# Freading vs Acorn Catalog

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Freading | Acorn Catalog |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (2.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/freading/id485015785/reviews)** | [3.3 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/acorn-catalog/id1468024977/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.8K** | 14 |
| Positive reviews | 16.1% of reviews | **66.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 5 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 20 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Library Ideas, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/485015788) | [Bibliomation, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/587708969) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Acorn Catalog

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/acorn-catalog/id1468024977)

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.

**Highlights:** Search library catalog, Place holds on items, Review checked-out items, Renew borrowed materials, Access 63 public libraries

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Freading free?

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

### Is Acorn Catalog free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Freading or Acorn Catalog?

Freading is rated higher. Freading averages 4.6 out of 5 from 2.8K ratings, while Acorn Catalog averages 3.3 from 14 ratings.

### Do Freading or Acorn Catalog have ads?

Neither Freading nor Acorn Catalog shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Freading or Acorn Catalog?

Freading ships an update every 9 months, and Acorn Catalog every 5 months. Most recently, Freading was updated on September 23, 2026 and Acorn Catalog on September 20, 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.*