Comparison

Allegheny County Libraries vs Bookshop.org

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

Head to head
About

Allegheny County Libraries

Manage your library experience on the go with this app. Search the catalog, reserve items, track checkouts, and discover events. Access library hours, locations, and online learning resources from any of the participating Allegheny County libraries.

Highlights
  • Search library catalog
  • Reserve items
  • Manage multiple library accounts
  • Track checkouts and holds
  • View and register for events
  • Access library hours and locations
  • Use online learning resources
Features
Read full description

Take the Allegheny County Libraries everywhere you go! -Search the library catalog and reserve items -Add one or more library accounts to your device, allowing you to manage holds, checkouts, and more -View and register for events at the library -See information about hours, locations and services offered -Access online learning resources and so much more! Allegheny County Libraries include: ACLA Mobile Library Services Bookmobile Andrew Bayne Memorial Library Avalon Public Library Baldwin Borough Public Library Bethel Park Public Library Braddock Carnegie Library Association Brentwood Library Bridgeville Public Library Carnegie Free Library of Swissvale Carnegie Library of McKeesport Carnegie Library of McKeesport – White Oak Branch Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh CLP – Allegheny CLP – Beechview CLP – Brookline CLP – Carrick CLP – Downtown CLP – East Liberty CLP – Hazelwood CLP – Hill District CLP – Homewood CLP – Knoxville CLP – Lawrenceville CLP – LAMP CLP – Main (Oakland) CLP – Mt. Washington CLP – Sheraden CLP – South Side CLP – Squirrel Hill CLP – West End CLP – Woods Run Carnegie of Homestead CC Mellor Memorial Library CC Mellor Memorial Library – Forest Hills Clairton Community Library of Allegheny Valley Community Library of Castle Shannon Cooper-Siegel Community Library Coraopolis Memorial Library Crafton Public Library Dormont Public Library F.O.R. Sto-Rox Public Library Green Tree Public Library Hampton Community Library Jefferson Hills Public Library Millvale Community Library Monroeville Public Library Moon Township Public Library Mt. Lebanon Public Library North Versailles Public Library Northern Tier Regional Library Northern Tier Regional Library – Pine Branch Northland Public Library Oakmont Carnegie Library Penn Hills Library Pleasant Hills Public Library Plum Borough Community Library Robinson Township Library Scott Township Public Library Sewickley Public Library Shaler North Hills Library Sharpsburg Community Library South Fayette Township Library South Park Township Library Springdale Free Public Library Upper St. Clair Township Library Western Allegheny Community Library

About

Bookshop.org

Read your ebooks and discover new titles while supporting independent bookstores. All ebook purchases made through this platform directly benefit local bookshops, ensuring their continued success in the digital age.

Highlights
  • Read ebooks from your library
  • Browse millions of ebooks
  • Add titles to wishlist
  • Support local bookstores with purchases
  • Connect seamlessly with Bookshop
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Bookshop.org’s mission is simple: We help local, independent bookstores thrive by giving more than 80% of our profits back to our network of 3,000+ stores. In our app, you can read millions of ebooks - and every purchase supports an independent bookstore near you! In the Bookshop app you can: - Read your ebooks in our customizable ebook reader. - Browse millions of titles and discover your next favorite read in romance, thrillers, mystery, fiction, non-fiction, memoir, and more. - Organize your TBR into custom shelves. - Highlight in five different colors, and add notes to your highlighted passages. - Sort & filter highlights and notes by date created, book order, and more. - Save titles to your wishlist so you can read them later. - Shop knowing that over 80% of the profit goes directly to local, independent bookstores. We’re a Certified B Corp, and we’ve raised more than $50 million for independent bookstores nationwide since 2020. Download the Bookshop.org app to support bookstores, not billionaires.

Screenshots

Allegheny County Libraries4 screens
Bookshop.org4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Bookshop.org at 4.8 against Allegheny County Libraries's 3.1. Bookshop.org also leads on review sentiment (57% vs 26%) and ratings volume (2.3K vs 16). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

Bookshop.org holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bookshop.org has 2.3K ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 26% of Allegheny County Libraries's written reviews are positive against 57% of Bookshop.org's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Allegheny County Libraries ships an update every 3 weeks, Bookshop.org every 5 days. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Allegheny County Libraries versus Bookshop.org: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAllegheny County LibrariesBookshop.org
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.1 (16 ratings)4.8 (2.3K ratings) — better
Positive reviews25.9% of reviews56.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings162.3K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
Best chart rank—#188 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size24 MB111 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperCapira TechnologiesBookshop, Inc.

Customer experience

Allegheny County Libraries

All ratings16 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral6.3%
Negative43.8%
Written reviews27 reviews
Positive25.9%
Neutral11.1%
Negative63.0%

Bookshop.org

All ratings2,175 ratings
Positive94.3%
Neutral3.2%
Negative2.5%
Written reviews180 reviews
Positive56.7%
Neutral22.8%
Negative20.6%

Bugs and requests

Allegheny County Libraries

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Bookshop.org

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Inability to remember last page read
  • Scrolling issues and unexpected page skipping
  • Formatting problems (stripped italics, weird paragraph spacing)
  • Settings not persisting between app sessions

Requested features

7 requests
  • More font and theme options
  • Ability to adjust line spacing, margins, and other formatting
  • Implement highlighting, annotation, and note-taking features
  • Add search functionality
  • Improve page turning and navigation
Show 2 more
  • Provide better dark mode/night reading experience
  • Sync reading progress across devices

In-app purchases

None

Allegheny County Libraries

No in-app purchases

None

Bookshop.org

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Allegheny County Libraries free?
Allegheny County Libraries is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Bookshop.org free?
Bookshop.org is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Allegheny County Libraries or Bookshop.org?
Bookshop.org is rated higher. Allegheny County Libraries averages 3.1 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while Bookshop.org averages 4.8 from 2.3K ratings.
Do Allegheny County Libraries or Bookshop.org have ads?
Neither Allegheny County Libraries nor Bookshop.org shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Allegheny County Libraries or Bookshop.org?
Allegheny County Libraries ships an update every 3 weeks, and Bookshop.org every 5 days. Most recently, Allegheny County Libraries was updated on October 30, 2026 and Bookshop.org on October 30, 2026.

Other comparisons