# KCLS vs Libro.fm Audiobooks

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Libro.fm Audiobooks at 92% against KCLS's 28%. Libro.fm Audiobooks also leads on rating (4.9 vs 3.9) and ratings volume (41K vs 16). KCLS's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Libro.fm Audiobooks holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Libro.fm Audiobooks has 41K ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 28% of KCLS's written reviews are positive against 92% of Libro.fm Audiobooks's.

KCLS ships an update every 3 months, Libro.fm Audiobooks monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | KCLS | Libro.fm Audiobooks |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kcls/id746221889/reviews) | **[4.9 (41K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/librofm-audiobooks/id1057776523/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 16 | **41K** |
| Positive reviews | 27.5% of reviews | **91.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#97** |
| Size | 22 MB | 60 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 16.2 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [King County Library System](https://appshunter.io/developer/470795180) | [Libro.fm](https://appshunter.io/developer/1057776522) |

## What reviewers say

### KCLS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kcls/id746221889)

Manage your library account conveniently from your mobile device. Discover new books, place holds, renew borrowed items, and easily locate library branches and their hours.

**Highlights:** Discover and search library collection, Place, manage, and cancel holds, Renew borrowed items, Rate and save titles, Find library locations and hours, Browse bestsellers and new arrivals

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to log in
- 👍 Fun books to read
- 👍 Excellent app
- 👍 Helpful for all ages
- 👍 Convenient for managing holds

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unreliable app
- 🐛 Constant sign in issues
- 🐛 Failed sign in attempts count against user
- 🐛 Return book function doesn't work
- 🐛 Search bar coded too narrowly

**Reported bugs**

- Keeps logging out
- Constant sign in issues
- Failed sign in attempts count against user
- Return book function doesn't work
- Search bar coded too narrowly

**Requested features**

- Correct misspellings in search
- Allow less than exact search terms
- Auto-correction in search
- Word suggestion in search
- Dark mode option


### Libro.fm Audiobooks

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/librofm-audiobooks/id1057776523)

**Currently charting:** #97 Top Free · Book (US App Store)

Access a vast library of audiobooks while supporting local bookstores. Purchase audiobooks with credits, enjoy DRM-free downloads, and listen on the go with features like playback speed control and a sleep timer. Your purchases directly benefit independent booksellers.

**Highlights:** Explore 600,000+ audiobooks, Use audiobook credits, Apple Watch listening, Automatic sync across devices, Bookmarks and playback speed, Sleep timer, DRM-free downloads

**Features:** Siri integration, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Support for local bookstores
- 🚀 Convenient and easy to use
- 💡 DRM-free audiobooks
- 🎨 Great user interface
- 🎁 Generous membership benefits

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy playback and syncing issues
- 🔍 Limited search and browsing functionality
- 💰 Audiobook prices can be high
- 🤔 Lack of certain features (e.g. chapters, in-app purchases)

**Reported bugs**

- Playback stops when device goes to sleep
- Inability to download audiobooks on cellular data
- App crashes and loses progress in books

**Requested features**

- Add chapter support for audiobooks
- Improve search and browsing capabilities
- Allow in-app purchases and account management
- Implement syncing across devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is KCLS free?

KCLS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Libro.fm Audiobooks free?

Libro.fm Audiobooks is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, KCLS or Libro.fm Audiobooks?

Libro.fm Audiobooks is rated higher. KCLS averages 3.9 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while Libro.fm Audiobooks averages 4.9 from 41K ratings.

### Do KCLS or Libro.fm Audiobooks have ads?

Neither KCLS nor Libro.fm Audiobooks shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, KCLS or Libro.fm Audiobooks?

KCLS ships an update every 3 months, and Libro.fm Audiobooks monthly. Most recently, KCLS was updated on October 17, 2026 and Libro.fm Audiobooks on October 20, 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.*