# Glose vs Bilingual Bookshelf

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Bilingual Bookshelf at 100% against Glose's 27%. Bilingual Bookshelf also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.5). Glose's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ratings volume (8.1K vs 6). On price, update cadence, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Bilingual Bookshelf sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Glose asks for nothing beyond the download.

Bilingual Bookshelf holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Glose has 8.1K ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 27% of Glose's written reviews are positive against 100% of Bilingual Bookshelf's.

Glose ships an update every 3 weeks, Bilingual Bookshelf every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Glose | Bilingual Bookshelf |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (8.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/glose/id896681871/reviews) | **[4.8 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bilingual-bookshelf/id6469552772/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **8.1K** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 26.7% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 65 MB | 598 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Readwise, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1476885527) | [Gallaudet University](https://appshunter.io/developer/514659117) |

## What reviewers say

### Glose

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/glose/id896681871)

This reading app enhances the experience with social features, allowing users to connect with others, share notes, and join online book clubs. Explore a vast ebookstore, read excerpts for free, and import your own EPUBs for offline access.

**Highlights:** Social reading and annotation sharing, Access to 1 million ebooks, Read up to 10% of any book for free, Import your own EPUBs, Offline reading capabilities, Create and join online book clubs, Generate and share quote cards

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth reading experience
- 👍 Intuitive interface
- 💡 Social features for sharing highlights

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔒 Lack of offline access to downloaded books
- 👎 Difficult to navigate and find your place
- 💤 Sluggish performance
- 📚 Inability to export or transfer purchased books

**Reported bugs**

- Pages skipping or jumping unexpectedly
- Highlighting and note-taking features not working as expected
- Audiobook playback issues like skipping and glitching
- Login and account management problems

**Requested features**

- Bookmark and annotation management
- Customizable reading settings
- Seamless sync across devices
- Improved search and organization of library


### Bilingual Bookshelf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bilingual-bookshelf/id6469552772)

Explore a collection of over 50 bilingual storybooks in American Sign Language and English. Designed for families, this app fosters language development, literacy, and a love for reading through engaging stories and vibrant illustrations.

**Highlights:** 50+ bilingual storybooks, American Sign Language (ASL) and English narration, Stunning illustrations, Vocabulary building, Early language development support, Literacy skill enhancement

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $0.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $4.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Glose free?

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

### Is Bilingual Bookshelf free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Glose or Bilingual Bookshelf?

Bilingual Bookshelf is rated higher. Glose averages 4.5 out of 5 from 8.1K ratings, while Bilingual Bookshelf averages 4.8 from 6 ratings.

### Do Glose or Bilingual Bookshelf have ads?

Neither Glose nor Bilingual Bookshelf shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Glose or Bilingual Bookshelf?

Glose ships an update every 3 weeks, and Bilingual Bookshelf every 5 weeks. Most recently, Glose was updated on November 1, 2026 and Bilingual Bookshelf on October 18, 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.*