# Glose vs LibraryThing

The clearest difference is rating: Glose at 4.5 against LibraryThing's 3.5. Glose also leads on ratings volume (8K vs 278). LibraryThing's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and review sentiment (47% vs 27%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

Glose holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Glose has 8K ratings behind it against 278, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 27% of Glose's written reviews are positive against 47% of LibraryThing's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Glose ships an update every 3 weeks, LibraryThing every 4 weeks. Both last shipped on October 12, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Glose | LibraryThing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/glose/id896681871/reviews)** | [3.5 (278 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/librarything/id948824489/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **8K** | 278 |
| Positive reviews | 26.7% of reviews | **47.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 4 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 65 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Readwise, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1476885527) | [LibraryThing.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/397718884) |

## What reviewers say

### Glose

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/glose/id896681871)

This reading app enhances the experience with social features, allowing users to connect with others, share notes, and join online book clubs. Explore a vast ebookstore, read excerpts for free, and import your own EPUBs for offline access.

**Highlights:** Social reading and annotation sharing, Access to 1 million ebooks, Read up to 10% of any book for free, Import your own EPUBs, Offline reading capabilities, Create and join online book clubs, Generate and share quote cards

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth reading experience
- 👍 Intuitive interface
- 💡 Social features for sharing highlights

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔒 Lack of offline access to downloaded books
- 👎 Difficult to navigate and find your place
- 💤 Sluggish performance
- 📚 Inability to export or transfer purchased books

**Reported bugs**

- Pages skipping or jumping unexpectedly
- Highlighting and note-taking features not working as expected
- Audiobook playback issues like skipping and glitching
- Login and account management problems

**Requested features**

- Bookmark and annotation management
- Customizable reading settings
- Seamless sync across devices
- Improved search and organization of library


### LibraryThing

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/librarything/id948824489)

Catalog your personal book, DVD, and CD collections. Easily add items by searching or scanning barcodes. Enhance your catalog with high-resolution cover photos and browse your collection visually.

**Highlights:** Catalog books, DVDs, and CDs, Search for media items, Scan ISBN barcodes, Add high-resolution cover photos, Browse collection by cover type

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Quick barcode scanning
- 👍 Useful for cataloging library
- 🚀 Fast book addition

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitches and crashes
- 🔍 Limited search and editing capabilities
- 🤖 Outdated and dated UI

**Reported bugs**

- Barcode scanner not working
- Books disappearing from catalog
- Editing and saving issues

**Requested features**

- Ability to create custom collections
- Offline access to library
- Integration with other book apps
- Lending/loan tracking feature


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Glose free?

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

### Is LibraryThing free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Glose or LibraryThing?

Glose is rated higher. Glose averages 4.5 out of 5 from 8K ratings, while LibraryThing averages 3.5 from 278 ratings.

### Do Glose or LibraryThing have ads?

Neither Glose nor LibraryThing shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Glose or LibraryThing?

Glose ships an update every 3 weeks, and LibraryThing every 4 weeks. Most recently, Glose was updated on October 12, 2026 and LibraryThing on October 12, 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.*