# BookBuds: Read with friends

> Social book reading & friends

Canonical page: [https://chrome-stats.com/d/id6755941845](https://chrome-stats.com/d/id6755941845)

## Overview

- **ID:** `id6755941845`
- **Platform:** Apple
- **Type:** Apple app
- **Status:** Available
- **Publisher:** Starter School
- **Category:** Books
- **Rating:** 4.30 / 5 (153 ratings)
- **Version:** 1.0.38
- **Last updated:** 2026-06-18
- **First published:** 2025-12-22
- **Size:** 50 MB
- **Data as of:** 2026-09-18
- **Store listing:** [Apple App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bookbuds-read-with-friends/id6755941845)
- **Privacy policy:** [https://www.starterschool.com/privacy](https://www.starterschool.com/privacy)

## Description

BookBuds turns reading into a cozy, social experience. Gather around a virtual bonfire, start reading sessions, and let automatic timers track your minutes while friends join in. Watch your streaks grow, climb a shared leaderboard, and celebrate wins together.

Perfect for building reading habits, tackling your TBR, or simply staying motivated with friends, BookBuds makes reading feel social, fun, and sustainable. Core features are free, with optional subscriptions offering advanced analytics, deeper customization, and Pro tools.

## Rankings

- #118,759 — Overall
- #35 — kindle

## Review summary

Users love the social angle—reading with friends and time tracking—along with ongoing development. However, the experience is clouded by intrusive ads and aggressive monetization, plus recurring bugs (login, search, book adding) and onboarding friction. The app shows strong potential, but needs UX polish and a less aggressive monetization approach to realize its promise.

### Pros

- Social reading with friends (bonfires/leaderboards) helps accountability and makes it fun to read together.
- Reading time tracking and streaks add motivation and visible progress for group reading.
- Fresh app with strong potential; many reviewers see it could replace Goodreads for some users.
- Active development and responsiveness to feedback with frequent updates.

### Cons

- Heavy ads and multiple popups, including full-screen upgrade prompts on startup.
- Aggressive monetization: forced free trials, upsells, and high-cost paid plans.
- Technical reliability issues: login problems, inconsistent search, and difficulty adding or finding books.
- Onboarding friction: trouble finding friends, sending/receiving requests, and joining bonfires.

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Source: [Chrome-Stats](https://chrome-stats.com/d/id6755941845)