Comparison

Libby, the library app vs ChapterBite

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 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.

Highlights
  • Borrow ebooks and audiobooks
  • Download for offline access
  • Send ebooks to Kindle
  • Adjust reader settings
  • Customize audio player
  • Create book lists
Currently charting
Read full description

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!

About

ChapterBite

This app transforms classic literature into a daily ritual by unlocking one new chapter each day for a shared reading experience. Enjoy a distraction-free environment to track progress, highlight passages, and explore timeless novels at your own pace, even offline.

Highlights
  • Daily chapter unlocks
  • Shared reading experience
  • Progress tracking
  • Distraction-free reading
  • Offline reading
  • Highlighting and bookmarking
Features
Read full description

ChapterBite makes classic literature effortless. Every day, a new chapter unlocks for you and readers around the world -- creating a shared reading experience that turns great books into a daily ritual. How it works: One new chapter unlocks every day at midnight Read at your own pace -- each chapter takes just 10-15 minutes Track your progress as you move through timeless novels When you finish a book, the next one begins automatically Start with the classics: Begin your journey with Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights, then continue with Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility, with more books on the way. Built for readers who want more: Beautiful, distraction-free reading experience Highlight your favorite passages Bookmark pages to revisit later See your reading streaks and stats Explore characters without spoilers Works offline so you can read anywhere No overwhelming TBR lists. No pressure to keep up. Just one chapter, every day, one book at a time!

Screenshots

Libby, the library app4 screens
ChapterBite4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Libby, the library app at 4.4M against ChapterBite's 1. Libby, the library app also leads on chart position (#2 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 15.1). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Libby, the library app against 5.0 for ChapterBite. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Libby, the library app has 4.4M ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Libby, the library app ships an update monthly, ChapterBite every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
Libby, the library app versus ChapterBite: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLibby, the library appChapterBite
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (4.4M ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews83.8% of reviews—
Number of ratings4.4M — better1
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
Best chart rank#2 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS10.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size13 MB50 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperOverDrive, Inc.Nikhil Sethi

Customer experience

Libby, the library app

All ratings4,415,685 ratings
Positive97.3%
Neutral1.4%
Negative1.3%
Written reviews9,503 reviews
Positive83.8%
Neutral4.9%
Negative11.3%

ChapterBite

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
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

ChapterBite

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Libby, the library app

No in-app purchases

None

ChapterBite

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 ChapterBite free?
ChapterBite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Libby, the library app or ChapterBite?
ChapterBite is rated higher. Libby, the library app averages 4.9 out of 5 from 4.4M ratings, while ChapterBite averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Libby, the library app or ChapterBite have ads?
Neither Libby, the library app nor ChapterBite shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Libby, the library app or ChapterBite?
Libby, the library app ships an update monthly, and ChapterBite every 2 weeks. Most recently, Libby, the library app was updated on September 30, 2026 and ChapterBite on September 19, 2026.

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