Libraries Hawaii vs Little Free Library
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
Little Free Library
Discover nearby book-sharing locations with this app. Find libraries using filters, get directions, and save your favorites. Track your visits and leave notes for stewards. If you manage a library, update its details directly.
- Find nearby book-sharing locations
- Search filters by location
- Get directions and create routes
- Favorite and track visited libraries
- Leave notes in guest books
- Edit library listings in real-time
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The Little Free Library app makes it easy to find little library locations near you! Use the search filters to narrow in on little libraries you want to visit, easily get directions to the nearest ones, or create a route. See a library you like? Add it to your list of favorites. Track the libraries you visit using the handy check-ins feature. If you’re a Little Free Library steward, there’s a section of the app just for you that lets you edit your library’s listing in real time! Little Free Library Map: Easy-to-use search filters help you find Little Free Libraries by zip code, city/state, charter number, or your current location. Favorite and Track the Little Libraries You Visit: Keep a list of your favorite little libraries and track the ones you visit using check-ins. Get Directions or Create Routes: Tap the Get Directions button to get step-by-step directions to the nearest Little Free Library book-sharing box, or add multiple little libraries to a route. Sign the Guest Book: After you stop by a particular little library, leave a note for the steward (aka caretaker) in its guest book! The guest book is a fun way to connect with the little library steward and see what other visitors have to say. Features for Little Free Library Volunteer Stewards: If you’re the steward of a registered Little Free Library, the app lets you edit your library’s listing in real time! Add new photos, update your library’s story, include social media links, enable a guest book for your visitors, and much more… all from within the app.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Little Free Library at 3.8 against Libraries Hawaii's 1.7. Little Free Library also leads on review sentiment (47% vs 27%) and ratings volume (199 vs 17). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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.
Little Free Library holds the better App Store score, 3.8 against 1.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Little Free Library has 199 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 47% of Little Free Library's.
Libraries Hawaii ships an update every 6 weeks, Little Free Library every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Libraries Hawaii | Little Free Library |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 1.7 (17 ratings) | 3.8 (199 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 27.1% of reviews | 47.3% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 17 | 199 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | — | #72 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 5 MB | 17 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | ChiliFresh.com | Little Free Library, Ltd |
Customer experience
Libraries Hawaii
Little Free Library
Bugs and requests
Libraries Hawaii
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Little Free Library
Reported bugs
18 issues- App crashes on startup or after 2-3 clicks
- Instant crash when opening app
- Loading screen freezes indefinitely
- Check-in submit button spins forever without submitting
- Favorite feature causes immediate crash
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- Search this area button disappears after use
- Map not loading or displaying libraries
- Login causes app to crash
- App kicks user out after few seconds
- Email confirmation links non-functional
- Help ticket submission page broken
- Check-in notifications appear but don't display in app
- Dark mode purple text unreadable
- Steward registration stuck in infinite loop
- Location services not working
- App incompatible with iOS updates
- Routing doesn't follow selected library order
- Incomplete form loading for stewards
Requested features
14 requests- Ability for non-stewards to add missing libraries
- Retroactive check-in date editing
- Children's book category indicator
- Book genre/category specifications
- Want-to-visit list separate from favorites
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- Photo update capability for all users
- Library condition status tracking
- Goodreads integration
- Little Pantry location support
- Book availability search feature
- Improved routing that respects selected order
- Better steward portal UX for adding comments
- Reduced banner size on map display
- Full Google Maps integration
In-app purchases
Libraries Hawaii
No in-app purchases
Little Free Library
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Libraries Hawaii free?
Is Little Free Library free?
Which has better reviews, Libraries Hawaii or Little Free Library?
Do Libraries Hawaii or Little Free Library have ads?
Which is updated more often, Libraries Hawaii or Little Free Library?
Other comparisons
