Comparison

My Library (LCSD) vs HyRead 電子書

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

My Library (LCSD)

Access Hong Kong Public Library services conveniently. Manage multiple accounts, search and reserve materials, receive personalized notifications, and pay fines. Locate nearby libraries and scan ISBNs for quick information.

Highlights
  • Manage multiple library accounts
  • Search, reserve, and renew materials
  • Personalized alert services
  • Locate nearest libraries via GPS
  • Scan ISBN barcodes
  • Pay fines and fees via mobile payment
Features
Read full description

"My Library" (the app), developed and maintained by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, provides a safe and convenient channel to access the services of the Hong Kong Public Libraries. Through the app, members of the public can: > access to and Management of multiple library accounts > viewing of transaction history > search, reserve and renew library materials > save and retrieve library materials in My Lists > check the addresses and opening hours of public libraries > locate the nearest libraries via GPS > use personalised alert services to receive notifications, including pick-up notices and due date reminders > search library materials by scanning the ISBN barcode > share the information of library materials to friends through e-mail, instant messaging tools and social sharing platforms > paying overdue fines and reservation fees by mobile payment services Personal Information Collection Statement 1. The personal data collected in the app will only be used for processing your library account or handling your enquiry. 2. The personal data required in the app include your library card number/Hong Kong identity card number and your library account password. Whether you store your personal data in the app is optional. If you have logged in with your Hong Kong identity card number, it will be converted and saved as a library card number. 3. The app will collect the device model, system version, usage and login records as general statistical data for helping the LCSD compile statistics or diagnosing system problems, so as to enhance the app and facilitate your use of our library services. 4. The app will obtain your location data via GPS and show you the nearest public libraries and any related information. Your location data will not be saved in the app. 5. The function of direct phone calling to branch libraries is provided in the app, but it will not collect any personal data. 6. The personalized library information notification service provided in the app will send the identifier of your device together with your alert messages to Apple Inc., from whom the messages will be pushed to your device. 7. The social media sharing function for library item information provided in the app will not release your personal data to any external parties. However, the privacy policy for handling personal data from other social media is beyond the control of LCSD and LCSD would not accept any joint liability. 8. The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) is committed to ensuring that all personal data provided through the app is handled in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance. For details about the privacy policy of the LCSD, please refer to the website at the following URL: http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/info_pdo.php

About

HyRead 電子書

Access a vast collection of e-books and magazines from Taiwanese libraries. Borrow and read thousands of titles for free with your library card. Enjoy a seamless reading experience with intuitive features and multi-device support.

Highlights
  • Borrow e-books and magazines from libraries
  • Access over 220,000 e-books and 350 magazines
  • Supports PDF, EPUB, and JPG formats
  • Multi-library support
  • Keyword search and book information
  • Cloud backup for notes and progress
  • Customizable reading display
Features
Read full description

立即下載 HyRead App,買書、借書通通在這裡,HyRead與台灣最多圖書館合作,只要您有圖書館借書證,上萬好書任你看,不要猶豫,立即體驗! HyRead ebook 為台灣圖書館電子書第一品牌,全國公共圖書館及大專院校圖書館使用率百分之百,擁有借書證的讀者皆能使用 HyRead App 閱讀電子書,提供文學、科普、休閒、財經、育兒、童書等各類電子書及現刊雜誌,使用者在行動軟體內直接瀏覽書目及書籍簡介,並免費借閱圖書館所提供的電子書,支援多圖書館及使用者,可立即線上閱讀或下載行動閱讀,體驗電子書閱讀樂趣及便利性。 HyRead 是凌網所提供的電子書閱讀軟體,只要選擇 HyRead 圖書館列表裡的圖書館,登入該圖書館帳號及密碼,就可以免費借閱圖書館提供的電子書資源。 為貼近使用者的使用習慣,以使用者經驗開發設計 HyRead 操作介面,簡而易找的分類,流暢的影音媒體播放及直覺式的閱讀模式,帶給HyRead讀者全新的閱讀體驗,HyRead邀請你一起體驗電子書閱讀,歡迎大家下載並給予指教。 主要特色: * 電子書店超過22萬冊、350刊雜誌供選擇 * 支援多格式電子書:PDF、EPUB、JPG * 台、港、澳、東南亞地區上千家圖書館,自由加入您常使用的圖書館 * 多媒體電子書、影音影片,皆依圖書館提供免費服務 * 關鍵字連動搜尋方便找到您想要的書籍,雜誌或影音 * 具備完整書籍、雜誌、影音資訊、簡介,目錄條列清晰 * 提供免費試閱,立即借閱,預約登記、雜誌上架主動通知服務 * 收藏功能,立刻加入口袋清單 * 最近閱讀、購買、借閱、預約、收藏、過期、預約書櫃分開瀏覽,找書好方便 * 購買書籍自訂分類,方便找書好管理 * 邊播放多媒體邊看書,適合閱讀學習類書籍 * 書籍目錄導覽,內文搜尋,書籤,重點筆記等等,功能齊全 * 註記、劃線、筆記、閱讀進度,透過雲端備份讓您跨裝置存取好方便 * 自訂排版顯示區域、文字大小、字體選擇,閱讀更舒適 * 支援長滾動式閱讀書籍,小尺寸裝置體驗不受限 * 電子書店支援零信任生物辨識身份安全認證 HyRead 團隊再次感謝您,Reading is a joy with HyRead! ※ 使用者許可協議:https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

My Library (LCSD)1 screens
HyRead 電子書4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: My Library (LCSD) at 5.0 against HyRead 電子書's 2.4. My Library (LCSD) also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 7) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 13.0). HyRead 電子書's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (101 vs 3). On price, ads, monetization model and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. HyRead 電子書 sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. My Library (LCSD) asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

My Library (LCSD) holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: HyRead 電子書 has 101 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

My Library (LCSD) ships an update every 4 months, HyRead 電子書 monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
My Library (LCSD) versus HyRead 電子書: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMy Library (LCSD)HyRead 電子書
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (3 ratings) — better2.4 (101 ratings)
Positive reviews—14.8% of reviews
Number of ratings3101 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.0 — better13.0
Further details — not scored
Size10 MB247 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperLeisure and Cultural Services DepartmentHYWEB KNOWLEDGE CO., LTD.

Customer experience

My Library (LCSD)

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

HyRead 電子書

All ratings101 ratings
Positive28.7%
Neutral7.9%
Negative63.4%
Written reviews115 reviews
Positive14.8%
Neutral9.6%
Negative75.7%

Bugs and requests

My Library (LCSD)

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

HyRead 電子書

Reported bugs

20 issues
  • App crashes immediately upon opening
  • Blank white screen after login or update
  • Books fail to download or load with infinite loading spinner
  • Forced logout without proper notification
  • Error code -102 preventing book access
Show 15 more
  • Login credentials not persisting across sessions
  • Preview and browsing functions returning blank pages
  • Books disappearing from library after updates
  • Page navigation freezing during reading
  • Highlighting and note-taking features not working
  • Notes and annotations disappearing or corrupting
  • Audio file corruption (0KB files)
  • Inability to return borrowed books
  • Search results not clickable or responsive
  • iPad version crashing within 30 seconds of opening
  • Online reading throwing error messages on iPad
  • Downloaded EPUB files unable to open on iPad
  • Audiobook background playback stopping unexpectedly
  • Copy-paste functionality disabled
  • Library list not loading when adding new library

Requested features

12 requests
  • Dark mode or eye protection mode
  • Background playback for audiobooks
  • Drawing/annotation support for all file types (JPEG, PDF)
  • iPad split-screen functionality
  • Built-in dictionary lookup
Show 7 more
  • Improved login flow without repeated authentication
  • Automatic login persistence
  • Better notification for forced logouts
  • Ability to filter unborrow-able books
  • Cross-device reading synchronization
  • Improved book preview functionality
  • Removal of top/bottom UI bars on iPad during reading

In-app purchases

None

My Library (LCSD)

No in-app purchases

6 purchases

HyRead 電子書

Subscriptions6
  • Web Novel Package 30 Days7 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • All-in-One Package 30 Days7 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • All-in-One Package 90 Days7 Days trial$9.993 Months
Show 3 more
  • All-in-One Package 180 Days7 Days trial$17.996 Months
  • All-in-One Package 365 Days7 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Children's Book Package 365 Days7 Days trial2 variants$29.991 Year

Questions

Is My Library (LCSD) free?
My Library (LCSD) is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is HyRead 電子書 free?
HyRead 電子書 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, My Library (LCSD) or HyRead 電子書?
My Library (LCSD) is rated higher. My Library (LCSD) averages 5.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while HyRead 電子書 averages 2.4 from 101 ratings.
Do My Library (LCSD) or HyRead 電子書 have ads?
Neither My Library (LCSD) nor HyRead 電子書 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, My Library (LCSD) or HyRead 電子書?
My Library (LCSD) ships an update every 4 months, and HyRead 電子書 monthly. Most recently, My Library (LCSD) was updated on October 15, 2026 and HyRead 電子書 on October 29, 2026.

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