# Libro.fm Audiobooks vs DeerReader

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Libro.fm Audiobooks at none against DeerReader's 1. Libro.fm Audiobooks also leads on ratings volume (37K vs 2) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. DeerReader sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per year. Libro.fm Audiobooks asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Libro.fm Audiobooks against 5.0 for DeerReader. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Libro.fm Audiobooks has 37K ratings behind it against 2, 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 100% of DeerReader's.

Libro.fm Audiobooks ships an update every 3 weeks, DeerReader every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Libro.fm Audiobooks | DeerReader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (37K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/librofm-audiobooks/id1057776523/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/deerreader-audiobook-player/id6748619971/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **37K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 92.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#84** | — |
| Size | 60 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.2** | 26.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Libro.fm](https://appshunter.io/developer/1057776522) | [Cloverfield Technologies LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1744210662) |

## What reviewers say

### Libro.fm Audiobooks

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

**Currently charting:** #84 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


### DeerReader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/deerreader-audiobook-player/id6748619971)

Organize and listen to your digital audiobooks with a beautiful, intelligent player. Features adaptive UI, fast search, and automatic sorting into collections using AI. Enjoy a seamless listening experience with home screen widget access.

**Highlights:** Adaptive player UI matching audiobook cover, Fast, unified search for books and authors, Home screen widget for instant access, AI-powered automatic organization into collections, Intuitive playback controls, Support for large digital libraries

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Yearly Support Subscription | $9.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Libro.fm Audiobooks free?

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

### Is DeerReader free?

DeerReader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

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

DeerReader is rated higher. Libro.fm Audiobooks averages 4.9 out of 5 from 37K ratings, while DeerReader averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Libro.fm Audiobooks or DeerReader have ads?

Neither Libro.fm Audiobooks nor DeerReader shows ads.

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

Libro.fm Audiobooks ships an update every 3 weeks, and DeerReader every 2 months. Most recently, Libro.fm Audiobooks was updated on September 25, 2026 and DeerReader on September 7, 2026.

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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.*