# Apple Books vs Libby, the library app

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Libby, the library app at 84% against Apple Books's 54%. Libby, the library app also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and rating (4.9 vs 4.5). Apple Books's advantage is iOS requirement (10.0 vs 13.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Libby, the library app holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Libby, the library app has 4.6M ratings behind it against 123K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 54% of Apple Books's written reviews are positive against 84% of Libby, the library app's.

Apple Books ships an update every 3 months, Libby, the library app monthly. Both last shipped on October 28, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Apple Books | Libby, the library app |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (123K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/apple-books/id364709193/reviews) | **[4.9 (4.6M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/libby-the-library-app/id1076402606/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 123K | **4.6M** |
| Positive reviews | 53.6% of reviews | **83.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#3** |
| Size | 17 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Apple](https://appshunter.io/developer/284417353) | [OverDrive, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/366869255) |

## What reviewers say

### Apple Books

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/apple-books/id364709193)

Discover, read, and listen to millions of books and audiobooks. Browse curated collections, personalized recommendations, and bestsellers. Customize your reading experience with various themes and settings, and set reading goals to build a habit. Share your library with family.

**Highlights:** Discover millions of books and audiobooks, Personalized recommendations and curated collections, Customizable reading experience (fonts, themes, spacing), Reading goals and progress tracking, Family Sharing for books and audiobooks, Apple CarPlay and Apple Watch integration

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Seamless integration across devices
- 📚 Vast library of books available
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 🎧 Exceptional audiobook experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Books get deleted from local storage
- 🐛 Unreliable syncing between devices
- 🔒 Lack of audio closed captions
- 🤔 Pricing concerns for some books
- 🤔 Frustrating UI changes in recent updates

**Reported bugs**

- Books randomly deleted from device
- Syncing issues between iPhone and iPad
- Scrolling and navigation glitches
- Inconsistent font and formatting issues
- Inability to download books over cellular data

**Requested features**

- Audio closed captions for audiobooks
- Ability to organize books by series
- Custom font and highlighter color options
- Syncing for audiobooks across devices
- Integration with book review platforms


### Libby, the library app

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/libby-the-library-app/id1076402606)

**Currently charting:** #3 Top Free · Book (US App Store)

Access millions of free ebooks and audiobooks from your local library. Borrow titles instantly with your library card, download for offline enjoyment, and enjoy a customizable reading and listening experience.

**Highlights:** Borrow ebooks and audiobooks, Download for offline access, Send ebooks to Kindle, Adjust reader settings, Customize audio player, Create book lists

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 📚 Extensive library of books and audiobooks
- 🔍 Convenient search and browsing features
- 🔖 Easy to manage holds and returns
- 🔄 Seamless syncing across devices
- 🕰️ Automatic returns to avoid late fees

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🕰️ Long wait times for popular titles
- 🔍 Confusing search and filtering options
- 🤯 Buggy and unstable performance
- 🔒 Lack of offline reading/listening
- 📚 Limited selection in some genres

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent app crashes and freezes
- Issues with downloading and syncing content
- Unreliable playback controls for audiobooks
- Inconsistent behavior when placing holds
- Disappearing reading history and bookmarks

**Requested features**

- Ability to search across multiple libraries
- Custom reading/listening speed controls
- Improved recommendation and discovery tools
- Option to purchase unavailable titles
- Customizable reading experience (fonts, themes)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Apple Books free?

Apple Books is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Libby, the library app free?

Libby, the library app is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Apple Books or Libby, the library app?

Libby, the library app is rated higher. Apple Books averages 4.5 out of 5 from 123K ratings, while Libby, the library app averages 4.9 from 4.6M ratings.

### Do Apple Books or Libby, the library app have ads?

Neither Apple Books nor Libby, the library app shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Apple Books or Libby, the library app?

Apple Books ships an update every 3 months, and Libby, the library app monthly. Most recently, Apple Books was updated on October 28, 2026 and Libby, the library app on October 28, 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.*