CloudLibrary vs PLS Connect
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Borrow physical and digital items
- Access eBooks and Audiobooks
- Manage multiple library accounts
- Receive due-date reminders
- Discover library events
- Personalize reading experience
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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!
PLS Connect
Access your library's catalog, eBooks, eMagazines, and streaming video content from your mobile device. Manage your account, check out items, and discover popular titles. You can even apply for a library card directly through the app.
- Search library catalog
- Access eBooks and eMagazines
- Stream video content
- Manage library account
- Checkout, renew, and return items
- Digital library card access
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Pioneer Library System Connect makes it quick and easy to access your library on the go, 24/7. Search the library’s catalog, read eBooks and eMagazines, access streaming video content on-demand, manage your account, and find popular titles instantly. All you need is a PLS library card to get started – which you can apply for with the app! Features include: • Search the Pioneer Library System’s full catalog of print and digital materials. • Access eBooks, eMagazines, and streaming video content instantly on your device. • Manage your library account. • Easily checkout, renew, and return items. • Browse collections of hand-picked popular titles. • Access your library card number and barcode digitally. • See the latest in library news and events for your library. Have questions? Connect with a PLS librarian at https://chat.mosio.com/par/chat/new_chat/PLS for assistance.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: CloudLibrary at 4.8 against PLS Connect's 3.6. CloudLibrary also leads on ratings volume (253K vs 18) and review sentiment (56% vs 43%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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.
CloudLibrary holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CloudLibrary has 253K ratings behind it against 18, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 56% of CloudLibrary's written reviews are positive against 43% of PLS Connect's.
CloudLibrary ships an update every 6 weeks, PLS Connect every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 15, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | CloudLibrary | PLS Connect |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (253K ratings) — better | 3.6 (18 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 56.5% of reviews — better | 42.9% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 253K — better | 18 |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | #26 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 16.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 161 MB | 26 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | OCLC | Pioneer Library System |
Customer experience
CloudLibrary
PLS Connect
Bugs and 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
PLS Connect
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
CloudLibrary
No in-app purchases
PLS Connect
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is CloudLibrary free?
Is PLS Connect free?
Which has better reviews, CloudLibrary or PLS Connect?
Do CloudLibrary or PLS Connect have ads?
Which is updated more often, CloudLibrary or PLS Connect?
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