Comparison

TLN Library Catalog vs Bookshop.org

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

Head to head
About

TLN Library Catalog

Access your local library's catalog and account from your mobile device. Search for books, movies, and ebooks, place holds, renew loans, and pay fines. Find library locations and hours, and download digital content.

Highlights
  • Search catalog (books, movies, ebooks)
  • Place holds
  • Renew loans
  • Pay fines
  • Download eBooks
  • Find library locations and hours
Features
Read full description

Connect to The Library Network’s resources and your account directly on your mobile device! Features: Search for books, movies, ebooks and more... Find library locations, hours, and get directions Place holds Download eBooks Check your account Renew loans Pay Fines Share what you are reading with friends using Facebook, Twitter and email Powered by The Library Corporation Participating Libraries Addison Township Public Library Allen Park Public Library Auburn Hills Public Library Belleville Area District Library Berkley Public Library Brighton District Library Chelsea District Library Clawson Blair Memorial Library Commerce Township Community Library Dearborn Hts. North - Caroline Kennedy Dearborn Hts. South - JFK, Jr Library Dexter District Library Ecorse Public Library Ferndale Area District Library Flat Rock Public Library Franklin Public Library Garden City Public Library Hamtramck Public Library Hartland Cromaine Library Hazel Park Memorial District Library Highland Township Public Library Huntington Woods Library Inkster Leanna Hicks Public Library Lincoln Park Public Library Livonia Public Library Alfred Noble Livonia Public Library Carl Sandburg Livonia Public Library Civic Center Lyon Township Public Library Madison Heights Public Library Manchester District Library Melvindale Public Library Milford Public Library Northville District Library Novi Public Library Oak Park Library Oxford Public Library Pontiac Public Library Redford Township District Library River Rouge Public Library Riverview Veterans Memorial Library Romulus Public Library Royal Oak Public Library Salem-South Lyon District Library Southgate Veterans Memorial Library Springfield Township Library Taylor Community Library The Library Network Trenton Veterans Memorial Library Walled Lake City Library Waterford Township Public Library Wayne Public Library White Lake Township Library Wixom Public Library Wyandotte Bacon Memorial District Library

About

Bookshop.org

Read your ebooks and discover new titles while supporting independent bookstores. All ebook purchases made through this platform directly benefit local bookshops, ensuring their continued success in the digital age.

Highlights
  • Read ebooks from your library
  • Browse millions of ebooks
  • Add titles to wishlist
  • Support local bookstores with purchases
  • Connect seamlessly with Bookshop
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Bookshop.org’s mission is simple: We help local, independent bookstores thrive by giving more than 80% of our profits back to our network of 3,000+ stores. In our app, you can read millions of ebooks - and every purchase supports an independent bookstore near you! In the Bookshop app you can: - Read your ebooks in our customizable ebook reader. - Browse millions of titles and discover your next favorite read in romance, thrillers, mystery, fiction, non-fiction, memoir, and more. - Organize your TBR into custom shelves. - Highlight in five different colors, and add notes to your highlighted passages. - Sort & filter highlights and notes by date created, book order, and more. - Save titles to your wishlist so you can read them later. - Shop knowing that over 80% of the profit goes directly to local, independent bookstores. We’re a Certified B Corp, and we’ve raised more than $50 million for independent bookstores nationwide since 2020. Download the Bookshop.org app to support bookstores, not billionaires.

Screenshots

TLN Library Catalog4 screens
Bookshop.org4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Bookshop.org at 4.8 against TLN Library Catalog's 3.1. Bookshop.org also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 16 months) and ratings volume (2.3K vs 13). TLN Library Catalog's advantage is iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.4). On price, review sentiment, 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

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

Bookshop.org holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bookshop.org has 2.3K ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of TLN Library Catalog's written reviews are positive against 57% of Bookshop.org's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TLN Library Catalog ships an update every 16 months, Bookshop.org every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
TLN Library Catalog versus Bookshop.org: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTLN Library CatalogBookshop.org
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.1 (13 ratings)4.8 (2.3K ratings) — better
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews56.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings132.3K — better
Update frequencyEvery 16 monthsEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
Best chart rank—#181 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS14.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB111 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperThe Library CorporationBookshop, Inc.

Customer experience

TLN Library Catalog

All ratings12 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral8.3%
Negative41.7%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral12.5%
Negative37.5%

Bookshop.org

All ratings2,175 ratings
Positive94.3%
Neutral3.2%
Negative2.5%
Written reviews180 reviews
Positive56.7%
Neutral22.8%
Negative20.6%

Bugs and requests

TLN Library Catalog

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Bookshop.org

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Inability to remember last page read
  • Scrolling issues and unexpected page skipping
  • Formatting problems (stripped italics, weird paragraph spacing)
  • Settings not persisting between app sessions

Requested features

7 requests
  • More font and theme options
  • Ability to adjust line spacing, margins, and other formatting
  • Implement highlighting, annotation, and note-taking features
  • Add search functionality
  • Improve page turning and navigation
Show 2 more
  • Provide better dark mode/night reading experience
  • Sync reading progress across devices

In-app purchases

None

TLN Library Catalog

No in-app purchases

None

Bookshop.org

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is TLN Library Catalog free?
TLN Library Catalog is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Bookshop.org free?
Bookshop.org is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, TLN Library Catalog or Bookshop.org?
Bookshop.org is rated higher. TLN Library Catalog averages 3.1 out of 5 from 13 ratings, while Bookshop.org averages 4.8 from 2.3K ratings.
Do TLN Library Catalog or Bookshop.org have ads?
Neither TLN Library Catalog nor Bookshop.org shows ads.
Which is updated more often, TLN Library Catalog or Bookshop.org?
TLN Library Catalog ships an update every 16 months, and Bookshop.org every 5 days. Most recently, TLN Library Catalog was updated on October 29, 2026 and Bookshop.org on October 30, 2026.

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