Freading vs Greenwich Library
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.
Greenwich Library
Easily search and discover titles from the library catalog on your mobile device. Manage holds, renew items, and save favorite books. Get library location and hours information.
- Search library catalog
- Place and manage holds
- Renew borrowed items
- Save titles for later
- View book details and reviews
- Check item availability and location
- Library location and hours
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Access the Greenwich Library catalog from your phone! The Greenwich Library mobile app makes it easy to find and discover titles, place holds, renew items, rate books, create lists, and get information about Library locations. - Quickly search the collection, with filters to narrow your search - Browse bestsellers and new materials - Place and manage holds - Check due dates and renew items - Save titles for later - Read book descriptions, reviews, and commentary - Check a book’s availability and map the locations where the title is currently available - Check Library locations and hours and get directions
Screenshots
Verdict
Freading and Greenwich Library both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Greenwich Library's written reviews are positive against 17% of Freading's. Greenwich Library also leads on update cadence (every 3 months vs every 9 months). Freading's advantage is ratings volume (2.9K vs 3) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). 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 Greenwich Library. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Freading has 2.9K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 17% of Freading's written reviews are positive against 100% of Greenwich Library's.
Freading ships an update every 9 months, Greenwich Library every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Freading | Greenwich Library |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (2.9K ratings) | 4.7 (3 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 16.8% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 2.9K — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | Every 3 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 20 MB | 22 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Library Ideas, LLC | Greenwich Library |
Customer experience
Freading
Greenwich Library
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
Greenwich Library
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Freading
No in-app purchases
Greenwich Library
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Freading free?
Is Greenwich Library free?
Which has better reviews, Freading or Greenwich Library?
Do Freading or Greenwich Library have ads?
Which is updated more often, Freading or Greenwich Library?
Other comparisons
