Comparison

Libby, the library app vs Leafcast

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Libby, the library app

Access your local library's digital collection of ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines for free. Read or listen on your phone or tablet, download titles for offline use, and personalize your reading experience with customizable settings.

Highlights
  • Borrow ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines
  • Send ebooks to Kindle (US only)
  • Offline reading and listening
  • Customizable reading experience
  • Adjustable audiobook playback speed
  • Sleep timer for audiobooks
  • Organize titles with tags
Currently charting
Read full description

Libby connects you to your local library’s collection of ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, and more. With just your library card, you can instantly read or listen to books on your phone or tablet — for free, thanks to your public library! Browse and borrow everything from timeless classics to the latest New York Times bestsellers, and enjoy your next great read anytime, anywhere. What You Can Do with Libby - Browse your library’s digital catalog of books - Borrow and enjoy ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines - Send ebooks to your Kindle (U.S. libraries only) - Listen to audiobooks through Apple CarPlay - Download titles for offline reading, or stream them to save space - Use tags to create to-be--read lists or organize your favorite titles - Keep your reading position with automatic syncing across all your devices A Beautiful Reading Experience Enjoy a seamless reading experience with Libby’s elegant, easy-to-use ebook reader: - Adjust text size, background color, and book design to fit your preferences - Zoom into magazines, comics, and graphic novels - Define and search for words or phrases instantly - Read and listen to interactive read-alongs with your kids - Add bookmarks, notes, and highlights to personalize your reading An Immersive Audiobook Player Libby’s audiobook player makes listening effortless and enjoyable: - Slow down or speed up playback (0.6x to 3.0x) - Set a sleep timer for nighttime listening - Swipe easily to skip forward or backward - Add bookmarks, notes, and highlights as you listen Read Anywhere, Anytime Libby is designed for everyone, including kids, teens, and adults. Whether you’re exploring new stories, catching up on bestsellers, or revisiting your favorite books, Libby keeps reading simple, fun, and accessible. Built by OverDrive, Libby proudly supports public libraries and the joy of reading for all. Download Libby today and turn your device into your personal library.

About

Leafcast

Transform your physical books into personal audiobooks with AI narration. Preserve cherished texts or enjoy rare titles on the go. Access a free library of public domain works.

Highlights
  • Convert physical books to audio
  • AI-powered narration
  • Upload pages incrementally
  • No subscription fees
  • Preserve personal texts
  • Free classic library access
Features
Read full description

Leafcast is for book lovers who want to listen to the books they already own. Turn your physical books into personal audiobooks, whether they’re rare, out-of-print, or simply not available on other platforms. We believe your bookshelf deserves a voice. Why Leafcast? - Upload As You Go: No need to scan an entire book at once — add pages over time! Most books take minutes to upload and give you hours of listening. - No Subscriptions: Pay only for what you use. No monthly fees. No locked shelves. - Preserve What Matters: Keep your favorite paperbacks, journals, or heirloom texts alive in a new format. - Free Classic Library: Explore a curated collection of public domain works — available to listen anytime, for free. - Human-Like AI Voices: Clear, expressive narration designed for long-form listening. - Save Time, Keep Ownership: Revisit personal notes or niche finds on the go — without sacrificing your own collection. Whether you’re listening to an obscure nonfiction title or preserving a fragile family memoir, Leafcast helps you take your library with you — without giving it up.

Screenshots

Libby, the library app4 screens
Leafcast4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Libby, the library app at 84% against Leafcast's 0%. Libby, the library app also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.3) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). Leafcast's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs monthly). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Libby, the library app holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Libby, the library app has 4.6M ratings behind it against 3, 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 0% of Leafcast's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Libby, the library app ships an update monthly, Leafcast every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Libby, the library app versus Leafcast: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLibby, the library appLeafcast
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (4.6M ratings) — better4.3 (3 ratings)
Positive reviews83.7% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings4.6M — better3
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#2 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB45 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperOverDrive, Inc.Samuel Perales

Customer experience

Libby, the library app

All ratings4,593,109 ratings
Positive97.3%
Neutral1.4%
Negative1.3%
Written reviews10,622 reviews
Positive83.7%
Neutral5.0%
Negative11.4%

Leafcast

All ratings3 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral33.3%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%

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)
Show 1 more
  • Integration with other e-book/audiobook services

Leafcast

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Libby, the library app

No in-app purchases

None

Leafcast

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Libby, the library app free?
Libby, the library app is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Leafcast free?
Leafcast is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Libby, the library app or Leafcast?
Libby, the library app is rated higher. Libby, the library app averages 4.9 out of 5 from 4.6M ratings, while Leafcast averages 4.3 from 3 ratings.
Do Libby, the library app or Leafcast have ads?
Neither Libby, the library app nor Leafcast shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Libby, the library app or Leafcast?
Libby, the library app ships an update monthly, and Leafcast every 3 days. Most recently, Libby, the library app was updated on November 11, 2026 and Leafcast on November 5, 2026.

Other comparisons