PLS Connect vs BookBub
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
PLS Connect
Access your library's catalog, eBooks, eMagazines, and streaming video content from your mobile device. Manage your account, check out items, and discover popular titles. You can even apply for a library card directly through the app.
- Search library catalog
- Access eBooks and eMagazines
- Stream video content
- Manage library account
- Checkout, renew, and return items
- Digital library card access
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Pioneer Library System Connect makes it quick and easy to access your library on the go, 24/7. Search the library’s catalog, read eBooks and eMagazines, access streaming video content on-demand, manage your account, and find popular titles instantly. All you need is a PLS library card to get started – which you can apply for with the app! Features include: • Search the Pioneer Library System’s full catalog of print and digital materials. • Access eBooks, eMagazines, and streaming video content instantly on your device. • Manage your library account. • Easily checkout, renew, and return items. • Browse collections of hand-picked popular titles. • Access your library card number and barcode digitally. • See the latest in library news and events for your library. Have questions? Connect with a PLS librarian at https://chat.mosio.com/par/chat/new_chat/PLS for assistance.
BookBub
Discover daily deals on bestselling and free ebooks across all genres. Track your wishlist and receive price alerts for your favorite titles, ensuring you never miss a sale on books you want to read.
- Daily ebook deals
- Hundreds of free ebooks
- Personalized recommendations
- Wishlist tracking
- Price alerts
- Genre and price filtering
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Discover amazing deals on bestselling ebooks, plus hundreds of free ebooks. Track your wishlist and get alerts when your most wanted titles go on sale. BookBub helps millions of readers save money on ebooks they'll love. Our expert editors hand pick incredible ebook deals every day across all major genres — romance, mystery, thrillers, women's fiction, fantasy, contemporary fiction, nonfiction, and many more — from bestselling authors to hidden gems. WHY READERS LOVE BOOKBUB: THE BIGGEST EBOOKS, UP TO 95% OFF We feature limited-time ebook deals from all major retailers. Get huge savings on the biggest books and authors, including #1 New York Times bestsellers. HUNDREDS OF FREE EBOOKS Unlock a vast selection of free ebooks across 40+ genres, with new titles added each day YOUR PERSONAL BOOK TRACKER Build your reading wishlist and never miss a sale. Add any book you want to read, and we'll notify you when it's discounted. Track your TBR (to-be-read) list, sort by release date or author, and mark it as read when you're done. PERSONALIZED TO YOUR READING TASTE Our editorial team hand picks from thousands of ebooks to bring you only the best — from BookTok favorites to award-winning fiction. FEATURES: - Browse daily ebook deals personalized to your reading preferences - Track unlimited books on your wishlist - Get price alerts for specific titles or favorite authors - Discover popular titles to add to your list - Filter deals by genre and price - Buy from your favorite ebook store "When we say 'deal,' we mean it — many of BookBub's titles are free entirely, $0.99, or just a couple of bucks." — Lifehacker "Bargain-basement deals on ebooks." — The New York Times Join millions of happy readers saving money on ebooks every day. Questions? Visit bookbub.com/apphelp
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: BookBub at 4.7 against PLS Connect's 3.5. BookBub also leads on ratings volume (960 vs 19) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). PLS Connect's advantage is iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
BookBub holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BookBub has 960 ratings behind it against 19, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 43% of PLS Connect's written reviews are positive against 54% of BookBub's.
PLS Connect ships an update every 2 months, BookBub every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | PLS Connect | BookBub |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.5 (19 ratings) | 4.7 (960 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 42.9% of reviews | 54.4% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 19 | 960 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | — | #53 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 26 MB | 4 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Pioneer Library System | Pubmark Inc. |
Customer experience
PLS Connect
BookBub
Bugs and requests
PLS Connect
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
BookBub
Reported bugs
3 issues- App crashes or freezes during use
- Sign-up and login issues
- Incompatibility with certain devices or operating systems
Requested features
4 requests- Add support for Kindle and other ebook platforms
- Implement search and filtering options
- Allow users to manage their reading lists and leave reviews
- Improve email subscription management
In-app purchases
PLS Connect
No in-app purchases
BookBub
No in-app purchases
