# MapleRead SE vs BookShelves eBook Reader

The clearest difference is price: BookShelves eBook Reader at Free against MapleRead SE's $8.99. BookShelves eBook Reader also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). MapleRead SE's advantage is chart position (#193 vs unranked) and ratings volume (125 vs 15). On rating, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

BookShelves eBook Reader is free to download; MapleRead SE costs $8.99 up front. MapleRead SE sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and BookShelves eBook Reader sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

MapleRead SE holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MapleRead SE has 125 ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 68% and 69% positive.

MapleRead SE ships an update every 2 months, BookShelves eBook Reader weekly. Both last shipped on September 23, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | MapleRead SE | BookShelves eBook Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $8.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.1 (125 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mapleread-se/id860169741/reviews)** | [3.9 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookshelves-ebook-reader/id6756848973/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **125** | 15 |
| Positive reviews | 68.3% of reviews | **69.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#193** | — |
| Size | 30 MB | 55 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Maplepop LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/798017700) | [CPE Verm. GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1863249600) |

## What reviewers say

### MapleRead SE

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mapleread-se/id860169741)

**Currently charting:** #193 Top Paid · Book (US App Store)

This app offers a unique audio-visual reading experience for EPUB and PDF files. It allows for extensive customization of book styles, instant audiobook generation, and immersive reading that syncs audio and text. It also functions as an effective library management tool with cross-device syncing.

**Highlights:** Audio-visual reading experience, EPUB and PDF reader, Pseudo audiobook generation, Immersion reading (audio/text sync), Library management and organization, Cross-device syncing, User-defined customization

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Gratuity Level 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Gratuity Level 2 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Gratuity Level 5 | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Highly customizable reading experience
- 🔒 Robust library management features
- 👍 Seamless integration with Calibre
- 👍 Excellent organization and tagging options
- 👍 Wide range of font and layout customization

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Sync issues between devices
- 🐛 Occasional crashes and performance problems
- 🔍 Complicated interface and setup process
- 🔍 Difficult to import large book libraries
- 🔍 Limited annotation and highlighting options

**Reported bugs**

- Freezing and crashing issues, especially on iOS 14
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between portrait and landscape modes
- Unreliable OPDS server integration and book downloads

**Requested features**

- Automatic reading progress sync across devices
- Improved PDF handling and annotation support
- Expanded highlighting and note-taking capabilities
- Streamlined library import and management
- Cleaner and more intuitive user interface


### BookShelves eBook Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookshelves-ebook-reader/id6756848973)

This app allows you to read EPUB, PDF, and comic books with access to over 1.5 million free public domain books. Organize your library, customize your reading experience with multiple themes and fonts, and sync your progress across devices.

**Highlights:** 1.5 million+ free books, EPUB, PDF, and comic reader, Customizable themes and fonts, iCloud sync across devices, Smart library management, Highlighting and note-taking, Export highlights

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Tip | $2.99 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $3.99 | one-time |
| Large Tip | $8.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Pro | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MapleRead SE free?

MapleRead SE costs $8.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is BookShelves eBook Reader free?

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

### Which has better reviews, MapleRead SE or BookShelves eBook Reader?

MapleRead SE is rated higher. MapleRead SE averages 4.1 out of 5 from 125 ratings, while BookShelves eBook Reader averages 3.9 from 15 ratings.

### Do MapleRead SE or BookShelves eBook Reader have ads?

Neither MapleRead SE nor BookShelves eBook Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MapleRead SE or BookShelves eBook Reader?

MapleRead SE ships an update every 2 months, and BookShelves eBook Reader weekly. Most recently, MapleRead SE was updated on September 23, 2026 and BookShelves eBook Reader on September 23, 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.*