Freading vs Acorn Catalog
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Freading
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.
- Read EPUB and PDF books
- Adobe DRM support
- Tap or swipe page turning
- Remembers last page read
- Selectable text size
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The Freading application is for reading EPUB books and PDF books. The application was developed for users of the Freading Ebook Service. The Freading (free reading) Ebook Service was developed by Library Ideas, LLC and is sold to libraries of all types around the world. End users are registered cardholders of participating libraries. Check with your local library for participation. The end user should use their browser to navigate the library website, then download the book from a library website into this application. Once in the application, the EPUB or PDF book can be explored and read. The Freading application is designed to lend full support for Adobe DRM and uses Adobe ID for Authentication. The Freading application includes many features that you would expect for a good reading experience such as tap or swipe to turn pages, remembering the last page read, and selectable text size.
Acorn Catalog
Access public library resources across Connecticut. Search the catalog, place holds, manage checked-out items, and renew borrowed materials. Requires a library card from a Bibliomation member library.
- Search library catalog
- Place holds on items
- Review checked-out items
- Renew borrowed materials
- Access 63 public libraries
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With Acorn Catalog, you have access to sixty-three public libraries across Connecticut. To use this app, you must have a library card with a Bibliomation member library and know your password. If you do not know your password, please contact your local library. Acorn Catalog lets you: * Search the catalog * Place a hold * Review the items you have checked out * Renew items Problem? Send email to kenstir.apps@gmail.com. Crash? Report it. This software is open source! If you have the means and the interest to contribute, visit https://github.com/kenstir/hemlock
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Acorn Catalog at 67% against Freading's 16%. Freading's advantage is rating (4.6 vs 3.3) and ratings volume (2.8K vs 14). 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.
Freading holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Freading has 2.8K ratings behind it against 14, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 16% of Freading's written reviews are positive against 67% of Acorn Catalog's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Freading ships an update every 9 months, Acorn Catalog every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Freading | Acorn Catalog |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (2.8K ratings) — better | 3.3 (14 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 16.1% of reviews | 66.7% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 2.8K — better | 14 |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | Every 5 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 20 MB | 11 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Library Ideas, LLC | Bibliomation, Inc. |
Customer experience
Freading
Acorn Catalog
Bugs and requests
Freading
Reported bugs
3 issues- Books fail to download or open
- App crashes when trying to access downloaded books
- Login process is unreliable and inconsistent
Requested features
4 requests- Improve app stability and reliability
- Enhance user interface and navigation
- Expand book selection and search capabilities
- Streamline login and authentication process
Acorn Catalog
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Freading
No in-app purchases
Acorn Catalog
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Freading free?
Is Acorn Catalog free?
Which has better reviews, Freading or Acorn Catalog?
Do Freading or Acorn Catalog have ads?
Which is updated more often, Freading or Acorn Catalog?
Other comparisons
