Borrow vs SoBo
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Borrow
Easily track items you lend to or borrow from friends. Features over thirty categories and automatic reminders to ensure timely returns. Syncs data across all devices for convenient access.
- Track lent and borrowed items
- Over 30 predefined categories
- Automatic reminders
- Contact friends via email, SMS, WhatsApp, Instagram
- Cross-device syncing
- Access data anytime, anywhere
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Do you sometimes lend DVDs or PC games to your friends? Do you occasionally borrow money for lunch at the cafeteria? Have you ever wondered who you lent your favorite CD to? With Borrow, you can easily track borrowed and lent items. Over thirty predefined categories make tracking a breeze. After a while, the app sends you a reminder. This way, you can remind your friends via email, SMS, WhatsApp, or Instagram to return your items or politely ask for an extension. This helps you keep track and ensures that nothing gets lost! Furthermore, Borrow works on all your devices and automatically syncs your data so you can access it anytime, anywhere.
SoBo
Easily lend and borrow physical items with people in your community. Track every step of the loan process, from agreement to return, with automatic reminders and reviews to build trust. Save money by borrowing instead of buying and put your unused items to work.
- Permanent loan ledger
- Automatic return reminders
- In-app chat for loans
- User reviews and ratings
- Search and filter items
- ZIP-based location tracking
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SoBo is the easiest way to lend and borrow physical items with the people around you. Friends, family, neighbors, coworkers, or even strangers in your community. Instead of buying something you'll only use once or twice, borrow it from someone nearby. Instead of letting your stuff sit in the garage collecting dust, put it to work. THE PROBLEM WITH INFORMAL LENDING You already lend things to people you know. A camping tent, a power drill, a board game. But there's no record. You forget who has what, when it's coming back, or what you agreed on. It works until it doesn't, and then it gets awkward. SOBO FIXES THAT Every loan creates a permanent record. Terms agreed to, handoff confirmed, reminders sent, item returned, reviews exchanged. Every step is tracked. No one has to remember what was said or when. The history speaks for itself. HOW IT WORKS For Lenders: - Add items to your library with photos, descriptions, and a replacement value - When someone requests to borrow, set your terms: return date, optional fee, and any conditions - Confirm the handoff and the loan begins - SoBo sends automatic return reminders so you never have to nag - Mark the item returned and leave a review For Borrowers: - Browse items nearby in the Discover tab - Request to borrow with a tap - Review and accept the lender's terms - Get reminders as the return date approaches - Return the item and leave a review KEY FEATURES - Permanent loan ledger: every step of every loan is recorded and can't be changed - Automatic return reminders at 3 days, 1 day, day of, and escalating if overdue - In-app chat for every loan with text and photo messages - Reviews and ratings that build trust over time - Search and filter by category, condition, distance, and more - ZIP-based location, no GPS tracking SIMPLE, FAIR PRICING Every lender gets one free active loan slot, forever. Need to lend more than one item at a time? Each additional concurrent loan is just $1. Borrowing is always free. YOUR PRIVACY MATTERS SoBo uses ZIP codes for proximity, not GPS. Your email is never shared with other users. No data is sold. Ever.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: SoBo at 5.0 against Borrow's 4.3. SoBo also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and review sentiment (100% vs 75%). Borrow's advantage is ratings volume (12 vs 1). On price, ads 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
Both are free to download. Borrow sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. SoBo asks for nothing beyond the download.
SoBo holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Borrow has 12 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of Borrow's written reviews are positive against 100% of SoBo's.
| Parameter | Borrow | SoBo |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.3 (12 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 12 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 9 MB | 52 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Tobias Totzek | SoBo App, LLC |
Customer experience
Borrow
SoBo
In-app purchases
Borrow
- Cup of Coffee$1.99
- Piece of Cake$3.49
- Pizza$7.99
SoBo
No in-app purchases









