Comparison

Borrow vs SoBo

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Read full description

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.

About

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.

Highlights
  • Permanent loan ledger
  • Automatic return reminders
  • In-app chat for loans
  • User reviews and ratings
  • Search and filter items
  • ZIP-based location tracking
Features
Read full description

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

Borrow4 screens
SoBo4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Borrow sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. SoBo asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Borrow versus SoBo: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBorrowSoBo
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (12 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews75.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings12 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS18.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB52 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperTobias TotzekSoBo App, LLC

Customer experience

Borrow

All ratings12 ratings
Positive83.3%
Neutral8.3%
Negative8.3%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%

SoBo

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Borrow

One-time3
  • Cup of Coffee$1.99
  • Piece of Cake$3.49
  • Pizza$7.99
None

SoBo

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Borrow free?
Borrow is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is SoBo free?
SoBo is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Borrow or SoBo?
SoBo is rated higher. Borrow averages 4.3 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while SoBo averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Borrow or SoBo have ads?
Neither Borrow nor SoBo shows ads.

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