# The Urbana Free Library vs Boundless

The clearest difference is rating: Boundless at 4.4 against The Urbana Free Library's 3.5. Boundless also leads on ratings volume (18K vs 4) and update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). The Urbana Free Library's advantage is review sentiment (50% vs 32%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

Boundless holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Boundless has 18K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 50% of The Urbana Free Library's written reviews are positive against 32% of Boundless's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

The Urbana Free Library ships an update every 3 months, Boundless monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Urbana Free Library | Boundless |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-urbana-free-library/id1491854068/reviews) | **[4.4 (18K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/boundless/id6449712082/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **18K** |
| Positive reviews | **50.0% of reviews** | 32.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 46 MB | 177 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Urbana Free Library](https://appshunter.io/developer/1491854067) | [Baker & Taylor](https://appshunter.io/developer/634003725) |

## What reviewers say

### The Urbana Free Library

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-urbana-free-library/id1491854068)

Manage your library account on the go, including renewing items, searching the catalog, and accessing digital content. Scan book barcodes to check availability and discover library events. Access eBooks and eAudiobooks directly through the app.

**Highlights:** Renew items, Manage account, Search catalog, Access digital content, Scan barcodes, Find library events

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Boundless

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/boundless/id6449712082)

Access a vast collection of ebooks, digital audiobooks, and videobooks from your local library or school. Enjoy a seamless reading, listening, and watching experience with personalized recommendations and engaging reading programs.

**Highlights:** Discover ebooks, audiobooks, and videobooks, Read, listen, and watch in one app, Personalized recommendations, Join library reading programs, Track reading progress and earn badges, Customizable reading experience

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast access to books
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to navigate
- 🔒 Separate profiles for kids and adults
- 🎨 Customizable reading experience
- 📚 Wide selection of content

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent freezing and crashes
- ⏱️ Slow loading times
- 🔍 Difficulty finding and accessing books
- 📱 Incompatible with some devices
- 🔌 Requires internet connection for offline use

**Reported bugs**

- Books disappearing from user's shelf
- Inability to return or renew books
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between profiles
- Audiobook playback issues

**Requested features**

- Improved page turning and navigation controls
- Ability to adjust margins and font settings
- Offline access to downloaded content
- Better integration with other reading apps
- More detailed progress tracking and analytics


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Urbana Free Library free?

The Urbana Free Library is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Boundless free?

Boundless is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, The Urbana Free Library or Boundless?

Boundless is rated higher. The Urbana Free Library averages 3.5 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Boundless averages 4.4 from 18K ratings.

### Do The Urbana Free Library or Boundless have ads?

Neither The Urbana Free Library nor Boundless shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Urbana Free Library or Boundless?

The Urbana Free Library ships an update every 3 months, and Boundless monthly. Most recently, The Urbana Free Library was updated on November 3, 2026 and Boundless on November 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.*