Published 2026-11-03
Checked 2026-11-03
DATA SHEET · 2026-11-03
How much do book recaps cost per year?
Magic Bookmark's first book is free, and after that one credit covers one whole book: $4.99 single, or $4.00, $3.50 and $1.40 a book in packs of 5, 10 and 50. Credits never expire and there is no subscription. If you want recaps on 6 books a year, the cheapest route is the free credit plus a 5 pack ($19.99); on 11 books, the free credit plus a 10 pack ($34.99). Kindle Story So Far is free but only inside Kindle ebooks in the US.
Recap tools price differently: Kindle's are included with Kindle ebooks, Magic Bookmark charges per book, and doing it yourself costs time. This sheet works out the money side so you can compare by how you actually read.
What are the prices, exactly?
Magic Bookmark credit prices on the US App Store, checked 2026-11-03
| Pack | Price | Per book | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| First credit | $0 | $0 | Free with the download |
| 1 credit | $4.99 | $4.99 | One book, start to finish |
| 5 credits | $19.99 | $4.00 | |
| 10 credits | $34.99 | $3.50 | |
| 50 credits | $69.99 | $1.40 | Credits never expire |
A credit is spent per book, not per session: the bookmark moves with you through that book however many times you sync your page.
What is the cheapest way to buy for your reading year?
Cheapest credit combination by number of books you want recaps for in a year (first credit free)
| Books | Buy | Total | Per book | Credits left over |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nothing (free credit) | $0.00 | $0.00 | 0 |
| 2 | 1 single | $4.99 | $2.50 | 0 |
| 4 | 3 singles | $14.97 | $3.74 | 0 |
| 5 | 4 singles | $19.96 | $3.99 | 0 |
| 6 | One 5 pack | $19.99 | $3.33 | 0 |
| 8 | One 5 pack + 2 singles | $29.97 | $3.75 | 0 |
| 11 | One 10 pack | $34.99 | $3.18 | 0 |
| 16 | One 10 pack + one 5 pack | $54.98 | $3.44 | 0 |
| 21 | Two 10 packs | $69.98 | $3.33 | 0 |
| 24 | One 50 pack | $69.99 | $2.92 | 27 |
| 51 | One 50 pack | $69.99 | $1.37 | 0 |
Rule of thumb: singles up to five books a year, a 5 pack (plus singles) for six to nine, a 10 pack (plus a 5 pack or singles) for ten to twenty-one, and the 50 pack from twenty-two books, since leftover credits never expire. The differences near the edges are cents: at five books, four singles ($19.96) beat a 5 pack ($19.99) by three cents, and the pack leaves you one spare credit.
How does that compare with the alternatives?
Recap options compared on cost (desk assessment, checked 2026-11-03)
| Option | Money cost | Works with | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magic Bookmark | Per book, as above | Print, ebook and audiobook copies you own or borrow | Supported titles; iPhone; English |
| Kindle Story So Far | Free with the Kindle book | Kindle ebooks bought or borrowed through Amazon | US; Kindle iOS app and Kindle devices; Amazon's supported titles |
| Your own bookmark notes | Free | Any book | About 30 seconds per session, and you have to remember |
| Rereading the last chapter | Free | Any book | Ten to thirty minutes each time you come back |
Who gets the most value per dollar?
- Readers who pause books for weeks and lose the thread: one credit covers every return to that book.
- Print and library audiobook readers, who cannot use Kindle's built-in tools.
- Series readers working through supported long series, buying a pack once.
- Not: readers who finish books in one go, and Kindle-only readers in the US, who already have free tools.
Your own calculation
- Books I paused for more than a week last year: ____
- Of those, how many are in the app's catalog (check in the app): ____
- Do I read them on Kindle in the US? If yes, try Story So Far first
- Cheapest pack for my number from the table above: ____
- Reminder set to check the catalog before buying the next book: yes / no
Questions people actually ask
Is Magic Bookmark a subscription?
No. You buy Bookmark Credits; one credit covers one book and credits never expire. The first credit is free.
What is the cheapest per-book price?
$1.40 a book in the 50 credit pack ($69.99).
Does a credit run out if I stop reading for months?
No. The bookmark stays with that book, and unused credits never expire.
Is Kindle Story So Far free?
Yes, for supported Kindle ebooks in the US, in the Kindle iOS app and on Kindle devices.
Sources
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