BPL To Go vs CW MARS Libraries
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
BPL To Go
Easily manage your Boston Public Library account on the go. Search the catalog, check item availability and due dates, renew items, and discover events and branch information.
- Search and filter catalog
- Manage account and due dates
- Renew items
- Check holds
- Download ebooks and audiobooks
- Browse new arrivals and reviews
- Find branch hours and events
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Use BPL To Go to search titles, manage your account, check branch hours, and find out what's happening at the Boston Public Library. Features: • Quickly search and filter to find what you want • Get the details on any title, including descriptions, community reviews and commentary • Save titles to your ‘For Later’ list • Check title availability – and map the locations where it's available now • Instantly check your due dates and renew items • Check if your holds are ready • Find and download ebooks and audiobooks • Browse bestsellers, new arrivals, and recent reviews • Search our calendar of events for all locations • Check branch hours or get directions to your nearest branch
CW MARS Libraries
Access the shared catalog of libraries across Central and Western Massachusetts. Requires a library card and password from a participating CW MARS member library to use.
- Access shared library catalog
- Search for books and materials
- Manage library account
- Find participating libraries
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CW MARS Libraries gives you access to the shared library catalog for all CW MARS member libraries in Central and Western Massachusetts. To use this app, you must have a library card from a CW MARS member library, and know your password. If you do not know your password, or need a library card, please contact your local library.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: BPL To Go at 4.1 against CW MARS Libraries's 3.8. CW MARS Libraries's advantage is review sentiment (56% vs 33%). On price, ratings volume, 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.
BPL To Go holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 22 and 26 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 33% of BPL To Go's written reviews are positive against 56% of CW MARS Libraries's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
BPL To Go ships an update every 3 months, CW MARS Libraries every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and June 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | BPL To Go | CW MARS Libraries |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.1 (22 ratings) — better | 3.8 (26 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | 56.3% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 22 | 26 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months — better | Every 4 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 15.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 22 MB | 10 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | TRUSTEES OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY OF THE CITY OF BOSTON | Kenneth Cox |
Customer experience
BPL To Go
CW MARS Libraries
In-app purchases
BPL To Go
No in-app purchases
CW MARS Libraries
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is BPL To Go free?
Is CW MARS Libraries free?
Which has better reviews, BPL To Go or CW MARS Libraries?
Do BPL To Go or CW MARS Libraries have ads?
Which is updated more often, BPL To Go or CW MARS Libraries?
Other comparisons
