JoCoLibrary vs Libby, the library app
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
JoCoLibrary
Discover new books, place holds on desired titles, and plan your upcoming visits to the library. This app provides a convenient way to manage your reading list and library interactions.
- Browse new titles
- Place holds
- Plan library visits
- Manage reading list
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Browse the JoCoLibrary app to find new titles, place holds, and plan your next visit.
Libby, the library app
Access your local library's digital collection of ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines for free. Read or listen on your phone or tablet, download titles for offline use, and personalize your reading experience with customizable settings.
- Borrow ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines
- Send ebooks to Kindle (US only)
- Offline reading and listening
- Customizable reading experience
- Adjustable audiobook playback speed
- Sleep timer for audiobooks
- Organize titles with tags
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Libby connects you to your local library’s collection of ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, and more. With just your library card, you can instantly read or listen to books on your phone or tablet — for free, thanks to your public library! Browse and borrow everything from timeless classics to the latest New York Times bestsellers, and enjoy your next great read anytime, anywhere. What You Can Do with Libby - Browse your library’s digital catalog of books - Borrow and enjoy ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines - Send ebooks to your Kindle (U.S. libraries only) - Listen to audiobooks through Apple CarPlay - Download titles for offline reading, or stream them to save space - Use tags to create to-be--read lists or organize your favorite titles - Keep your reading position with automatic syncing across all your devices A Beautiful Reading Experience Enjoy a seamless reading experience with Libby’s elegant, easy-to-use ebook reader: - Adjust text size, background color, and book design to fit your preferences - Zoom into magazines, comics, and graphic novels - Define and search for words or phrases instantly - Read and listen to interactive read-alongs with your kids - Add bookmarks, notes, and highlights to personalize your reading An Immersive Audiobook Player Libby’s audiobook player makes listening effortless and enjoyable: - Slow down or speed up playback (0.6x to 3.0x) - Set a sleep timer for nighttime listening - Swipe easily to skip forward or backward - Add bookmarks, notes, and highlights as you listen Read Anywhere, Anytime Libby is designed for everyone, including kids, teens, and adults. Whether you’re exploring new stories, catching up on bestsellers, or revisiting your favorite books, Libby keeps reading simple, fun, and accessible. Built by OverDrive, Libby proudly supports public libraries and the joy of reading for all. Download Libby today and turn your device into your personal library.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Libby, the library app at 4.9 against JoCoLibrary's 3.6. Libby, the library app also leads on review sentiment (84% vs 56%) and ratings volume (4.6M vs 24). 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.
Libby, the library app holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Libby, the library app has 4.6M ratings behind it against 24, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 56% of JoCoLibrary's written reviews are positive against 84% of Libby, the library app's.
JoCoLibrary ships an update every 3 months, Libby, the library app monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | JoCoLibrary | Libby, the library app |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.6 (24 ratings) | 4.9 (4.6M ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 56.3% of reviews | 83.7% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 24 | 4.6M — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | — | #3 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 22 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | Johnson County Library | OverDrive, Inc. |
Customer experience
JoCoLibrary
Libby, the library app
User reviews
JoCoLibrary
From 24 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Manages holds and renewals
- 👍 Barcode stored on app
- 👍 Useful for browsing
- 👍 Great library system integration
Room to improve
- 🐛 App constantly crashes
- 🐛 App keeps crashing
- 🐛 App won't stay open
- 🐛 App constantly has server issues
- 🐛 Logs out frequently
Libby, the library app
From 4.6M App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 📚 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
Room to improve
- 🕰️ 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
Bugs and requests
JoCoLibrary
Reported bugs
10 issues- App constantly crashes
- App keeps crashing
- App won't stay open
- Server issues causing frequent logouts and lockouts
- Login issues at night
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- Filtering buttons not working
- App freezes when browsing new items
- My borrowing tab freezes
- Barcode scanning issues
- Crashes with iOS 7 update
Requested features
5 requests- Update library hours
- Make app more like website (Staff Picks, Summer Reading, Events, Find a Good Book)
- Link authors to their other works
- History of checked out books
- iPhone 5 version
Libby, the library app
Reported bugs
5 issues- 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
6 requests- 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)
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- Integration with other e-book/audiobook services
In-app purchases
JoCoLibrary
No in-app purchases
Libby, the library app
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is JoCoLibrary free?
Is Libby, the library app free?
Which has better reviews, JoCoLibrary or Libby, the library app?
Do JoCoLibrary or Libby, the library app have ads?
Which is updated more often, JoCoLibrary or Libby, the library app?
Other comparisons
