# National Library and Archives vs Open Library Reader

The clearest difference is rating: National Library and Archives at 5.0 against Open Library Reader's 3.1. National Library and Archives also leads on review sentiment (60% vs 26%). Open Library Reader's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 17) and ratings volume (51 vs 3). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. National Library and Archives sells 17 one-off in-app purchases. Open Library Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

National Library and Archives holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Open Library Reader has 51 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 60% of National Library and Archives's written reviews are positive against 26% of Open Library Reader's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | National Library and Archives | Open Library Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/national-library-and-archives/id629973883/reviews)** | [3.1 (51 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/open-library-reader/id1573989409/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **51** |
| Positive reviews | **60.0% of reviews** | 26.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 48 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [National Library and Archives](https://appshunter.io/developer/629973886) | [Loomis House, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1573989411) |

## What reviewers say

### National Library and Archives

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/national-library-and-archives/id629973883)

Access a comprehensive digital archive and library for the UAE, featuring historical media, public contributions, news archives, and an e-book store. Explore audio recordings and various other electronic services.

**Highlights:** Historical multimedia archive, User-submitted historical content, Daily news archives, E-book store, Audio library of Sheikh Zayed, Electronic services

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (17)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| YawmeyatMohammedBinRashed | Free | one-time |
| Liwa Arabic 29 | Free | one-time |
| Zayed From Challenges to Union | Free | one-time |
| YawmeyatZayedBinSultan | Free | one-time |
| YawmeyatMohamedBinZayed | Free | one-time |
| YawmeyatFatema | Free | one-time |
| قصر الحصن | Free | one-time |
| Rasael Al Rasoul | $3.99 | one-time |
| Emiratis All Our Yesterdays - Arabic | $4.99 | one-time |
| Zayed Ibn Al Sahraa | $4.99 | one-time |
| New Perpectives On Recording UAE History A | $4.99 | one-time |
| Old Mosques of the Coasts of Abu Dhabi - Arabic | $5.99 | one-time |
| Memoirs of the Emirates - Arabic | $9.99 | one-time |
| India and UAE | $9.99 | one-time |
| UAE and Iran - The three islands | $9.99 | one-time |
| Black Gold and Frankincense - Arabic | $9.99 | one-time |
| ZAYED Man Who Built A Nation Arabic | $9.99 | one-time |


### Open Library Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/open-library-reader/id1573989409)

Access and read millions of books from an online library. Organize your reading lists, track borrowed books, and discover related titles within a familiar reading interface. Requires an internet connection.

**Highlights:** Browse and check out millions of books, Track reading progress and wishlists, Built-in search and related title discovery, Shelf management and edition changes, Checkout tracking for borrowed books, Customizable reading interface

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is National Library and Archives free?

National Library and Archives is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Open Library Reader free?

Open Library Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, National Library and Archives or Open Library Reader?

National Library and Archives is rated higher. National Library and Archives averages 5.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Open Library Reader averages 3.1 from 51 ratings.

### Do National Library and Archives or Open Library Reader have ads?

Neither National Library and Archives nor Open Library Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, National Library and Archives or Open Library Reader?

National Library and Archives ships an update every 2 months, and Open Library Reader every 2 months. Most recently, National Library and Archives was updated on October 17, 2026 and Open Library Reader on October 20, 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.*