# CloudLibrary vs Aspen LiDA

The clearest difference is review sentiment: CloudLibrary at 57% against Aspen LiDA's 9%. CloudLibrary also leads on rating (4.8 vs 1.4) and ratings volume (253K vs 230). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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 1.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CloudLibrary has 253K ratings behind it against 230, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 57% of CloudLibrary's written reviews are positive against 9% of Aspen LiDA's.

CloudLibrary ships an update every 6 weeks, Aspen LiDA monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CloudLibrary | Aspen LiDA |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (253K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cloudlibrary/id466446054/reviews)** | [1.4 (230 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aspen-lida/id1581124727/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **253K** | 230 |
| Positive reviews | **56.5% of reviews** | 9.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#34** | — |
| Size | 161 MB | 56 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [OCLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/438286724) | [ByWater Solutions](https://appshunter.io/developer/1465780740) |

## What reviewers say

### CloudLibrary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cloudlibrary/id466446054)

**Currently charting:** #34 Top Free · Book (US App Store)

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 🚀 Convenient access to library books
- 🚀 Wide selection of books
- 👍 Great resource during the pandemic
- 👍 Ability to read/listen on multiple devices

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🐛 Unreliable page/progress tracking
- 🐛 Inconsistent user experience
- 🐛 Slow performance and loading times
- 🐛 Confusing navigation and interface

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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


### Aspen LiDA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aspen-lida/id1581124727)

Discover books, movies, and games from your library anywhere. Search the full catalog, including digital content, to find titles, place holds, and manage your loans.

**Highlights:** Search entire library catalog, Discover books, movies, and games, Access eContent, Place holds on items, Check due dates, Renew eligible titles

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 App works fine for ordering books
- 👍 Can see other books in series (Libby feature comparison)
- 👍 App is convenient for library card access
- 👍 App allows placing and renewing holds

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App frequently crashes
- 🐛 App logs users out repeatedly
- 🐛 App is slow to load
- 🐛 App freezes
- 🐛 App does not save login info

**Reported bugs**

- App kicks users out
- App doesn't renew books with holds
- App doesn't renew all books even when Renew All is pressed
- App won't open, shows spinning wheel
- App freezes

**Requested features**

- Show position in hold queue
- Allow saving login information
- Implement facial/fingerprint recognition for login
- Improve search functionality for genres/topics
- Allow managing multiple library cards


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CloudLibrary free?

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

### Is Aspen LiDA free?

Aspen LiDA is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, CloudLibrary or Aspen LiDA?

CloudLibrary is rated higher. CloudLibrary averages 4.8 out of 5 from 253K ratings, while Aspen LiDA averages 1.4 from 230 ratings.

### Do CloudLibrary or Aspen LiDA have ads?

Neither CloudLibrary nor Aspen LiDA shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, CloudLibrary or Aspen LiDA?

CloudLibrary ships an update every 6 weeks, and Aspen LiDA monthly. Most recently, CloudLibrary was updated on September 27, 2026 and Aspen LiDA on September 25, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*