Freading vs WLS Mobile
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.
WLS Mobile
Discover new and favorite books, movies, and games from your library. Search the full catalog, place holds, and manage your checkouts remotely. Renew eligible items and track due dates with ease.
- Explore library catalog
- Search for books, movies, games
- Include eContent in searches
- Place holds on items
- Check due dates
- Renew eligible titles
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WLS Mobile allows you to explore your library on the go to find new books, movies, games, or your old favorites! Quickly search the entire catalog - including eContent - place holds, check due dates, and renew eligible titles.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Freading at 4.6 against WLS Mobile's 1.6. Freading also leads on ratings volume (2.8K vs 62) and review sentiment (16% vs 5%). WLS Mobile's advantage is update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 9 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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 1.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Freading has 2.8K ratings behind it against 62, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 16% of Freading's written reviews are positive against 5% of WLS Mobile's.
Freading ships an update every 9 months, WLS Mobile every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Freading | WLS Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (2.8K ratings) — better | 1.6 (62 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 16.1% of reviews — better | 5.4% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 2.8K — better | 62 |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | Every 5 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 20 MB | 56 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Library Ideas, LLC | ByWater Solutions |
Customer experience
Freading
WLS Mobile
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
WLS Mobile
From 62 App Store ratingsRoom to improve
- 🐛 Crashes frequently
- 🔑 Constant logging out
- ⏱️ Slow loading and performance
- 🔍 Poor search functionality
- 🤖 Buggy and not ready for release
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
WLS Mobile
Reported bugs
3 issues- Crashes on opening
- Doesn't stay logged in
- Server errors preventing access
Requested features
2 requests- Bring back the older app
- Allow login without library card
In-app purchases
Freading
No in-app purchases
WLS Mobile
No in-app purchases
