# Fish vs LibraryThing

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Fish at 99% against LibraryThing's 47%. Fish also leads on rating (4.9 vs 3.5). LibraryThing's advantage is update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (278 vs 38). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

Fish holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: LibraryThing has 278 ratings behind it against 38, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 99% of Fish's written reviews are positive against 47% of LibraryThing's.

Fish ships an update every 4 months, LibraryThing every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Fish | LibraryThing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (38 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fish-a-tap-essay/id510560804/reviews)** | [3.5 (278 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/librarything/id948824489/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 38 | **278** |
| Positive reviews | **98.7% of reviews** | 47.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 4 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 75 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 | 11.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Robin Sloan](https://appshunter.io/developer/510560807) | [LibraryThing.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/397718884) |

## What reviewers say

### Fish

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fish-a-tap-essay/id510560804)

Explore the nuanced difference between internet 'liking' and genuine 'loving' through an interactive tap essay. This unique format uses typography, color, and surprises to present a heartfelt manifesto.

**Highlights:** Interactive tap essay format, Explores internet liking vs. loving, Uses typography and color, Includes surprises, Short reading time

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Thought-provoking content
- 🔄 Highly rewatchable/rereadable
- ✨ Beautiful presentation/design
- 🤔 Inspires reflection and deeper thinking
- ⏳ Timeless and enduring appeal

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⏳ Updated version too long (compared to original)
- 📱 Not optimized for newer devices (e.g., retina iPad)

**Requested features**

- Option to include the original version


### LibraryThing

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/librarything/id948824489)

Catalog your personal book, DVD, and CD collections. Easily add items by searching or scanning barcodes. Enhance your catalog with high-resolution cover photos and browse your collection visually.

**Highlights:** Catalog books, DVDs, and CDs, Search for media items, Scan ISBN barcodes, Add high-resolution cover photos, Browse collection by cover type

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Quick barcode scanning
- 👍 Useful for cataloging library
- 🚀 Fast book addition

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitches and crashes
- 🔍 Limited search and editing capabilities
- 🤖 Outdated and dated UI

**Reported bugs**

- Barcode scanner not working
- Books disappearing from catalog
- Editing and saving issues

**Requested features**

- Ability to create custom collections
- Offline access to library
- Integration with other book apps
- Lending/loan tracking feature


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Fish free?

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

### Is LibraryThing free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Fish or LibraryThing?

Fish is rated higher. Fish averages 4.9 out of 5 from 38 ratings, while LibraryThing averages 3.5 from 278 ratings.

### Do Fish or LibraryThing have ads?

Neither Fish nor LibraryThing shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Fish or LibraryThing?

Fish ships an update every 4 months, and LibraryThing every 4 weeks. Most recently, Fish was updated on October 8, 2026 and LibraryThing on October 16, 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.*