Comparison

Little Free Library vs Boundless

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

Head to head
About

Little Free Library

Discover nearby book-sharing locations with this app. Find libraries using filters, get directions, and save your favorites. Track your visits and leave notes for stewards. If you manage a library, update its details directly.

Highlights
  • Find nearby book-sharing locations
  • Search filters by location
  • Get directions and create routes
  • Favorite and track visited libraries
  • Leave notes in guest books
  • Edit library listings in real-time
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

The Little Free Library app makes it easy to find little library locations near you! Use the search filters to narrow in on little libraries you want to visit, easily get directions to the nearest ones, or create a route. See a library you like? Add it to your list of favorites. Track the libraries you visit using the handy check-ins feature. If you’re a Little Free Library steward, there’s a section of the app just for you that lets you edit your library’s listing in real time! Little Free Library Map:  Easy-to-use search filters help you find Little Free Libraries by zip code, city/state, charter number, or your current location. Favorite and Track the Little Libraries You Visit:  Keep a list of your favorite little libraries and track the ones you visit using check-ins. Get Directions or Create Routes:  Tap the Get Directions button to get step-by-step directions to the nearest Little Free Library book-sharing box, or add multiple little libraries to a route. Sign the Guest Book:  After you stop by a particular little library, leave a note for the steward (aka caretaker) in its guest book! The guest book is a fun way to connect with the little library steward and see what other visitors have to say. Features for Little Free Library Volunteer Stewards: If you’re the steward of a registered Little Free Library, the app lets you edit your library’s listing in real time! Add new photos, update your library’s story, include social media links, enable a guest book for your visitors, and much more… all from within the app.

About

Boundless

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
Read full description

Boundless by Baker & Taylor gives users the ability to discover and enjoy ebooks, digital audiobooks, video and videobooks from their library or school on mobile devices. • Read, listen, and watch all in one app • Supports eRead-Along and videobook content • Recommendations based on your interests • Join reading programs and challenges from your library • See your progress and earn badges for reading achievements • Notetaking, bookmarking, page layout and font controls Boundless is a digital content service from Baker & Taylor, the premier distributor of books and entertainment products to libraries. Boundless Library is a service from Baker & Taylor, the premier distributor of books and entertainment products.

Screenshots

Little Free Library4 screens
Boundless4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Boundless at 4.4 against Little Free Library's 3.8. Boundless also leads on ratings volume (18K vs 199). Little Free Library's advantage is review sentiment (47% vs 32%) and chart position (#105 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, 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

Boundless holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Boundless has 18K ratings behind it against 199, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 47% of Little 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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Little Free Library ships an update every 3 weeks, Boundless monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Little Free Library versus Boundless: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLittle Free LibraryBoundless
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (199 ratings)4.4 (18K ratings) — better
Positive reviews47.3% of reviews — better32.3% of reviews
Number of ratings19918K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
Best chart rank#105 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size17 MB177 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLittle Free Library, LtdBaker & Taylor

Customer experience

Little Free Library

All ratings169 ratings
Positive59.2%
Neutral7.7%
Negative33.1%
Written reviews112 reviews
Positive47.3%
Neutral8.0%
Negative44.6%

Boundless

All ratings18,222 ratings
Positive84.0%
Neutral4.5%
Negative11.5%
Written reviews331 reviews
Positive32.3%
Neutral15.4%
Negative52.3%

User reviews

Little Free Library

From 199 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🗺️ Excellent map feature for locating libraries
  • 📍 GPS-based location discovery
  • ⭐ Ability to favorite and track visited libraries
  • 🧭 Driving directions integration
  • 📱 User-friendly interface design

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent and persistent crashes
  • ⚠️ App won't open or load
  • 🔄 Endless loading screens
  • 📵 Incompatible with recent iOS updates
  • ❌ Check-in feature consistently fails

Boundless

From 18K App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

Bugs and requests

Little Free Library

Reported bugs

18 issues
  • App crashes on startup or after 2-3 clicks
  • Instant crash when opening app
  • Loading screen freezes indefinitely
  • Check-in submit button spins forever without submitting
  • Favorite feature causes immediate crash
Show 13 more
  • Search this area button disappears after use
  • Map not loading or displaying libraries
  • Login causes app to crash
  • App kicks user out after few seconds
  • Email confirmation links non-functional
  • Help ticket submission page broken
  • Check-in notifications appear but don't display in app
  • Dark mode purple text unreadable
  • Steward registration stuck in infinite loop
  • Location services not working
  • App incompatible with iOS updates
  • Routing doesn't follow selected library order
  • Incomplete form loading for stewards

Requested features

14 requests
  • Ability for non-stewards to add missing libraries
  • Retroactive check-in date editing
  • Children's book category indicator
  • Book genre/category specifications
  • Want-to-visit list separate from favorites
Show 9 more
  • Photo update capability for all users
  • Library condition status tracking
  • Goodreads integration
  • Little Pantry location support
  • Book availability search feature
  • Improved routing that respects selected order
  • Better steward portal UX for adding comments
  • Reduced banner size on map display
  • Full Google Maps integration

Boundless

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

5 requests
  • 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

In-app purchases

None

Little Free Library

No in-app purchases

None

Boundless

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Little Free Library free?
Little 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, Little Free Library or Boundless?
Boundless is rated higher. Little Free Library averages 3.8 out of 5 from 199 ratings, while Boundless averages 4.4 from 18K ratings.
Do Little Free Library or Boundless have ads?
Neither Little Free Library nor Boundless shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Little Free Library or Boundless?
Little Free Library ships an update every 3 weeks, and Boundless monthly. Most recently, Little Free Library was updated on October 27, 2026 and Boundless on October 28, 2026.

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