# SimplyE — user reviews > 127 indexed App Store user reviews of SimplyE by The New York Public Library, rated 4.59/5 from 8,480 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplye/id1046583900/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplye/id1046583900.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 6,738 · 4★ 880 · 3★ 354 · 2★ 175 · 1★ 333 ## What do users think of SimplyE? Overall sentiment: neutral **Pros** - 🚀 Great selection of books - 🚀 Convenient access to library books - 👍 Ability to reserve books - 👍 Customizable reading experience - 👍 Supports multiple libraries **Cons** - 🐛 Glitchy downloads and playback - 🐛 Issues with returning/removing books - 🐛 Inconsistent bookmarking and navigation - 🐛 Unreliable notifications - 🐛 Crashes and stability problems **Commonly reported bugs** - Books disappearing from reserved list - Inability to download or return books - Incorrect book page counts - Inconsistent behavior when switching apps **Most requested features** - Wishlist or saved books feature - Reading history and progress tracking - Better search and filtering options - Annotations, highlights, and note-taking - Kindle/ereader integration ## Newest reviews (12 of 127) ### 3/5 — Waitlist *2025-05-30, version 3.9.5* I don’t like that I can’t see how long the waitlist is before putting a book on hold. I also can’t find how to change the playback speed of audiobooks. ### 2/5 — Too many issues *2025-05-27, version 3.9.5* The app was great until a year ago but hasn’t been updated or fixed for issues since. The books you return remain in your ‘borrowed’ folder and doesn’t allow you to download any new books… I have reached out to Nypl and they don’t seem to get a hold of the problem. I wouldn’t recommend using it. ### 2/5 — Needs a better report system *2025-05-20, version 3.9.5* I have two books stuck in my catalog that I can’t download or remove. I’ve been reporting it for months and nothing ### 4/5 — Suggestion *2025-05-04, version 3.9.5* I thoroughly enjoy this app. However, the one downfall I see, is when you’ve read a book there should be an indicator that you’ve read something already. That way you don’t have to go through titles, read the synopsis, and try to remember if you’ve read a book before or not. There are a lot of titles here. If you’re an avid reader this could become frustrating and a mundane task to try and sort things out. Just a friendly suggestion! 😊 ### 3/5 — Very tiny print and extremely hard to read *2025-04-25, version 3.9.5* I love ebooks but the AIPP is freaking ugly to read not user friendly don’t even bother downloading it ### 3/5 — Please Fix Ability to Change Libraries *2025-04-04, version 3.9.5* We moved to another state and my only choices are tied to my old state. Would love the ability to update. Deleting and reinstalling doesn't work. Thank you! ### 3/5 — Imposed scarcity, muy poco en Español *2025-03-24, version 3.9.5* There isn’t a true limit to how many copies of ebooks can be lent out. What envelope of care could support authors, libraries and readers while unleashing the post-scarcity, multi-lingual, pluralistic potential of ebooks? This ain’t it. It works OK, but certain limits are imposed, not inherent. ### 4/5 — It’s okay *2025-03-16, version 3.9.5* The big thing I don’t like about this app is that it keeps losing my place, especially in ebooks. ### 4/5 — Great for two years then sucked *2025-03-01, version 3.9.5* I’ve had this app for about two years it had a couple bugs but then about a month ago it started to not work as in when I opened the app it would just be white I tried to reopen the app but when I reopened it it was the same still just white. ### 4/5 — Returns *2025-03-01, version 3.9.5* This app is easy as far as downloading books, but I have yet to figure out how to return them early (so I can borrow different books when, before their “due dates, I have finished those I have downloaded.) Also, I can’t always tell if a book I am about to borrow is in English or not. ### 4/5 — Need wishlist or saved books *2025-01-22, version 3.9.5* This app would be fantastic if one could save the books to reserve later on, some sort of wishlist or favorites. It would be nice to see the books previously borrowed as well. ### 3/5 — Constant Hold Issue *2024-12-15, version 3.9.5* I receive notifications and emails informing me that a title is ready for me to read. I attempt to download and, surprise!, the title reverts back to hold. Used to be an occasional issue now is quite frequent. I honestly should just delete app and stick to google play read. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Unable to borrow or reserve books *2025-06-22, version 3.9.5* Unsatisfied ### 1/5 — Worst app ever *2025-04-20, version 3.9.5* In this app, you cannot browse books within the app while listening to audiobooks. I am tired of setting my preferences to audiobooks, but every time I open the app, my preference is back to ebooks. Those are just two of other inconveniences with this app. I can’t believe NYPL uses this app! ### 1/5 — Bug *2025-04-06, version 3.9.5* I can’t get any of my books that are ready to be downloaded and there is no way to report a bug. This app is a mess of bugs and is now unusable since I can’t check anything out. ### 1/5 — Won’t open *2025-04-02, version 3.9.5* The app won’t even open. I tried everything and for some reason it won’t work. ### 1/5 — Awful. *2025-02-11, version 3.9.5* This is so glitchy. I wait months for availability for a title, get notified that I can finally download, and then it just puts me to the back of the line again. Glitchy playback, many other issues as well. Incredibly frustrating to use ### 1/5 — Can’t return books *2025-01-30, version 3.9.5* Same problem as others : I can’t return books, therefore can’t borrow books because hit my limit. Cloud library is an alternative way to borrow books from NYPL but selection isn’t the same. ### 1/5 — Clunky *2025-01-30, version 3.9.5* Clunkier ereader app ever. Never keeps my place and often doesn’t recognize my password among my devices. ### 1/5 — Not reliable. Regular glitches *2025-01-21, version 3.9.5* This app regularly removes books in the reservation section and current rentals. Just recently it removed a book that still had 8 days remaining and my reservation list. 2 of which I had been on the waitlist for over 2 months. Beyond frustrating ### 1/5 — Auto Returns Books Early *2025-01-02, version 3.9.5* I was listening to an audio book that had 14 days left on my rental. I opened my app and the book had been returned as well as my next book in the queue. ### 1/5 — Can’t Return Books *2024-12-29, version 3.9.5* This app was great — but is now approaching useless. The app won’t register returned books as returned, meaning I hit the limit of books I’m allowed to have checked out through the app. When I look at my account in NYPL, it shows the books are returned. When I check the cloud library service, they’re also returned there. But the app continues to treat them as checked out. I can’t find a solution and nothing I’ve tried (including removing and redownloading the app) works. I can’t find any way to log into SimplyE from a computer, either — thinking that a browser interface might allow me to delete the books. It doesn’t seem to be possible to access through a browser. Reading reviews, it seems like this has been a known flaw for a while now. It seems that at some point soon, the books it’s failed to register as returned will reach the limit of 9 and I won’t be able to get new books at all, which is too bad because this app was helping me enjoy the New York Public Library and all it has to offer n a way I never had before. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Reading *2025-07-06, version 3.9.7* Im going to miss this app so much. You usually have most books I want to read. Easy to manage. Don’t go please. ### 5/5 — My Favorite Reading App *2025-07-03, version 3.9.7* I am sad that NYPL will no longer be using SimplyE. I love this app and much prefer it to the Libby app which I will have to use now. Thanks for all the great reads, SimplyE. ### 5/5 — So sad they’re retiring this app! *2025-06-28, version 3.9.5* I have so enjoyed using this app for many years! ### 5/5 — Love the app *2025-06-01, version 3.9.5* I love listening to audiobooks on the app from my New York Public Library account. The quality of the audio is amazing and the selection is fantastic. ### 5/5 — Walk Through Fire by Sheila Johnson *2025-04-10, version 3.9.5* Excellent. Walk through Fire was incredibly inspiring. I deeply appreciated and applaud Sheila Johnson’s honesty, and vulnerability throughout the book. She didn’t shy away from sharing the difficult parts of her journey and that courage moved me. Her story reminded me that we are not alone in our experiences- that behind the strength we see in others, there are often untold battles they have overcome. Getting encouraged me to reflect on my own path and feeling encouraged to share my truth. Her resilience lit a spark in me. ### 5/5 — Favorite One! *2025-04-09, version 3.9.5* I’ve been using it (mostly for audible books) and couldn’t love it more!When I’m at the gym,commuting or working it’s always my favorite app to use! ### 5/5 — Amazing! *2025-02-27, version 3.9.5* The library at your finger tips. Love this! Not only am I reading more but you can also listen to audio books. Brilliant! ### 5/5 — Bury your dead *2025-01-06, version 3.9.5* Wonderful story part of a series have enjoyed each one your service is Great ### 5/5 — Great App *2024-11-20, version 3.9.5* Love the app for audiobooks. Would be great if it included listening history markers like in Audible. ### 5/5 — Absolute must have for readers and lovers of reading. *2024-10-24, version 3.9.5* I love the audio options! --- *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 2026-06-10.*