your subscription in your App Store account settings. The ultimate viewer for digital comic collectors. Start free today. --- Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://shelfstream.remosia.biz/privacy/

Screenshots

Bibliotheca4 screens
ShelfStream4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Bibliotheca at none against ShelfStream's 2. Bibliotheca also leads on iOS requirement (9.0 vs 17.0). ShelfStream's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 10 months). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support 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. ShelfStream sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.49 per month. Bibliotheca asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Bibliotheca ships an update every 10 months, ShelfStream weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Bibliotheca versus ShelfStream: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBibliothecaShelfStream
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—2 — better
Update frequencyEvery 10 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS9.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size13 MB19 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTomohiko Shimizu株式会社リモシア

Customer experience

Bibliotheca

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

ShelfStream

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Bibliotheca

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

ShelfStream

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Plan7 Days trial$0.491 Month
  • Yearly Plan7 Days trial$5.991 Year

Questions

Is Bibliotheca free?
Bibliotheca is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is ShelfStream free?
ShelfStream is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Bibliotheca or ShelfStream have ads?
Neither Bibliotheca nor ShelfStream shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Bibliotheca or ShelfStream?
Bibliotheca ships an update every 10 months, and ShelfStream weekly. Most recently, Bibliotheca was updated on September 30, 2026 and ShelfStream on October 2, 2026.

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