# BorrowBox vs Beachcomber

The clearest difference is update cadence: BorrowBox at weekly against Beachcomber's every 21 months. BorrowBox also leads on chart position (#95 vs unranked). Beachcomber's advantage is iOS requirement (10.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

BorrowBox ships an update weekly, Beachcomber every 21 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BorrowBox | Beachcomber |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (865 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/borrowbox/id562843562/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **865** | — |
| Positive reviews | 76.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 21 months |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Best chart rank | **#95** | — |
| Size | 166 MB | 69 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **10.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bolinda digital](https://appshunter.io/developer/562843565) | [Northern Agricultural Catchments Council Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/738897454) |

## What reviewers say

### BorrowBox

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

**Currently charting:** #95 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


### Beachcomber

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beachcomber/id738897449)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BorrowBox free?

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

### Is Beachcomber free?

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

### Do BorrowBox or Beachcomber have ads?

Neither BorrowBox nor Beachcomber shows ads.

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

BorrowBox ships an update weekly, and Beachcomber every 21 months. Most recently, BorrowBox was updated on October 13, 2026 and Beachcomber on September 30, 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.*