# Bookplay vs Darkside Books

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Darkside Books at 66% against Bookplay's 7%. Darkside Books also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Bookplay sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $61.99 per month. Darkside Books asks for nothing beyond the download.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bookplay | Darkside Books |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookplay/id937298666/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **4** | — |
| Positive reviews | 7.4% of reviews | **66.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 96 MB | 54 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | +12 | +12 |
| Developer | [Bookplay Comércio de Livros LTDA](https://appshunter.io/developer/1424341613) | [DarkSide Books](https://appshunter.io/developer/1708273741) |

## What reviewers say

### Bookplay

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookplay/id937298666)

Access a vast library of over 50,000 books, 4,000 audiobooks, 2,000 online courses, and more. Enjoy exclusive content for children, including games and printable activities, plus a benefits club with discounts.

**Highlights:** Extensive library of books and audiobooks, Online courses and video lessons, Exclusive children's section with games, Benefits club with discounts, Offline reading and listening, Personalized recommendations

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Conhecimento sem limites! | $61.99 | per month |


### Darkside Books

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/darkside-books/id1555302040)

Explore a vast collection of horror, fantasy, and true crime literature from an official bookstore. Discover exclusive promotions, unique collector's editions, and personalized wishlists. Immerse yourself in a supernatural literary universe.

**Highlights:** Official DarkSide Books store, Horror, fantasy, and true crime literature, Exclusive promotions and discounts, Collector's editions, Personalized wishlist, New releases and author features

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Beautiful book editions
- 🎁 Great gifts and discounts
- 🎨 Visually appealing design
- 📚 High-quality books
- 👍 Easy navigation (for some)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent bugs and glitches
- 🔒 Login issues (logout, errors)
- ❌ App not functional
- 🐌 Slow loading times
- 🚫 Cannot make purchases

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes frequently
- Cannot log in or stays logged out
- Favorites disappear or don't load
- Errors when performing actions on the account
- App closes and logs out user

**Requested features**

- Update the app regularly
- Improve UX/UI design
- Fix login persistence
- Ensure all products are available on the app
- Improve search functionality


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bookplay free?

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

### Is Darkside Books free?

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

### Do Bookplay or Darkside Books have ads?

Neither Bookplay nor Darkside Books shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bookplay or Darkside Books?

Bookplay ships an update every 3 weeks, and Darkside Books every 3 weeks. Most recently, Bookplay was updated on October 26, 2026 and Darkside Books on October 27, 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.*