Comparison

Freading vs BorrowBox

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Read EPUB and PDF books
  • Adobe DRM support
  • Tap or swipe page turning
  • Remembers last page read
  • Selectable text size
Read full description

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.

About

BorrowBox

Access a vast digital library of eAudiobooks, eBooks, eMagazines, and eNewspapers from your local library. Browse, borrow, and enjoy content on any device with seamless syncing and personalized features.

Highlights
  • Borrow eAudiobooks, eBooks, eMagazines, eNewspapers
  • All library formats in one app
  • Read and listen directly in the app
  • Curated collections and themes
  • Multi-language browsing
  • Automatic new issue downloads
  • Cross-device syncing
  • Adjustable playback speed and sleep timer
Features
Read full description

Discover the Ultimate Library Experience – Borrow eAudiobooks, eBooks, eMagazines, and eNewspapers – All in One Place. With BorrowBox, browsing, borrowing, reading, or listening has never been simpler. Take your library with you, wherever you go, whenever you want. If your local library offers BorrowBox, simply sign in with your membership details to unlock a world of digital reading and listening. ALL YOUR LIBRARY FAVOURITES, ONE APP Explore eAudiobooks, eBooks, eMagazines, and eNewspapers – all the formats your library offers, all in one place. EVERYTHING IN ONE PLACE Read or listen to your borrowed titles directly in the app. No extra downloads, no extra steps. MADE FOR YOU Enjoy curated collections and themes that make discovering your next read and listen a breeze. BROWSE IN ANY LANGUAGE Our Language Browsing feature makes it simple to find content in multiple languages, tailored for different audiences. NEVER MISS A RELEASE Subscribe to your favourite eMagazines or eNewspapers, and they’ll be borrowed and downloaded automatically as new issues arrive. STAY IN SYNC Your reading and listening progress seamlessly follows you across all your devices. TAILORED TO YOU Set a sleep timer for your eAudiobooks, add your favourites to your reading lists, and adjust playback speed to suit your listening style.

Screenshots

Freading4 screens
BorrowBox4 screens

Verdict

The call

Freading and BorrowBox both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 77% of BorrowBox's written reviews are positive against 16% of Freading's. BorrowBox also leads on update cadence (every 6 days vs every 9 months) and chart position (#95 vs unranked). Freading's advantage is ratings volume (2.8K vs 858) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Freading against 4.7 for BorrowBox. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2.8K and 858 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 16% of Freading's written reviews are positive against 77% of BorrowBox's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Freading ships an update every 9 months, BorrowBox every 6 days. Both last shipped on September 26, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Freading versus BorrowBox: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFreadingBorrowBox
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (2.8K ratings)4.7 (858 ratings) — better
Positive reviews16.1% of reviews76.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings2.8K — better858
Update frequencyEvery 9 monthsEvery 6 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
Best chart rank—#95 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size20 MB146 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLibrary Ideas, LLCBolinda digital

Customer experience

Freading

All ratings2,762 ratings
Positive90.8%
Neutral4.0%
Negative5.2%
Written reviews124 reviews
Positive16.1%
Neutral6.5%
Negative77.4%

BorrowBox

All ratings858 ratings
Positive92.2%
Neutral3.1%
Negative4.7%
Written reviews1,547 reviews
Positive76.5%
Neutral10.4%
Negative13.1%

User reviews

Freading

From 2.8K App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

BorrowBox

From 858 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 🚀 Convenient access to books
  • 💡 Free service through local library
  • 🎧 Great for audiobooks
  • 📚 Wide selection of books

Room to improve

  • 🕰️ Long wait times for popular books
  • 🔍 Limited search and filtering options
  • 🔖 Lack of bookmark/progress tracking features
  • 🔋 Battery drain issues
  • 🐛 App crashes and bugs

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

BorrowBox

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • App crashes after recent update
  • Loses reading progress when switching devices
  • Night mode issues with invisible text
  • Audiobook controls not working with Bluetooth
  • Inconsistent behavior when using sleep timer

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add a wishlist or reading list feature
  • Improve search and filtering capabilities
  • Implement bookmark/progress tracking for audiobooks
  • Integrate with Apple CarPlay for safer driving
  • Add user reviews and ratings for books

In-app purchases

None

Freading

No in-app purchases

None

BorrowBox

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Freading free?
Freading is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is BorrowBox free?
BorrowBox is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Freading or BorrowBox?
BorrowBox is rated higher. Freading averages 4.6 out of 5 from 2.8K ratings, while BorrowBox averages 4.7 from 858 ratings.
Do Freading or BorrowBox have ads?
Neither Freading nor BorrowBox shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Freading or BorrowBox?
Freading ships an update every 9 months, and BorrowBox every 6 days. Most recently, Freading was updated on September 26, 2026 and BorrowBox on September 26, 2026.

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