# indyreads™ — user reviews > 171 indexed App Store user reviews of indyreads™ by State Library of New South Wales, rated 4.10/5 from 11 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/indyreads/id1448991111/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/indyreads/id1448991111.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 6 · 4★ 3 · 3★ 0 · 2★ 1 · 1★ 1 ## What do users think of indyreads™? Overall sentiment: negative **Pros** - 🚀 Fast access to quality literature - 💡 Fantastic library of titles - 👍 Essential public infrastructure **Cons** - 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches - 🔒 Unreliable login and account management - 👎 Slow and laggy performance - 🔍 Poor search and navigation - 📚 Inconsistent book tracking and progress **Commonly reported bugs** - Frequent unexpected logouts and data loss - Download and playback issues with audiobooks - Inconsistent behavior when switching between online/offline - Unreliable hold notifications and availability information **Most requested features** - Add page numbers and total pages - Improve Bluetooth/remote control support for audiobooks - Display book length and narrator information - Provide more customization options for text and layout ## Newest reviews (17 of 171) ### 3/5 — Great app, needs a few fixes though *2026-04-06* Love the app but have encountered three major issues with it: 1. When browsing books in the search function, only the same few books show up over & over when scrolling through, unless you scroll right to the bottom and force it to load more. Once these have loaded the same thing happens on repeat. 2. When making lists, the list doesn't show all the books. E.g I have a list containing 14 books, but it only shows the cover / icons for 10 books and then half the top of another two, and that's it. All my lists cut off without showing all the books in them. 3. The audiobooks do not tell you how long they are when browsing through the titles. This feels like a massive oversight and audiobook length should be included with other info like the language and publication year. It would be good if the narrator was listed also. ### 4/5 — Free books! *2026-03-03, version 26.2.6* Love that I get to save money as the app and access to books are free. There’s definitely a couple of bugs that need to be fixed, but I’m enjoying the app so far! ### 2/5 — logging in too often *2026-02-21* the app requests log in every 2-3 days and is very slow to show the bookshelf, I’d like the search to work for titles better, the series Im listening to isn’t all under the same link because each book is in its own ie: series name #1, etc so I can’t just hit the series link to access the next in the series, can’t even find the book title when I type it in exactly, have to search the author and trawl through all of the books looking at the tiny thumbnails trying to see which is the one I want, recently the menus all were in another language but the main parts were in english ### 2/5 — Unreliable *2026-02-13, version 26.2.2* I would give this app one star on technical grounds but I appreciate being able to access quality literature for free. I have had carefully curated reading lists mysteriously deleted, books mysteriously returned before completing them and periodically shut out for long periods. It’s one of the worst apps I have ever used. ### 2/5 — Glitchy *2026-01-26, version 5.5.22* Extremely frustrated to get 64 of 68 chapters into a gripping book and the title was unable to be played or re-downloaded. Tried uninstalling and re-installing the app without success. Tried accessing on another device but had the same issue. ### 4/5 — Improvements *2026-01-22, version 5.5.22* This app could be improved with page numbers and total pages. For example 27/257 This would support moving backward and forward through the book. ### 2/5 — Improvement needed *2026-01-09, version 5.5.22* Please add available dates for items on hold. I can see them on the website but the app doesn’t have it. Browsing can be improved also. After tapping to see a book detail, it does not take me back to where I was. It takes me to the top of the page. Please update so that it take me back to where I was. ### 2/5 — Love the content, hate the app *2026-01-05, version 5.5.22* Every update logs you out, removes downloaded content and introduces a new annoying bug to deal with. I go to put on a book for my drive, find I’m required to put in my library and login yet again, and then discover the book I’m half way through is no longer downloaded and the app refuses to play it or download it until I’m on wifi; despite the fact I’ve set it to accept cellular data. This is an infuriating experience for someone who travels a lot and has no home internet. ### 3/5 — Tech problems *2025-12-13, version 5.5.22* The books that I borrow on indyreads™ are great so thank you for those. I do have a problem with the technology of this site though, because when I go out it keeps dropping out and I have to re-login. The technology side of the app does not seem to work as well as Libby or BorrowBox. ### 2/5 — Automatic Logout *2025-12-09, version 5.5.22* The app is fine in the way it works, but it annoyingly automatically logs me out every few days and then deletes my downloaded title. Sometimes I’ll exit the app or pause the audiobook for only a few minutes and I’m logged out again. It’s very frustrating as I have to wait till I get home to download it again. ### 2/5 — Extremely laggy/slow; abysmal text-to-speech engine *2025-12-06, version 5.5.22* I don’t know why loading the book and reading on this app is frustratingly slow even if the book is already downloaded into the device. The on-screen settings popups don’t go away after setting something up, and I have to close and reopen the app to make it work normally again. Also, while the text-to-speech engine is helpful, it doesn’t have the natural-sounding voice and is robotic, which I did not expect from a 2025 app. ### 2/5 — Really problematical *2025-12-05, version 5.5.22* Hard to locate holds that are notified as ready. Many problems when reception is not the absolute best - esp in comparison with other audiobook apps. ### 2/5 — Download issue *2025-11-29* I have been having issues with this app. All was going well but then I kept being logged out of the account. I mostly listen to audiobooks when I’m driving to and from work. It usually takes a minute for my car in-play system to connect to my phone, by which time I’m driving and am therefore unable to log into the app. When this has occurred, I have also had to re-download the book. Mercifully, on each occasion my place in the book has been maintained. But now I have a different problem that I have not been able to overcome. The last time this happened to me, when I went to download the book (again!) it came up with a “Download error”. I cannot play the book. I get the spinning wheel of death that never resolves. I have tried countless times over different days. I’ve tried logging out. I’ve even deleted the app and it has come back, still maintaining my place but displaying the error message. I’m 70% through the book so this is very frustrating. As a fun aside, the app has also sent me a notification reminding me that I’ve got a book that I seem to have forgotten about!! lol, thanks for that. ### 2/5 — Good but… *2025-11-22, version 5.5.22* It’s great to access library books but it is a pain that it keeps logging you out all the time and you have to redownload titles and it doesn’t tell you how much of the book you have read. Also the last update that was done in Nov 2025 that was done to fix log in issues has made it worse and now I can’t log in at all ### 2/5 — Review *2025-11-16, version 5.5.22* Keep having to sign in when I go back in to continue reading. Cannot read off line. But on a positive the app has some good book titles and the hold times aren’t to long for the popular books. Thanks ### 2/5 — Searching is a challenge *2025-11-04, version 5.5.19* I really enjoy the selection of books on offer but I’m giving two stars for the search method. Whenever I go in to read about a book I might be interested in afterwards it takes me back to the very beginning of the list. The frustration this causes has made think at times of deleting the app altogether ### 2/5 — Great - when it works *2025-10-01* I am so grateful for this library app, with its marvellous collection and easy to use interface, but it's incredibly unstable. Right now I (freshly updated) I can't make it work for audiobooks at all, and this isn't the first time it has completely broken down in the years I have been using it. Sadly, there's no tech support available to the average user (just a troubleshooting FAQ that doesn't touch the sides of how unstable it is). Update: this issue was fixed with an update about 24 hours after I wrote this review. They probably received feedback via member libraries too, but it was a quickly rolled out update and I am very grateful. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Let me reset my password *2026-03-04* I updated this app a few days ago and it forcibly logged me out and now my library-assigned pin isn’t working and none of my usual passwords are correct either - and nowhere on the app or on the mobile site is there an option for me to reset my password. Nothing in the website the “help” link takes you to is related to resetting a password either. The range of titles on this app is fantastic but this app is so clunky at the best of times. I have a loan I would like to read. Let me log in. Let me fix my login issues without having to physically go to my local library. It’s baffling to me that it’s not easy to do this. ### 1/5 — App keeps crashing *2026-02-12, version 26.2.2* This app keeps logging me out or crashing. It is slow to load and often misses progress (restarting a-previous page) ### 1/5 — Pathetic and almost useless *2026-01-19, version 5.5.22* Horrible, terrible and a waste of government money. Constantly deleting downloads and signing out on its own. Won't pause on Bluetooth commands, only on screen (the only app that does this). What a disgrace of a platform ### 1/5 — Nope! *2025-11-14, version 5.5.19* Just downloaded and registered, and although the app language is set to English in the settings, the info categories are all in Spanish. Also, the first audiobook I searched showed as “there” but no available date and something about the publisher not providing access? Back to BorrowBox. ### 1/5 — Worst loan app *2025-11-12, version 5.5.19* Constantly logs me out, almost daily so that even while driving Im required to log back into the library to keep listening, app has also stopped working while driving for seemingly no reason, no app support, some audio files have not worked at all, overall they have a decent liver of books but the platform is very poor. ### 1/5 — Essentially unusable. *2025-10-09* This app regularly has issues which prevent it being useable. Which is a shame as the content is amazing. Things that are issues when listening to audiobooks: 1. You can’t browse and listen as the menu bar with your book covers up the “borrow/place a hold button”. You have to stop your audiobook from playing and then go back to place a hold. 2. There is no way to see what percentage you are in a book. You can see a rough outline in the bookshelf section, but no where else. 3. No where has the length of an audiobook listed OR the narrator. These are common pieces of information needed for audiobooks. 4. The often REGULARLY has updates that prevent you from listening to books you’ve already borrowed. ### 1/5 — Frustrating *2025-09-30, version 5.5.12* The most annoying app. Will not load book . Always a problem. Hate it !!!!! ### 1/5 — Logging out *2025-09-28, version 5.5.12* The app has great book but constantly logs you out and looses your downloads. It doesn’t work offline unless it’s opened when online and many of the files don’t play when downloaded. ### 1/5 — Errors downloading books *2025-09-28, version 5.5.12* Over the last week or so I can not open any audiobooks. Just has errors - time left label 12.34. Tried deleting and reinstalling app but now error is on my almost finished books. Always something with this app. ### 1/5 — Free, but at what cost? *2025-09-27, version 5.5.12* Painful to use. Logs you out several times per book and then you've got to download the audiobooks again. Poor notification ability. No where near as good or polished as borrow box But it's free. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Best app ever *2026-03-22, version 26.3.0* You can get audiobooks for free and thousands of diffrent comedies and books. ### 5/5 — Essential *2026-02-06, version 5.6.7* This app has such a fantastic library of titles. No more audible for me. An essential piece of public infrastructure, and I hope every public library in Australia participates. ### 5/5 — Awesome *2025-11-22, version 5.5.22* I love a good read that doesn’t break the bank or take up a pile of space. ### 5/5 — Really beneficial *2025-11-11, version 5.5.19* My first time using a library app. It’s so simple to use and handy for borrowing ebooks to transfer to my Kobo and listening to audiobooks. I’m really late to the party! ### 5/5 — Joy *2025-06-07, version 5.4.46* Love the Napoleon Bonaparte novels by Arthur Upfield 💗 ### 5/5 — Please fix this issue *2025-05-16, version 5.4.35* I downloaded my reading material to read whilst I knew I would have no phone or internet access. Every time I opened IndyReads, it had jumped off/ failed to remember my library and would not open. how can I read offline if this keeps occurring? ### 5/5 — Great app *2025-05-07, version 5.4.35* Love the read out loud function. ### 5/5 — issues sometimes. *2025-04-27, version 5.4.35* The app is is extremely good but occasionally it disconnects and you’ve got to re-sign in, sometimes that doesn’t work. It’s necessary to reinstall it. Then you start reading a book and your pause and when you come back to it, you’ve got to re-sign it again. This never happens with BorrowBox Libby or Vision Australia Libraries. ### 5/5 — Indy review *2025-01-18* It’s a great product, lots of books to chose from, but the last few days the pages keep freezing, try & finish a chapter & it reverts back to the last chapter, it’s both on the iPad & iPhone, I’ve powered off numerous times, removed the app & reloaded, finally got to finish the book I was reading & move onto the next one to have it still doing it, I’ve deleted the book & reinstalled it & still happening, very frustrating as it’s such a good product. ### 5/5 — Good app, great access to ematerial and audio books *2025-01-01, version 5.4.11* So great to get this level of free access to books. Thanks State Library of NSW! --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-09.*