Famly App vs LibrariesNI
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Famly App
This app streamlines communication and administrative tasks for early years settings. It provides parents with real-time updates and allows staff to manage daily operations efficiently, reducing paperwork and freeing up time for childcare.
- Personal news feeds for parents
- Real-time care updates
- Invoice and payment processing
- Secure messaging
- Digital registration
- Paperwork reduction for staff
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Famly keeps parents in the loop and saves staff hours every day. With personal news feeds, care updates, invoices, payment processing, messaging, registration and so much more, Famly helps staff say goodbye to paperwork and hello to more time with the children. All while keeping parents posted with real-time updates on the go. Please note, to use Famly you need to have a child attending or be working at an early years setting with an active subscription with us. To find out more and sign-up for Famly, please visit our website.
LibrariesNI
Access your library account on the go. Search the catalog, place holds, manage checked-out items, and discover new reading suggestions. You can even scan item barcodes to find them in the library.
- Search library catalog
- Place holds on items
- Manage user account
- Track checked-out items
- Scan item barcodes
- Discover suggested reading
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The Libraries NI app makes it quick and easy to access libraries on the go! Search Libraries NI’s catalog, download items, manage your account, and find suggested reading instantly with your iOS device. Top Features • Search the Libraries NI catalog: Search for items by title, author, subject, or general keyword and place holds on interesting items. • Manage your account: Keep track of your account with dynamic notifications and view your checked-out items, holds, fines, and account information. • Search by barcode: Use your device’s camera to scan the barcode on a book, CD, DVD, or other item at a friend’s house or bookstore and search for available copies within Libraries NI. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at enquiries@librariesni.org.uk. Let us know what device and iOS version you’re using and the specific steps leading up to your issue, and we’ll work with you to resolve it.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is monetization model: LibrariesNI at free against Famly App's subscription. Famly App's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs every 4 months). On price, review sentiment, 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.
Famly App ships an update every 9 days, LibrariesNI every 4 months. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.
| Parameter | Famly App | LibrariesNI |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.9 (44 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 33.9% of reviews — better | 26.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 44 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days — better | Every 4 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Subscription | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 188 MB | 50 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Famly | Northern Ireland Library Authority |
Customer experience
Famly App
LibrariesNI
Bugs and requests
Famly App
Reported bugs
24 issues- App crashes frequently
- Login issues (e.g., needing to log in every 5 mins, PIN not working)
- Connection issues after re-downloading
- Child pickup time incorrect
- Cannot change collection password
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- Scrolling bugs (suddenly scrolls back up)
- Notifications can be buggy (not received, not clearing)
- Glitching with image/video display (especially after iOS updates)
- App not loading messages immediately
- White screens or frozen app
- Payment page issues (cannot proceed without payment details)
- Inability to edit information (e.g., emergency contact)
- Photos disappearing or not loading
- Notification badges not clearing
- App not showing in English
- Issues with 'request care' button after updates
- Cannot delete messages in the mobile app
- Double notifications
- Observations not showing up
- Activity planner not working on iPhone
- TAP not working after update
- Password reset link not received
- Cannot see tagged photos in the app
- Book holidays feature crashes calendar
Requested features
18 requests- Ability to download photos and videos
- Biometric login (Face ID/fingerprint)
- Gallery view for photos
- Sync calendar with external calendars (Apple, Outlook)
- Ability to add partners to existing chats
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- macOS app availability
- Ability to edit family member information
- Option to disable automatic payment prompts
- Improved notification customization
- Ability to delete messages
- Parent-to-parent communication features
- Month view for the calendar
- Ability to see all observations as managers
- Option to set default pickup times
- Ability to expand text size
- Add grandparents/other contacts for pickup
- Option to save photos directly to camera roll
- Two-factor authentication (2FA)
LibrariesNI
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Famly App
No in-app purchases
LibrariesNI
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Famly App free?
Is LibrariesNI free?
Do Famly App or LibrariesNI have ads?
Which is updated more often, Famly App or LibrariesNI?
Other comparisons
