# Chicago Public Library vs SWAN Libraries +

The clearest difference is rating: Chicago Public Library at 3.5 against SWAN Libraries +'s 1.8. Chicago Public Library also leads on review sentiment (32% vs 13%). SWAN Libraries +'s advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 2 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Chicago Public Library holds the better App Store score, 3.5 against 1.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 64 and 75 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 32% of Chicago Public Library's written reviews are positive against 13% of SWAN Libraries +'s.

Chicago Public Library ships an update every 2 months, SWAN Libraries + monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chicago Public Library | SWAN Libraries + |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.5 (64 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chicago-public-library/id742936884/reviews)** | [1.8 (75 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swan-libraries-plus/id6473793650/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 64 | **75** |
| Positive reviews | **31.9% of reviews** | 13.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 22 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [City of Chicago](https://appshunter.io/developer/1441580122) | [System Wide Automated Network](https://appshunter.io/developer/1472754657) |

## What reviewers say

### Chicago Public Library

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chicago-public-library/id742936884)

Manage your library account, search the catalog, and discover new titles. Track borrowed items, place holds, and find events. Use your digital library card for in-person checkouts.

**Highlights:** Manage checked out items, Place holds on materials, Renew borrowed items, Search library catalog, Track reading history, Browse new titles, Find library events

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Intuitive and helpful app
- 📚 Love the library and audiobook features
- ✨ Pretty good app for a government agency
- ✅ Easy to reserve books and see waitlist
- 🚀 Seamless public library experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Constantly logging out
- 🐛 Cannot log back in
- 🐛 App not opening
- 🐛 Takes user out of audiobook browser
- 🐛 Confusing ebook download process

**Reported bugs**

- App is CONSTANTLY having issues
- Logs me out and I can’t get back in
- Often miss holds due to no notifications
- Repeatedly logged out, or can’t log in at all
- Not opening since 4/2/2024

**Requested features**

- Add notifications for holds
- Add library card to Apple Wallet
- Improve audiobook browser experience
- Provide direct download links for ebooks
- Display library alerts prominently


### SWAN Libraries +

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swan-libraries-plus/id6473793650)

Access your library account, search a vast catalog, and manage holds and renewals. Download ebooks and audiobooks directly to your device. This app connects you to a consortium of public, academic, school, and special libraries in the Chicagoland area.

**Highlights:** Manage library account, Search library catalog, Renew items, Place holds, Download ebooks, Download audiobooks

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to look up books
- 👍 Can place holds easily
- 👍 Can see checked out books
- 👍 Get notified for pick up
- 👍 Digital library card available

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- 🐛 Constantly logs out users
- 🐛 Slow loading times
- 🐛 Filters do not work
- 🐛 Discover section is blank

**Reported bugs**

- Category toggles are tricky and don't reflect changes immediately
- Pick up location changes don't seem to stick
- App logs users out constantly
- Discover section is blank, new content doesn't appear
- Filters to search for items no longer work

**Requested features**

- Fix the issue of being logged out every session
- Improve category toggles and make changes stick
- Fix discover section to show new content
- Make filters work correctly
- Add app support to website


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chicago Public Library free?

Chicago Public Library is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is SWAN Libraries + free?

SWAN Libraries + is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Chicago Public Library or SWAN Libraries +?

Chicago Public Library is rated higher. Chicago Public Library averages 3.5 out of 5 from 64 ratings, while SWAN Libraries + averages 1.8 from 75 ratings.

### Do Chicago Public Library or SWAN Libraries + have ads?

Neither Chicago Public Library nor SWAN Libraries + shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Chicago Public Library or SWAN Libraries +?

Chicago Public Library ships an update every 2 months, and SWAN Libraries + monthly. Most recently, Chicago Public Library was updated on October 23, 2026 and SWAN Libraries + on October 22, 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.*