# Hardcover.app vs Seattle Public Library

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Seattle Public Library at none against Hardcover.app's 2. Seattle Public Library also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 6 months) and review sentiment (75% vs 52%). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hardcover.app sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Seattle Public Library asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.2 for Hardcover.app against 4.3 for Seattle Public Library. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 66 and 25 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 52% of Hardcover.app's written reviews are positive against 75% of Seattle Public Library's.

Hardcover.app ships an update every 6 months, Seattle Public Library every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hardcover.app | Seattle Public Library |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (66 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hardcoverapp/id1663379893/reviews) | **[4.3 (25 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/seattle-public-library/id6744311518/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **66** | 25 |
| Positive reviews | 52.2% of reviews | **75.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 6 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hardcover LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1663379895) | [The Seattle Public Library](https://appshunter.io/developer/1807024660) |

## What reviewers say

### Hardcover.app

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hardcoverapp/id1663379893)

This app helps you organize and discover books. Track what you've read, create custom lists, and see what friends are reading. Set reading goals and share your thoughts on books.

**Highlights:** Track read and to-read books, Organize with lists and tags, See friends' reading activity, Discover trending books, Rate and review books, Set reading goals, Track reading statistics

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

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


### Seattle Public Library

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/seattle-public-library/id6744311518)

Access the library's catalog, manage your account, and check out books from your mobile device. You can also find branches, reserve rooms, and explore library resources.

**Highlights:** Search catalog and place holds, Digital library card, Instant checkout by scanning, Manage account and borrowing, Scan ISBN to find books, Find branches and hours, Reserve rooms

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hardcover.app free?

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

### Is Seattle Public Library free?

Seattle Public Library is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Hardcover.app or Seattle Public Library?

Seattle Public Library is rated higher. Hardcover.app averages 4.2 out of 5 from 66 ratings, while Seattle Public Library averages 4.3 from 25 ratings.

### Do Hardcover.app or Seattle Public Library have ads?

Neither Hardcover.app nor Seattle Public Library shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Hardcover.app or Seattle Public Library?

Hardcover.app ships an update every 6 months, and Seattle Public Library every 3 weeks. Most recently, Hardcover.app was updated on October 27, 2026 and Seattle Public Library on October 24, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*