Libraries Hawaii vs Libby, the library app
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Libraries Hawaii
Access the Hawaii State Public Library System's catalog from your mobile device. Search for books and movies, manage your account, place holds, and discover library events and hours.
- Search library catalog
- Place and cancel holds
- Manage library account
- Scan item barcodes
- View item details and reviews
- Find library events and hours
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Hawaii State Public Library System's app takes library catalog to your iPhone and iPad - search library's collection, place a hold, manage your account and much more. Features: - Scan any item's barcode anywhere and see its availability in your library - Search for books, movies and other items on library's catalog - Get details item details including user reviews - Place and cancel holds - See checked out items - Find out about events at your library and working hours
Libby, the library app
Access millions of free ebooks and audiobooks from your local library. Borrow titles instantly with your library card, download for offline enjoyment, and enjoy a customizable reading and listening experience.
- Borrow ebooks and audiobooks
- Download for offline access
- Send ebooks to Kindle
- Adjust reader settings
- Customize audio player
- Create book lists
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Libby connects you to your local library’s collection of ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, and more. With just your library card, you can instantly read or listen to books on your phone or tablet — for free, thanks to your public library! Browse and borrow everything from timeless classics to the latest New York Times bestsellers, and enjoy your next great read anytime, anywhere. What You Can Do with Libby - Browse your library’s digital catalog of books - Borrow and enjoy ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines - Send ebooks to your Kindle (U.S. libraries only) - Listen to audiobooks through Apple CarPlay - Download titles for offline reading, or stream them to save space - Use tags to create to-be--read lists or organize your favorite titles - Keep your reading position with automatic syncing across all your devices A Beautiful Reading Experience Enjoy a seamless reading experience with Libby’s elegant, easy-to-use ebook reader: - Adjust text size, background color, and book design to fit your preferences - Zoom into magazines, comics, and graphic novels - Define and search for words or phrases instantly - Read and listen to interactive read-alongs with your kids - Add bookmarks, notes, and highlights to personalize your reading An Immersive Audiobook Player Libby’s audiobook player makes listening effortless and enjoyable: - Slow down or speed up playback (0.6x to 3.0x) - Set a sleep timer for nighttime listening - Swipe easily to skip forward or backward - Add bookmarks, notes, and highlights as you listen Read Anywhere, Anytime Libby is designed for everyone, including kids, teens, and adults. Whether you’re exploring new stories, catching up on bestsellers, or revisiting your favorite books, Libby keeps reading simple, fun, and accessible. Built by OverDrive, Libby proudly supports public libraries and the joy of reading for all. Download Libby today and turn your device into your personal library.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Libby, the library app at 84% against Libraries Hawaii's 27%. Libby, the library app also leads on rating (4.9 vs 1.7) and ratings volume (4.6M vs 17). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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.
Libby, the library app holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 1.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Libby, the library app has 4.6M ratings behind it against 17, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 27% of Libraries Hawaii's written reviews are positive against 84% of Libby, the library app's.
Libraries Hawaii ships an update every 6 weeks, Libby, the library app monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Libraries Hawaii | Libby, the library app |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 1.7 (17 ratings) | 4.9 (4.6M ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 27.1% of reviews | 83.7% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 17 | 4.6M — better |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | — | #3 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 5 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | ChiliFresh.com | OverDrive, Inc. |
Customer experience
Libraries Hawaii
Libby, the library app
Bugs and requests
Libraries Hawaii
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Libby, the library app
Reported bugs
5 issues- Frequent app crashes and freezes
- Issues with downloading and syncing content
- Unreliable playback controls for audiobooks
- Inconsistent behavior when placing holds
- Disappearing reading history and bookmarks
Requested features
6 requests- Ability to search across multiple libraries
- Custom reading/listening speed controls
- Improved recommendation and discovery tools
- Option to purchase unavailable titles
- Customizable reading experience (fonts, themes)
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- Integration with other e-book/audiobook services
In-app purchases
Libraries Hawaii
No in-app purchases
Libby, the library app
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Libraries Hawaii free?
Is Libby, the library app free?
Which has better reviews, Libraries Hawaii or Libby, the library app?
Do Libraries Hawaii or Libby, the library app have ads?
Which is updated more often, Libraries Hawaii or Libby, the library app?
Other comparisons
