The Garden Guide vs HP Library
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
The Garden Guide
Explore the Chicago Botanic Garden with this app. Discover plants, find your way around, and learn about the garden's features through tours and audio guides. It's a helpful companion for both visitors and home gardeners.
- Navigate 385 acres and 26 gardens
- Discover plant information by name, color, or characteristics
- Access walking tours and audio guides
- Pin favorite locations
- Track seasonal blooms
- Personal garden docent
Read full descriptionHide full description
When your question is: “How do I find…” Your answer is: The Garden Guide Packed with information about the Chicago Botanic Garden, our app is the perfect companion as you navigate, discover, learn about, and explore all 385 acres, 26 gardens, 4 natural areas, and our outstanding collection of 2.6 million plants. Get to know the Garden with the help of our Walking Tours and Audio Guides. Or, be your own guide--set out on your own and pin your favorite places. Discover what’s in bloom year round and locate any plant on the grounds by its name, color, or characteristics. Think of it as your personal garden docent--whether you’re visiting the Garden grounds or working in your own backyard.
HP Library
Access your local library's catalog to search for books, movies, and digital content. Manage your account, renew items, and register for events directly from your device.
- Search catalog for books and movies
- Reserve new releases
- Manage library account
- Renew borrowed items
- Access digital content (eBooks, eAudiobooks)
- Register for library events
- Use eCard for on-site checkouts
Read full descriptionHide full description
Stay connected to Highland Park Public Library from home and abroad. Register for events, search for books and movies, renew your items and much more. Download the app today and experience your library like never before! • Looking for the newest releases? Browse our new books and movies and reserve your copy with just the tap of a finger. • Log in to the app with your library card number and PIN to keep track of your account on the go! Renew material, manage your holds, review your loan history and check your account balance, too. • Check out material on site with your eCard. • Explore our entire catalog. Search, read reviews, find similar items and locate a copy to pick up from Highland Park Public Library. • Access digital content in one convenient location. Search for eBooks, eAudiobooks, movies and more from OverDrive, RBDigital, Kanopy, hoopla and other content providers. • Discover a new skill and connect with your community at one of our amazing events! Filter by event type or age group and register right from the app. Add events to your calendar or share them with your friends on Facebook.
Screenshots
Verdict
The Garden Guide and HP Library both sit at 3.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 64% of The Garden Guide's written reviews are positive against 33% of HP Library's. The Garden Guide also leads on ratings volume (13 vs 3). HP Library's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 16.0). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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 — 3.6 for The Garden Guide against 3.7 for HP Library. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 13 and 3 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 64% of The Garden Guide's written reviews are positive against 33% of HP Library's.
The Garden Guide ships an update every 7 months, HP Library every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on September 14, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | The Garden Guide | HP Library |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.6 (13 ratings) | 3.7 (3 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 64.3% of reviews — better | 33.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 13 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months — better | Every 9 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 11.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 36 MB | 36 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Chicago Horticultural Society | City of Highland Park Public Library |
Customer experience
The Garden Guide
HP Library
In-app purchases
The Garden Guide
No in-app purchases
HP Library
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is The Garden Guide free?
Is HP Library free?
Which has better reviews, The Garden Guide or HP Library?
Do The Garden Guide or HP Library have ads?
Which is updated more often, The Garden Guide or HP Library?
Other comparisons
