# KCLS vs StoryGraph

The clearest difference is review sentiment: StoryGraph at 70% against KCLS's 28%. StoryGraph also leads on rating (4.5 vs 3.8) and ratings volume (3.6K vs 17). KCLS's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. StoryGraph sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. KCLS asks for nothing beyond the download.

StoryGraph holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: StoryGraph has 3.6K ratings behind it against 17, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 28% of KCLS's written reviews are positive against 70% of StoryGraph's.

KCLS ships an update every 3 months, StoryGraph monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | KCLS | StoryGraph |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.8 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kcls/id746221889/reviews) | **[4.5 (3.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/storygraph-reading-tracker/id1570489264/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 17 | **3.6K** |
| Positive reviews | 27.5% of reviews | **70.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | — | **#36** |
| Size | 22 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [King County Library System](https://appshunter.io/developer/470795180) | [The StoryGraph](https://appshunter.io/developer/1570489926) |

## What reviewers say

### KCLS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kcls/id746221889)

Manage your library account conveniently from your mobile device. Discover new books, place holds, renew borrowed items, and easily locate library branches and their hours.

**Highlights:** Discover and search library collection, Place, manage, and cancel holds, Renew borrowed items, Rate and save titles, Find library locations and hours, Browse bestsellers and new arrivals

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to log in
- 👍 Fun books to read
- 👍 Excellent app
- 👍 Helpful for all ages
- 👍 Convenient for managing holds

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unreliable app
- 🐛 Constant sign in issues
- 🐛 Failed sign in attempts count against user
- 🐛 Return book function doesn't work
- 🐛 Search bar coded too narrowly

**Reported bugs**

- Keeps logging out
- Constant sign in issues
- Failed sign in attempts count against user
- Return book function doesn't work
- Search bar coded too narrowly

**Requested features**

- Correct misspellings in search
- Allow less than exact search terms
- Auto-correction in search
- Word suggestion in search
- Dark mode option


### StoryGraph

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/storygraph-reading-tracker/id1570489264)

**Currently charting:** #36 Top Free · Book, #119 Top Grossing · Book (US App Store)

Track your reading habits with insightful stats and personalized book recommendations powered by AI. Discover new books based on mood, pace, and genre, and connect with friends for shared reading experiences.

**Highlights:** Import Goodreads data, Personalized book recommendations, Track reading habits with stats, Discover books by mood and pace, Read with friends (buddy reads), Custom reading challenges, Content warnings for books

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The StoryGraph Plus Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| The StoryGraph Plus Annual | $49.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 🚀 Excellent reading stats and data visualization
- 💡 Innovative features like buddy reads and reading challenges
- 👍 Clean and modern design
- 💡 Independent company, not owned by big tech

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🐛 Slow performance and loading times
- 🐛 Issues with importing data from other platforms
- 🐛 Missing some basic features like custom shelves/lists
- 🐛 Confusing navigation and UI in places

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes or freezes when trying to update reading progress
- Incorrect book details and page counts
- Login issues where users get logged out frequently

**Requested features**

- Ability to track re-reads and multiple editions of books
- More robust social features like following friends, liking reviews
- Barcode scanning to easily add books
- Customizable reading challenges and goal tracking
- Dark mode option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is KCLS free?

KCLS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is StoryGraph free?

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

### Which has better reviews, KCLS or StoryGraph?

StoryGraph is rated higher. KCLS averages 3.8 out of 5 from 17 ratings, while StoryGraph averages 4.5 from 3.6K ratings.

### Do KCLS or StoryGraph have ads?

Neither KCLS nor StoryGraph shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, KCLS or StoryGraph?

KCLS ships an update every 3 months, and StoryGraph monthly. Most recently, KCLS was updated on October 23, 2026 and StoryGraph on October 25, 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.*