# Stacks Reading List vs Reading Journal

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Stacks Reading List at none against Reading Journal's 3. Stacks Reading List also leads on ratings volume (230 vs 33) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 18.0). Reading Journal's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 66%) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 weeks). On price, rating, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Reading Journal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Stacks Reading List asks for nothing beyond the download.

Reading Journal holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Stacks Reading List has 230 ratings behind it against 33, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 66% of Stacks Reading List's written reviews are positive against 100% of Reading Journal's.

Stacks Reading List ships an update every 6 weeks, Reading Journal fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Stacks Reading List | Reading Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (230 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stacks-reading-list/id734184669/reviews) | **[4.8 (33 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reading-journal-book-tracker/id6757375623/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **230** | 33 |
| Positive reviews | 66.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 2 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Stephen Morris](https://appshunter.io/developer/486582860) | [Sergii Nesterenko](https://appshunter.io/developer/1686841405) |

## What reviewers say

### Stacks Reading List

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stacks-reading-list/id734184669)

Easily track books you want to read and those you've enjoyed. Scan barcodes to add titles and find links to purchase them from major online retailers.

**Highlights:** Track books to read, Track enjoyed books, Barcode scanning, Add books to list, Link to purchase books

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and intuitive design
- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Great for tracking reading lists
- 👍 Minimalist aesthetic
- 👍 No ads

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes
- 🐛 Glitching issues
- 🐛 Difficulty scanning ISBN
- 🐛 Missing book covers
- 🐛 Inability to manually add books

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when adding books
- Scanning ISBN not working
- App quits unexpectedly
- Search function not working
- Unable to add new books

**Requested features**

- Add DNF section
- Customize book order
- Link to Apple account for sync
- Create folders for organization
- Send lists to others


### Reading Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reading-journal-book-tracker/id6757375623)

This app helps you remember what you read by tracking your library, reading status, and favorite quotes. Set reading goals, join challenges, and keep your progress organized with personal notes and summaries.

**Highlights:** Track books (want to read, reading, finished), Save quotes, reviews, and summaries, Set reading goals and track progress, Join reading challenges, Sync library with iCloud, Export/import data (JSON/CSV)

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Access | $3.99 | per month |
| Yearly Access | $19.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Access | $12.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Stacks Reading List free?

Stacks Reading List is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Reading Journal free?

Reading Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Stacks Reading List or Reading Journal?

Reading Journal is rated higher. Stacks Reading List averages 4.6 out of 5 from 230 ratings, while Reading Journal averages 4.8 from 33 ratings.

### Do Stacks Reading List or Reading Journal have ads?

Neither Stacks Reading List nor Reading Journal shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Stacks Reading List or Reading Journal?

Stacks Reading List ships an update every 6 weeks, and Reading Journal fortnightly. Most recently, Stacks Reading List was updated on October 22, 2026 and Reading Journal on October 20, 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.*