Libby, the library app vs BKLYN Library
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Libby, the library app
Access millions of free ebooks and audiobooks from your local library. Borrow titles instantly with your library card, download for offline enjoyment, and enjoy a customizable reading and listening experience.
- Borrow ebooks and audiobooks
- Download for offline access
- Send ebooks to Kindle
- Adjust reader settings
- Customize audio player
- Create book lists
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All over the world, local libraries offer millions of ebooks and audiobooks. You can borrow them — for free, instantly — with a library card and Libby: the award-winning, much-loved app for libraries. • Browse your library’s digital catalog of books — from classics to NYT best-sellers • Borrow and enjoy ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines • Download titles for offline reading, or stream them to save space • Send ebooks to your Kindle (U.S. libraries only) • Listen to audiobooks via Apple CarPlay • Use tags to create your must-read list and any other book lists you want • Keep your reading position automatically synced on all your devices In our beautiful, intuitive ebook reader: • Adjust text size, background color, and book design • Zoom into magazines and comic books • Define and search for words and phrases • Read and listen to read-alongs with your kids • Add bookmarks, notes, and highlights In our ground-breaking audio player: • Slow down or speed up the audio (0.6 to 3.0x) • Set a sleep timer • Simply swipe to skip forward and backward • Add bookmarks, notes, and highlights Libby is built by the team at OverDrive, in support of local libraries everywhere. Happy reading!
BKLYN Library
Access and manage your library account from your mobile device. Browse physical and digital collections, manage checkouts and holds, and utilize mobile checkout features. The app also supports managing multiple library cards.
- Browse physical and digital collections
- Manage checkouts and holds
- Mobile checkout
- Manage multiple library cards
- Create booklists
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-Browse the library's physical and digital collection -Manage your checkouts, holds, and booklists. -Mobile checkout -Manage multiple library cards
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Libby, the library app at 4.9 against BKLYN Library's 4.1. Libby, the library app also leads on ratings volume (4.4M vs 85) and update cadence (monthly vs every 5 months). 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.
Libby, the library app holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Libby, the library app has 4.4M ratings behind it against 85, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 84% of Libby, the library app's written reviews are positive against 61% of BKLYN Library's.
Libby, the library app ships an update monthly, BKLYN Library every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Libby, the library app | BKLYN Library |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (4.4M ratings) — better | 4.1 (85 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 83.7% of reviews — better | 61.4% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 4.4M — better | 85 |
| Update frequency | Monthly — better | Every 5 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | #2 — better | #201 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 10.0 — better | 17.5 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 13 MB | 2 MB |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | OverDrive, Inc. | Brooklyn Public Library |
Customer experience
Libby, the library app
BKLYN Library
User reviews
Libby, the library app
From 4.4M App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 📚 Extensive library of books and audiobooks
- 🔍 Convenient search and browsing features
- 🔖 Easy to manage holds and returns
- 🔄 Seamless syncing across devices
- 🕰️ Automatic returns to avoid late fees
Room to improve
- 🕰️ Long wait times for popular titles
- 🔍 Confusing search and filtering options
- 🤯 Buggy and unstable performance
- 🔒 Lack of offline reading/listening
- 📚 Limited selection in some genres
BKLYN Library
From 85 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Easy to use and navigate
- 🚀 Efficient mobile checkout
- 💡 Scan ISBN barcode to find books
- 💡 Digital library card
- 👍 Great for placing holds
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent login issues
- 🐛 App becomes slow and unusable
- 🐛 Requires frequent re-downloads
- 🐛 Blank screen or loading issues
- 🐛 Books disappear from checkouts/holds
Bugs and requests
Libby, the library app
Reported bugs
5 issues- Frequent app crashes and freezes
- Issues with downloading and syncing content
- Unreliable playback controls for audiobooks
- Inconsistent behavior when placing holds
- Disappearing reading history and bookmarks
Requested features
6 requests- Ability to search across multiple libraries
- Custom reading/listening speed controls
- Improved recommendation and discovery tools
- Option to purchase unavailable titles
- Customizable reading experience (fonts, themes)
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- Integration with other e-book/audiobook services
BKLYN Library
Reported bugs
13 issues- App broken, page blank, books overdue
- App stops working after a while, needs re-download
- Mobile checkout involves buffering
- Constantly signing out, need to re-enter details
- Added accounts disappear after re-login
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- App doesn't load, says not connected to internet
- App stuck on blank screen, no sign-in option
- Books disappear under Checkouts and Holds
- App is super slow and glitchy
- App doesn't load, gets stuck, can't change accounts
- App stops working after a few days, kicks user off
- Cannot get app to work on library WiFi
- Age restricted to 17+
Requested features
4 requests- Bring back location finder with hours
- Keep users logged in
- Improve branch hours/closures display
- Allow offline access to library card
In-app purchases
Libby, the library app
No in-app purchases
BKLYN Library
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Libby, the library app free?
Is BKLYN Library free?
Which has better reviews, Libby, the library app or BKLYN Library?
Do Libby, the library app or BKLYN Library have ads?
Which is updated more often, Libby, the library app or BKLYN Library?
Which is more popular, Libby, the library app or BKLYN Library?
Other comparisons
