# BorrowBox vs CYOA

The clearest difference is rating: BorrowBox at 4.7 against CYOA's 1.0. BorrowBox also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 6 days vs every 3 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. CYOA sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $0.49 per month. BorrowBox asks for nothing beyond the download.

BorrowBox holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BorrowBox has 865 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

BorrowBox ships an update every 6 days, CYOA every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BorrowBox | CYOA |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (865 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/borrowbox/id562843562/reviews)** | [1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cyoa/id6754532778/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **865** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 76.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#96** | — |
| Size | 165 MB | 28 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Bolinda digital](https://appshunter.io/developer/562843565) | [Daniel Walsh](https://appshunter.io/developer/1838615904) |

## What reviewers say

### BorrowBox

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/borrowbox/id562843562)

**Currently charting:** #96 Top Free · Magazines & Newspapers (US App Store)

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:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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


### CYOA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cyoa/id6754532778)

Create and play interactive text-based adventure stories. Write your own narratives with unlimited chapters and dynamic choices, or explore stories created by others. Save your progress and resume anytime.

**Highlights:** Write custom text adventures, Play interactive stories, Unlimited chapters and scenes, Dynamic choices, Bookmark progress, Background images

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium (1 month) | $0.49 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BorrowBox free?

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

### Is CYOA free?

CYOA is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, BorrowBox or CYOA?

BorrowBox is rated higher. BorrowBox averages 4.7 out of 5 from 865 ratings, while CYOA averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do BorrowBox or CYOA have ads?

Neither BorrowBox nor CYOA shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BorrowBox or CYOA?

BorrowBox ships an update every 6 days, and CYOA every 3 months. Most recently, BorrowBox was updated on October 17, 2026 and CYOA on October 14, 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.*