Chicago Public Library vs LiterallyForBooks
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Chicago Public Library
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.
- Manage checked out items
- Place holds on materials
- Renew borrowed items
- Search library catalog
- Track reading history
- Browse new titles
- Find library events
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Which branch has the book I want? What's available now from my For Later shelf? When are my DVDs due? Use CPL's app to manage your account and find new titles. Features: - See what you have checked out - Place holds - Renew materials - Search the CPL catalog - Keep track of what you've read and would like to read - Browse new and on order titles - Find upcoming events at your preferred location - View hours, locations and contact information - Use the app to show your library card when checking out materials in person - Scan the barcode of a book, DVD or CD to search for it in CPL's catalog
LiterallyForBooks
This app helps you track your reading progress, manage your book lists, and connect with other readers. Organize your library, set reading goals, and discover new books through social features and book clubs.
- Track reading progress
- Multiple goal formats
- Half-star review scale
- Keyword labeling
- Prioritize want-to-read list
- Book club feeds
- Spoiler-protected posts
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Book tracking: Track your book progress, multiple formats of goals, half star review scale, label books with keywords, prioritize want to read list with priority. Social: Suggest or request books, generic posts, spoiler protected posters, book clubs with their own feeds and tracking Profiles: Create an about me, favorite genres, profile photos, top 10 of all time, recent favorites, and see your LiterAllies lists and goals Privacy Policy: https://www.literallyforbooks.com/privacy-policy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: LiterallyForBooks at 5.0 against Chicago Public Library's 3.5. LiterallyForBooks also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 2 months). Chicago Public Library's advantage is ratings volume (64 vs 2) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 26.4). 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.
LiterallyForBooks holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chicago Public Library has 64 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Chicago Public Library ships an update every 2 months, LiterallyForBooks daily. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Chicago Public Library | LiterallyForBooks |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.5 (64 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 31.9% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 64 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Daily — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 — better | 26.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 22 MB | 33 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | City of Chicago | Matthew Dornbos |
Customer experience
Chicago Public Library
LiterallyForBooks
In-app purchases
Chicago Public Library
No in-app purchases
LiterallyForBooks
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Chicago Public Library free?
Is LiterallyForBooks free?
Which has better reviews, Chicago Public Library or LiterallyForBooks?
Do Chicago Public Library or LiterallyForBooks have ads?
Which is updated more often, Chicago Public Library or LiterallyForBooks?
Other comparisons
