Comparison

RYA Books vs CloudLibrary

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

RYA Books

Explore enhanced digital books with interactive features like animations, videos, and tools. Try free tasters before purchasing full editions, supporting RYA training courses for various boating levels. Optimized for tablets and smartphones.

Highlights
  • Interactive eBooks
  • Embedded animations and videos
  • 360° tools for navigation and regulations
  • Animated examples for VHF procedures
  • Tidal curve simulation tool
  • Bookmarking and note-taking
  • Free taster versions
Read full description

We have enhanced our digital editions (where possible) to bring the content to life by embedding animations, video and interactive tools to help illustrate the key points and skills from our popular books. Download this free app to browse the eBook editions – you can also try free taster versions of many eBooks, so you can try before you buy. These eBooks are a great resource supporting our world famous RYA Training Courses such as those within the trademark RYA Yachtmaster Scheme, the RYA Powerboat Scheme and the RYA Dinghy Sailing & Windsurfing Schemes among others. You will find eBooks of essential and recommended titles along with plenty of further reading and development, whether you’re starting to sail by taking a Competent Crew course, taking things further with a Day Skipper course or taking your RYA Yachtmaster exam – whatever you need, we’ve got it covered! There are great examples throughout our range of our use of interactive content in areas such as seamanship, boat handling, passage planning, knots and stability but you’ll find something very special in our editions for: • Collision Regulations – where we've developed over twenty interactive 360° lights and shapes tool to provide readers a more realistic way of viewing how vessels will actually present themselves in a wide variety of contexts, at four different times of day covering both day and night. • VHF – where we’ve created animated examples of the voice procedures in the RYA VHF Handbook and also linked the content to sample questions to help students pass the RYA SRC exam. • Navigation – where we’ve developed a special tool to replicate using the tidal curves in the RYA Training Almanacs to help students taking shorebased navigation courses. Although these eBooks are designed for tablets, we’re still keeping smart phones very much in mind. This way, you’ll still be able to access the enhanced interactive content on the smaller devices even if you feel you wouldn't read a book on something so small. There’s plenty for instructors as well with not only the interactive content, that can be used as demonstrations and enhanced learning on and off the water. There are also a whole host of useful features, (which we’re always evolving) such as bookmarking, note taking and inter-edition linking that will help you manage the content you want to support the way you teach. This updated version of the app now includes a wider range of boating categories to make it easier for you to navigate all the new content that we are regularly adding: • Sail • Dinghy • Sail Racing • Sail Cruising • Windsurfing • Power • Powerboating • Motor Cruising • Personal Watercraft • Inland Waterways

About

CloudLibrary

Manage your library account and discover new content. Borrow physical items, access eBooks and audiobooks, and receive helpful reminders. Personalize your reading experience and stay organized with this intuitive library companion.

Highlights
  • Borrow physical and digital items
  • Access eBooks and Audiobooks
  • Manage multiple library accounts
  • Receive due-date reminders
  • Discover library events
  • Personalize reading experience
Currently charting
Read full description

A must-have app for library users! Easily borrow physical items using your mobile device, receive reminders, manage receipts and discover new digital content all within the CloudLibrary app! Extremely intuitive, all it takes is a library card to login and get started! Designed for an enjoyable experience, users can benefit from many new features, depending on their library’s subscription. - Easily accessible library card, which conveniently displays when you’re near the library - Switch accounts with ease and manage multiple library cards from one mobile device - Download and enjoy free eBooks and Audiobooks - Keep track of your physical and digital library activity in one place - Receive helpful receipts, due-date reminders and packable checklists - Visible push notifications alert when hold items are available - View upcoming library events and programs - Checkout print items at your library using your mobile device - Fun and loveable customizations include Themes, Avatars and Nicknames For libraries that have a subscription to offer eBooks and Audiobooks: - Customize your homepage bookshelves to display your preferred genres - Simple interface makes browsing and saving titles a breeze - Filter content by format, availability and language to display exactly what you are looking for - Mark titles as favorites or read to help with literary conversations with friends - Sync digital content across multiple devices to easily pick up where you left off - View current books, full reading history, items on hold and saved titles in one place - Sort titles by name or author to easily find what you’re looking for - Receive reading recommendations or view additional titles by author or series - Select font size, margins and background colors to create your preferred reading experience - Search eBooks for a particular phrase to get back to that one spot you wanted to reference - Bookmark pages and add notes if needed - Return titles early when you’re finished and make available for other readers Elevate your library experience today with the CloudLibrary app!

Screenshots

RYA Books4 screens
CloudLibrary4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: CloudLibrary at 4.8 against RYA Books's 2.5. CloudLibrary also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 38) and review sentiment (57% vs 27%). On price, update cadence, ads and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. RYA Books sells 37 one-off in-app purchases. CloudLibrary asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

CloudLibrary holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CloudLibrary has 262K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 27% of RYA Books's written reviews are positive against 57% of CloudLibrary's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

RYA Books ships an update every 3 months, CloudLibrary every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
RYA Books versus CloudLibrary: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRYA BooksCloudLibrary
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.5 (2 ratings)4.8 (262K ratings) — better
Positive reviews27.0% of reviews56.8% of reviews — better
Number of ratings2262K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 6 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank—#30 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size110 MB164 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperRoyal Yachting AssociationOCLC

Customer experience

RYA Books

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews37 reviews
Positive27.0%
Neutral2.7%
Negative70.3%

CloudLibrary

All ratings258,846 ratings
Positive94.7%
Neutral2.5%
Negative2.8%
Written reviews1,161 reviews
Positive56.8%
Neutral11.8%
Negative31.4%

Bugs and requests

RYA Books

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

CloudLibrary

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Inability to open/download books
  • Losing place in books when reopening app
  • Random page skipping and jumps
  • Corrupted library data and lost reading history
  • Frequent login issues and errors

Requested features

5 requests
  • Dark mode option
  • Improved search and browsing functionality
  • Better integration with other reading apps (e.g. Kindle)
  • Progress tracking and bookmarking improvements
  • Option to extend loan periods

In-app purchases

37 purchases

RYA Books

One-time37
  • Guide to Boating Knots (E-G60)$3.99
  • First Aid (E-FAB)$6.99
  • Instructor Handbook (E-G27)$9.99
Show 34 more
  • Handy Guide to CEVNI (E-G106)$9.99
  • Intro to Radar (E-G34)$9.99
  • Euro Waterways Regs (E-G17)$9.99
  • Training Almanac North (E-TAN)$9.99
  • Stability and Buoyancy (E-G23)$9.99
  • Yachtmaster Quizzes (E-G79)$11.99
  • ICC Handbook (E-G81)$12.99
  • Racing Rules of Sailing ERRS25$12.99
  • Day Skipper Practical(E-DSPCN)$12.99
  • Day Skipper Shorebased (E-DSN)$14.99
  • Yachtmaster Shorebased (E-YSN)$14.99
  • Comp Crew Skills (E-CCPCN)$14.99
  • Collision Regulations (E-G2)$14.99
  • Intro to Navigation (E-G77)$14.99
  • Astro Navigation Handbook (E-G78)$14.99
  • Day Skipper Shorebased(E-G113)$14.99
  • Start to Race (E-G66)$14.99
  • Passage Planning (E-G69)$17.99
  • Dinghy Techniques (E-G93)$17.99
  • Boat Safety Handbook (E-G103)$17.99
  • Day Skipper – Motor (E-G97)$19.99
  • Advanced Powerboat (E-G108)$19.99
  • Diesel Engine (E-G25)$19.99
  • VHF Handbook (E-G31)$19.99
  • Yachtmaster Handbook (E-G70)$19.99
  • Navigation Handbook (E-G6)$19.99
  • Day Skipper Sail (E-G71)$19.99
  • Multihull Handbook (E-G92)$19.99
  • Offshore Sailing (E-G87)$19.99
  • Sail Trim Handbook (E-G99)$19.99
  • Boat Handling Sail Power E-G68$19.99
  • Electrics Handbook (E-G67)$19.99
  • Weather Handbook (E-G133)$19.99
  • Manual of Seamanship (E-G36)$22.99
None

CloudLibrary

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is RYA Books free?
RYA Books is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is CloudLibrary free?
CloudLibrary is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, RYA Books or CloudLibrary?
CloudLibrary is rated higher. RYA Books averages 2.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while CloudLibrary averages 4.8 from 262K ratings.
Do RYA Books or CloudLibrary have ads?
Neither RYA Books nor CloudLibrary shows ads.
Which is updated more often, RYA Books or CloudLibrary?
RYA Books ships an update every 3 months, and CloudLibrary every 6 weeks. Most recently, RYA Books was updated on October 20, 2026 and CloudLibrary on October 21, 2026.

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