Allegheny County Libraries vs Bookshop.org
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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
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.
- Read ebooks from your library
- Browse millions of ebooks
- Add titles to wishlist
- Support local bookstores with purchases
- Connect seamlessly with Bookshop
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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
Verdict
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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
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.
Allegheny County Libraries ships an update every 3 weeks, Bookshop.org every 5 days. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.
| Parameter | Allegheny County Libraries | Bookshop.org |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.1 (16 ratings) | 4.8 (2.3K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 25.9% of reviews | 56.7% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 16 | 2.3K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 5 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | — | #188 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 16.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 24 MB | 111 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Capira Technologies | Bookshop, Inc. |
Customer experience
Allegheny County Libraries
Bookshop.org
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
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- Provide better dark mode/night reading experience
- Sync reading progress across devices
In-app purchases
Allegheny County Libraries
No in-app purchases
Bookshop.org
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Allegheny County Libraries free?
Is Bookshop.org free?
Which has better reviews, Allegheny County Libraries or Bookshop.org?
Do Allegheny County Libraries or Bookshop.org have ads?
Which is updated more often, Allegheny County Libraries or Bookshop.org?
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