Libro.fm Audiobooks vs Seattle Public Library
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Libro.fm Audiobooks
Listen to audiobooks while supporting independent bookstores. Access a vast library, enjoy DRM-free content, and utilize reader-friendly features like bookmarks and sleep timers. Purchases directly benefit your chosen local bookshop.
- Support for independent bookstores
- DRM-free audiobooks
- Bookmarks and sleep timer
- Adjustable playback speed
- Automatic syncing across devices
- Recommendations from booksellers
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Looking to read audiobooks, and love supporting your local bookshop? We’re Libro.fm, an employee-owned audiobook company that shares profits with more than 4,000 indie bookshops around the globe. Whether you’re starting a membership or grabbing one of our 600,000+ audiobooks à la carte, every purchase supports your chosen store. • DRM-free (accessible audiobooks) • Reader-friendly features: Create bookmarks, set a sleep timer, adjust playback speed, create and assign tags, and automatically sync your spot across devices • Use your Libro.fm credits to redeem audiobooks in app • Supports Apple Watch and CarPlay • Recommendations from real booksellers As a Social Purpose Corporation and Certified B Corp™, we're proud to put time and resources into supporting indie bookshops and getting more folks to read—even if those goals may at times conflict with our financial interests. We care about the reading ecosystem and want it to thrive. Our privacy policy can be found at https://libro.fm/privacy Our terms of use can be found at https://libro.fm/terms
Seattle Public Library
Access the library's catalog, manage your account, and check out books from your mobile device. You can also find branches, reserve rooms, and explore library resources.
- Search catalog and place holds
- Digital library card
- Instant checkout by scanning
- Manage account and borrowing
- Scan ISBN to find books
- Find branches and hours
- Reserve rooms
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With The Seattle Public Library app, you can search our catalog, check out books and manage your account right from your phone or tablet! - Search our entire catalog and place holds directly from the app, then use your digital library card at a checkout station (you can add it to the wallet on your phone too). Or scan the material with the app to check it out instantly. - Check your account details and manage your borrowing on the go. - Scan an ISBN to quickly find it in our catalog, whether you're browsing in a bookstore or organizing your home collection. - Quickly find the branch nearest to you, and see open hours for every location. - Reserve a room and manage your reservations right from the app. - Switch the language you use to navigate the app to Spanish, Vietnamese or Chinese (Traditional and Simplified). - Explore our resources and see what’s happening at your Library!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Libro.fm Audiobooks at 4.9 against Seattle Public Library's 4.2. Libro.fm Audiobooks also leads on ratings volume (41K vs 26) and review sentiment (92% vs 75%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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.
Libro.fm Audiobooks holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Libro.fm Audiobooks has 41K ratings behind it against 26, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 92% of Libro.fm Audiobooks's written reviews are positive against 75% of Seattle Public Library's.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Libro.fm Audiobooks | Seattle Public Library |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (41K ratings) — better | 4.2 (26 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 91.7% of reviews — better | 75.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 41K — better | 26 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | #104 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.2 | 16.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 74 MB | 44 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Libro.fm | The Seattle Public Library |
Customer experience
Libro.fm Audiobooks
Seattle Public Library
Bugs and requests
Libro.fm Audiobooks
Reported bugs
3 issues- Playback stops when device goes to sleep
- Inability to download audiobooks on cellular data
- App crashes and loses progress in books
Requested features
4 requests- Add chapter support for audiobooks
- Improve search and browsing capabilities
- Allow in-app purchases and account management
- Implement syncing across devices
Seattle Public Library
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Libro.fm Audiobooks
No in-app purchases
Seattle Public Library
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Libro.fm Audiobooks free?
Is Seattle Public Library free?
Which has better reviews, Libro.fm Audiobooks or Seattle Public Library?
Do Libro.fm Audiobooks or Seattle Public Library have ads?
Which is updated more often, Libro.fm Audiobooks or Seattle Public Library?
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