Comparison

Open Library Reader vs Ebook Central

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

Head to head
About

Open Library Reader

Access and read millions of books from an online library. Organize your reading lists, track borrowed books, and discover related titles within a familiar reading interface. Requires an internet connection.

Highlights
  • Browse and check out millions of books
  • Track reading progress and wishlists
  • Built-in search and related title discovery
  • Shelf management and edition changes
  • Checkout tracking for borrowed books
  • Customizable reading interface
Features
Read full description

Open Library is an online library with millions of books to browse or check out. You can track the books that you're reading, want to read, etc. and read many of them right there. PLEASE NOTE: This app is an interface to the openlibrary.org web site — if you don't use that site to read books, you may have trouble figuring out what the app is for. I encourage you to familiarize yourself with the site first, and then you'll understand what the app offers. This app is one reader's effort to create the ideal portable experience for taking advantage of Open Library's amazing collection. You'll get the best experience out of this app on an iPad, but you can use it on a smaller screen (if you don't mind squinting). The moment you open the app and log in, any books you've already saved on the Open Library site are laid out on your screen. You can sort them by title, author, publication date, and date saved, see which books are available to read, and open them with a single tap. Once you've opened a book in the familiar reading interface, a tap at the top of the screen will trigger the full screen mode, removing every distraction and expanding the book pages to the limits of your screen for the perfect reading experience. Other features include: - Built-in search: find and add books to your shelves from inside the app. - Shelf management: move books between shelves, remove books, change the edition of a book. - Related title search: choose a book on your shelf and quickly find more books like it. - Checkout tracking: see at a glance how long you have left on limited-access books you've checked out. - Customization: choose which shelves you want to see and manage the size of the books and their titles. This app is essentially an alternative interface to the Open Library site — all of your data is stored there, and the books you read are hosted online, not in the app. As a result, an active internet connection is required when you are using this app. Open Library is an initiative of the Internet Archive, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, building a digital library of Internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. The developer of this app has no legal or contractual relationship with Open Library or the Internet Archive, and bears no responsibility for the content found there.

About

Ebook Central

Read downloaded ebooks from your library securely and accessibly, anytime and anywhere. This app offers a modern reading experience with streamlined authentication and an intuitive interface, syncing your progress across devices for uninterrupted research, even offline.

Highlights
  • Offline reading
  • Secure reading experience
  • Streamlined authentication
  • Intuitive interface
  • Cross-device syncing
  • Accessible reading
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

The Ebook Central Reader App makes it easier than ever to read ebooks from your library—anytime, anywhere. It features a secure, accessible and modern reading experience for downloaded Ebook Central titles, with streamlined authentication and an intuitive interface. Whether you’re catching up on reading between classes or on a flight to your next getaway, you can continue your research uninterrupted, even without an internet connection. The Ebook Central app syncs across desktop and mobile devices, making it easy to manage your reading and research when you’re on the go. It’s the perfect companion app to the Ebook Central online platform, which is used to search and select books for download. The Ebook Central app has robust security features to ensure library collections and users' privacy are protected. Download the Ebook Central app today and start researching your way.

Screenshots

Open Library Reader1 screens
Ebook Central4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Open Library Reader at 3.0 against Ebook Central's 1.6. Open Library Reader also leads on review sentiment (26% vs 0%). Ebook Central's advantage is chart position (#171 vs unranked). On price, ratings volume, 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

Open Library Reader holds the better App Store score, 3.0 against 1.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 50 and 34 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 26% of Open Library Reader's written reviews are positive against 0% of Ebook Central's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
Open Library Reader versus Ebook Central: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOpen Library ReaderEbook Central
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (50 ratings) — better1.6 (34 ratings)
Positive reviews26.2% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings50 — better34
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
Best chart rank—#171 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS13.0 — better14.0
Further details — not scored
Size24 MB50 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLoomis House, LLCClarivate Analytics (US) LLC

Customer experience

Open Library Reader

All ratings50 ratings
Positive44.0%
Neutral14.0%
Negative42.0%
Written reviews42 reviews
Positive26.2%
Neutral19.0%
Negative54.8%

Ebook Central

All ratings34 ratings
Positive11.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative88.2%
Written reviews38 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

In-app purchases

None

Open Library Reader

No in-app purchases

None

Ebook Central

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Open Library Reader free?
Open Library Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Ebook Central free?
Ebook Central is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Open Library Reader or Ebook Central?
Open Library Reader is rated higher. Open Library Reader averages 3.0 out of 5 from 50 ratings, while Ebook Central averages 1.6 from 34 ratings.
Do Open Library Reader or Ebook Central have ads?
Neither Open Library Reader nor Ebook Central shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Open Library Reader or Ebook Central?
Open Library Reader ships an update every 2 months, and Ebook Central every 2 months. Most recently, Open Library Reader was updated on September 27, 2026 and Ebook Central on September 29, 2026.

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