# CloudLibrary vs Freading

The clearest difference is review sentiment: CloudLibrary at 56% against Freading's 16%. CloudLibrary also leads on update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 9 months) and ratings volume (253K vs 2.8K). Freading's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CloudLibrary has 253K ratings behind it against 2.8K, 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 16% of Freading's.

CloudLibrary ships an update every 6 weeks, Freading every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CloudLibrary | Freading |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (253K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cloudlibrary/id466446054/reviews)** | [4.6 (2.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/freading/id485015785/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **253K** | 2.8K |
| Positive reviews | **56.5% of reviews** | 16.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 9 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#25** | — |
| Size | 161 MB | 20 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [OCLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/438286724) | [Library Ideas, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/485015788) |

## What reviewers say

### CloudLibrary

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

**Currently charting:** #25 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


### Freading

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/freading/id485015785)

This app allows users to read EPUB and PDF books downloaded from participating libraries. It supports Adobe DRM and offers a comfortable reading experience with features like page turning and adjustable text size.

**Highlights:** Read EPUB and PDF books, Adobe DRM support, Tap or swipe page turning, Remembers last page read, Selectable text size

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 📚 Wide selection of books
- 🕰 No late fees

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 📱 Difficult to navigate and use
- 🔍 Poor search and discovery
- 📚 Limited book selection
- 🔒 Login and authentication issues

**Reported bugs**

- Books fail to download or open
- App crashes when trying to access downloaded books
- Login process is unreliable and inconsistent

**Requested features**

- Improve app stability and reliability
- Enhance user interface and navigation
- Expand book selection and search capabilities
- Streamline login and authentication process


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CloudLibrary free?

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

### Is Freading free?

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

### Which has better reviews, CloudLibrary or Freading?

CloudLibrary is rated higher. CloudLibrary averages 4.8 out of 5 from 253K ratings, while Freading averages 4.6 from 2.8K ratings.

### Do CloudLibrary or Freading have ads?

Neither CloudLibrary nor Freading shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, CloudLibrary or Freading?

CloudLibrary ships an update every 6 weeks, and Freading every 9 months. Most recently, CloudLibrary was updated on September 24, 2026 and Freading on September 23, 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.*