# SpareRoom vs Surrey Libraries App

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Surrey Libraries App at none against SpareRoom's 13. SpareRoom's advantage is review sentiment (49% vs 18%) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SpareRoom sells 9 one-off in-app purchases. Surrey Libraries App asks for nothing beyond the download.

SpareRoom ships an update fortnightly, Surrey Libraries App every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SpareRoom | Surrey Libraries App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (4.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spareroom/id400181250/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **4.2K** | — |
| Positive reviews | **48.7% of reviews** | 17.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 60 MB | 50 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | +4 | 17+ |
| Developer | [Flatshare Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/397979250) | [Surrey County Council](https://appshunter.io/developer/1375535615) |

## What reviewers say

### SpareRoom

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spareroom/id400181250)

Find your ideal room or flatmate with the UK's leading platform. Browse thousands of listings across the UK, connect with potential housemates, and secure your perfect living situation on the go.

**Highlights:** Room and roommate search, Thousands of UK listings, On-the-go access, User support, Connect with housemates

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Boost | $9.99 | one-time |
| 7-Day Upgrade | $12.99 | one-time |
| 1-Week Upgrade | $15.00 | one-time |
| Verification | $15.00 | one-time |
| 30-Day Upgrade | $15.49 | one-time |
| 14-Day Upgrade | $23.99 | one-time |
| 2-Week Upgrade | $25.00 | one-time |
| 30-Day Upgrade | $25.99 | one-time |
| 4-Week Upgrade | $30.00 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Great for finding rooms/flatmates
- 💡 Useful features like filters
- 🌟 Positive overall experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 💰 Expensive paid features
- 🤖 Fake/unresponsive listings
- 🚫 Discrimination in listings

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes and sign-outs
- Inconsistent behavior between app and website
- Issues with updating and editing listings

**Requested features**

- Better messaging/communication tools
- More advanced search and filtering options
- Improved verification of listings and users
- Feedback/review system for landlords/tenants


### Surrey Libraries App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surrey-libraries-app/id641052817)

Manage your library account on the go. Search the catalogue, renew borrowed items, and place holds on new books directly from your mobile device.

**Highlights:** Manage library account, Search catalogue, Renew books, Reserve books

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SpareRoom free?

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

### Is Surrey Libraries App free?

Surrey Libraries App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do SpareRoom or Surrey Libraries App have ads?

Neither SpareRoom nor Surrey Libraries App shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SpareRoom or Surrey Libraries App?

SpareRoom ships an update fortnightly, and Surrey Libraries App every 3 months. Most recently, SpareRoom was updated on October 26, 2026 and Surrey Libraries App on October 21, 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.*