# BorrowBox vs Dear Jane

The clearest difference is monetization model: BorrowBox at free against Dear Jane's free with in-app purchases. BorrowBox also leads on ratings volume (861 vs 2) and update cadence (weekly vs every 2 weeks). Dear Jane's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 76%) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). On price, ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

Dear Jane holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BorrowBox has 861 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 76% of BorrowBox's written reviews are positive against 100% of Dear Jane's.

BorrowBox ships an update weekly, Dear Jane every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BorrowBox | Dear Jane |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (861 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/borrowbox/id562843562/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dear-jane/id6777797638/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **861** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 76.5% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#100** | — |
| Size | 146 MB | 53 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Bolinda digital](https://appshunter.io/developer/562843565) | [Frances Maxwell](https://appshunter.io/developer/1572196041) |

## What reviewers say

### BorrowBox

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

**Currently charting:** #100 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


### Dear Jane

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dear-jane/id6777797638)

Engage with Jane Austen's world through AITA-style confessions, personality quizzes, and novel knowledge tests. Progress through Meryton society by earning Society Honours for your wit and judgment. This app is crafted for dedicated fans of Jane Austen's literature.

**Highlights:** AITA-style confessions from Austen's world, Personality quizzes, Novel knowledge tests, Progress tracking for scandals and quizzes, Society Honours system, Debate participation

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BorrowBox free?

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

### Is Dear Jane free?

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

### Which has better reviews, BorrowBox or Dear Jane?

Dear Jane is rated higher. BorrowBox averages 4.7 out of 5 from 861 ratings, while Dear Jane averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do BorrowBox or Dear Jane have ads?

Neither BorrowBox nor Dear Jane shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BorrowBox or Dear Jane?

BorrowBox ships an update weekly, and Dear Jane every 2 weeks. Most recently, BorrowBox was updated on October 3, 2026 and Dear Jane on September 27, 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.*