Comparison

Little Free Library vs DeerReader

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

DeerReader

Organize and listen to your digital audiobooks with a beautiful, intelligent player. Features adaptive UI, fast search, and automatic sorting into collections using AI. Enjoy a seamless listening experience with home screen widget access.

Highlights
  • Adaptive player UI matching audiobook cover
  • Fast, unified search for books and authors
  • Home screen widget for instant access
  • AI-powered automatic organization into collections
  • Intuitive playback controls
  • Support for large digital libraries
Read full description

Your audiobooks, beautifully organized. DeerReader is a sleek, intelligent audiobook player designed for serious listeners and collectors. Whether you have a few favorites or a sprawling digital library, DeerReader gives you the tools to make listening effortless and beautiful. -- Seamless Listening Experience -- DeerReader adapts to you. The player UI matches your audiobook cover, so every session feels immersive and cohesive. Play, pause, and skip with intuitive controls designed for long sessions. -- Instant Search, Instant Listening -- Find the right book, author, or collection in seconds. Our fast, unified search makes browsing huge libraries feel light and responsive. -- Home Screen Widget -- Stay in the story, right from your home screen. Instantly jump back into your audiobook with our widget and see your recent listens at a glance. -- Let Apple Intelligence Do the Sorting -- DeerReader can use Apple Intelligence to automatically organize your audiobooks into themed collections and series, complete with matching artwork and clean labels (perfect for large libraries). ----- Why DeerReader? - Designed with audiobook lovers in mind - Gorgeous, adaptive design - Home screen widget access - Full collection support - Lightning-fast search - Intelligent auto-sorting Whether you’re replaying a classic or diving into something new, DeerReader makes every listen smoother, smarter, and more beautiful. 100% Private DeerReader never collects or transmits your data. Everything stays on your device, always. A subscription removes the hourly support message. Payment will be charged to your Apple account at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current billing period. Your account will be charged according to your plan for renewal within 24 hours before the end of the current billing period. You can manage or turn off auto-renew in your Apple ID account settings at any time after purchase. Privacy Policy: https://www.deerreader.app/privacy.html Terms of Service: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Please reach out for support at: cloverfield.tech.llc@gmail.com

Screenshots

Little Free Library4 screens
DeerReader4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: DeerReader at 100% against Little Free Library's 47%. DeerReader also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.8). Little Free Library's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (199 vs 2). On price, update cadence, ads 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. DeerReader sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per year. Little Free Library asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

DeerReader holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Little Free Library has 199 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 47% of Little Free Library's written reviews are positive against 100% of DeerReader's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Little Free Library ships an update every 3 weeks, DeerReader every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Little Free Library versus DeerReader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLittle Free LibraryDeerReader
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (199 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews47.3% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings199 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterPaid
Best chart rank#91 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro — better
Requires iOS15.0 — better26.1
Further details — not scored
Size17 MB27 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLittle Free Library, LtdCloverfield Technologies LLC

Customer experience

Little Free Library

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

DeerReader

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

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

DeerReader

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Little Free Library

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

DeerReader

Subscriptions1
  • Yearly Support Subscription$9.991 Year

Questions

Is Little Free Library free?
Little Free Library is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is DeerReader free?
DeerReader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Little Free Library or DeerReader?
DeerReader is rated higher. Little Free Library averages 3.8 out of 5 from 199 ratings, while DeerReader averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Little Free Library or DeerReader have ads?
Neither Little Free Library nor DeerReader shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Little Free Library or DeerReader?
Little Free Library ships an update every 3 weeks, and DeerReader every 5 weeks. Most recently, Little Free Library was updated on November 11, 2026 and DeerReader on November 5, 2026.

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