Freading vs BorrowBox
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.
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.
- 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
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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
Verdict
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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
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.
Freading ships an update every 9 months, BorrowBox every 6 days. Both last shipped on September 26, 2026.
| Parameter | Freading | BorrowBox |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (2.8K ratings) | 4.7 (858 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 16.1% of reviews | 76.5% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 2.8K — better | 858 |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | Every 6 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | — | #95 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 20 MB | 146 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Library Ideas, LLC | Bolinda digital |
Customer experience
Freading
BorrowBox
User reviews
Freading
From 2.8K App Store ratingsWhat 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 ratingsWhat 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
Freading
No in-app purchases
BorrowBox
No in-app purchases









