# Libro.fm Audiobooks vs Bookshop.org

Libro.fm Audiobooks and Bookshop.org both sit at 4.9 stars, but that hides the real split: 92% of Libro.fm Audiobooks's written reviews are positive against 57% of Bookshop.org's. Libro.fm Audiobooks also leads on ratings volume (41K vs 2.3K). Bookshop.org's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and update cadence (every 5 days vs monthly). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Libro.fm Audiobooks against 4.8 for Bookshop.org. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Libro.fm Audiobooks has 41K ratings behind it against 2.3K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 92% of Libro.fm Audiobooks's written reviews are positive against 57% of Bookshop.org's.

Libro.fm Audiobooks ships an update monthly, Bookshop.org every 5 days. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Libro.fm Audiobooks | Bookshop.org |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (41K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/librofm-audiobooks/id1057776523/reviews)** | [4.8 (2.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookshoporg-ebook-reader/id6465290096/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **41K** | 2.3K |
| Positive reviews | **91.8% of reviews** | 56.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#99** | #185 |
| Size | 60 MB | 111 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.2** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Libro.fm](https://appshunter.io/developer/1057776522) | [Bookshop, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1706515971) |

## What reviewers say

### Libro.fm Audiobooks

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/librofm-audiobooks/id1057776523)

**Currently charting:** #99 Top Free · Book (US App Store)

Access a vast library of audiobooks while supporting local bookstores. Purchase audiobooks with credits, enjoy DRM-free downloads, and listen on the go with features like playback speed control and a sleep timer. Your purchases directly benefit independent booksellers.

**Highlights:** Explore 600,000+ audiobooks, Use audiobook credits, Apple Watch listening, Automatic sync across devices, Bookmarks and playback speed, Sleep timer, DRM-free downloads

**Features:** Siri integration, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Support for local bookstores
- 🚀 Convenient and easy to use
- 💡 DRM-free audiobooks
- 🎨 Great user interface
- 🎁 Generous membership benefits

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy playback and syncing issues
- 🔍 Limited search and browsing functionality
- 💰 Audiobook prices can be high
- 🤔 Lack of certain features (e.g. chapters, in-app purchases)

**Reported bugs**

- Playback stops when device goes to sleep
- Inability to download audiobooks on cellular data
- App crashes and loses progress in books

**Requested features**

- Add chapter support for audiobooks
- Improve search and browsing capabilities
- Allow in-app purchases and account management
- Implement syncing across devices


### Bookshop.org

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookshoporg-ebook-reader/id6465290096)

**Currently charting:** #185 Top Free · Book (US App Store)

Read your ebooks and discover new titles while supporting independent bookstores. All ebook purchases made through this platform directly benefit local bookshops, ensuring their continued success in the digital age.

**Highlights:** Read ebooks from your library, Browse millions of ebooks, Add titles to wishlist, Support local bookstores with purchases, Connect seamlessly with Bookshop

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Wonderful app
- 👍 Great alternative to Amazon
- 👍 Supports local bookstores
- 👍 Clean and pleasing interface
- 👍 Solid app for a new release

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Formatting issues (lack of italics, poor paragraph spacing, etc.)
- 🐛 Buggy page turning and navigation
- 🔧 Limited customization options (fonts, themes, brightness, etc.)
- 🔧 Missing essential features (highlighting, note-taking, search, etc.)

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to remember last page read
- Scrolling issues and unexpected page skipping
- Formatting problems (stripped italics, weird paragraph spacing)
- Settings not persisting between app sessions

**Requested features**

- More font and theme options
- Ability to adjust line spacing, margins, and other formatting
- Implement highlighting, annotation, and note-taking features
- Add search functionality
- Improve page turning and navigation


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Libro.fm Audiobooks free?

Libro.fm Audiobooks is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Bookshop.org free?

Bookshop.org is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Libro.fm Audiobooks or Bookshop.org?

Libro.fm Audiobooks is rated higher. Libro.fm Audiobooks averages 4.9 out of 5 from 41K ratings, while Bookshop.org averages 4.8 from 2.3K ratings.

### Do Libro.fm Audiobooks or Bookshop.org have ads?

Neither Libro.fm Audiobooks nor Bookshop.org shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Libro.fm Audiobooks or Bookshop.org?

Libro.fm Audiobooks ships an update monthly, and Bookshop.org every 5 days. Most recently, Libro.fm Audiobooks was updated on October 30, 2026 and Bookshop.org on October 30, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Libro.fm Audiobooks or Bookshop.org?

Libro.fm Audiobooks currently peaks at #99 in the App Store charts, and Bookshop.org at #185. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*