# Bookworm Reads vs SWAN Libraries +

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Bookworm Reads at 78% against SWAN Libraries +'s 13%. Bookworm Reads also leads on rating (4.8 vs 1.8) and ratings volume (1.1K vs 73). SWAN Libraries +'s advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Bookworm Reads sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. SWAN Libraries + asks for nothing beyond the download.

Bookworm Reads holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bookworm Reads has 1.1K ratings behind it against 73, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 78% of Bookworm Reads's written reviews are positive against 13% of SWAN Libraries +'s.

Bookworm Reads ships an update every 3 weeks, SWAN Libraries + monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bookworm Reads | SWAN Libraries + |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookworm-reads/id1574582016/reviews)** | [1.8 (73 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swan-libraries-plus/id6473793650/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.1K** | 73 |
| Positive reviews | **77.9% of reviews** | 13.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 58 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bookworm Reads CLUB](https://appshunter.io/developer/1574582018) | [System Wide Automated Network](https://appshunter.io/developer/1472754657) |

## What reviewers say

### Bookworm Reads

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookworm-reads/id1574582016)

Track your reading, connect with friends, and join a vibrant community of book lovers. Organize your library, discover new titles, and participate in reading challenges. Customize your unique worm avatar and share your literary journey.

**Highlights:** Track and categorize books, Create custom bookshelves, See friends' reading activity, Rate, review, and discuss books, Create and join book clubs, Participate in reading challenges, Customize worm avatar

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| Yearly subscription | $49.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 💕 Cute and fun design
- 🤗 Welcoming and supportive community
- 🌈 Vibrant and colorful interface
- 🌟 Inspiring and motivating
- 📚 Great for discovering new books

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 🔍 Limited search functionality
- 💰 Paywall for certain features
- 🙈 Lack of privacy/customization options
- 📚 Missing books and inaccurate library

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to permanently delete user profiles
- Signup process issues with 'Accept' button not working
- Inconsistent display of book covers and information
- Frequent crashes and app freezes
- Syncing issues with imported book data

**Requested features**

- Add ability to track reading progress
- Improve accessibility for visually impaired users
- Introduce more customization options for user profiles
- Expand search capabilities to include more book details
- Integrate with other popular book platforms


### SWAN Libraries +

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swan-libraries-plus/id6473793650)

Access your library account, search a vast catalog, and manage holds and renewals. Download ebooks and audiobooks directly to your device. This app connects you to a consortium of public, academic, school, and special libraries in the Chicagoland area.

**Highlights:** Manage library account, Search library catalog, Renew items, Place holds, Download ebooks, Download audiobooks

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to look up books
- 👍 Can place holds easily
- 👍 Can see checked out books
- 👍 Get notified for pick up
- 👍 Digital library card available

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- 🐛 Constantly logs out users
- 🐛 Slow loading times
- 🐛 Filters do not work
- 🐛 Discover section is blank

**Reported bugs**

- Category toggles are tricky and don't reflect changes immediately
- Pick up location changes don't seem to stick
- App logs users out constantly
- Discover section is blank, new content doesn't appear
- Filters to search for items no longer work

**Requested features**

- Fix the issue of being logged out every session
- Improve category toggles and make changes stick
- Fix discover section to show new content
- Make filters work correctly
- Add app support to website


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bookworm Reads free?

Bookworm Reads is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is SWAN Libraries + free?

SWAN Libraries + is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Bookworm Reads or SWAN Libraries +?

Bookworm Reads is rated higher. Bookworm Reads averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while SWAN Libraries + averages 1.8 from 73 ratings.

### Do Bookworm Reads or SWAN Libraries + have ads?

Neither Bookworm Reads nor SWAN Libraries + shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bookworm Reads or SWAN Libraries +?

Bookworm Reads ships an update every 3 weeks, and SWAN Libraries + monthly. Most recently, Bookworm Reads was updated on September 23, 2026 and SWAN Libraries + on September 6, 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.*