LibrariesWest vs Heritage Compass
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
LibrariesWest
Manage your library account on the go. Search the catalog, renew borrowed items, and place holds on new books. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch.
- Manage library account
- Search catalog
- Renew books
- Reserve books
- Mobile access
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Access LibrariesWest from your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch. Manage your account, search the catalogue, renew and reserve books.
Heritage Compass
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Heritage Compass “The app that tells you your family’s story as you travel.” Take your family history with you wherever you go. Imagine walking through a quiet village, exploring a bustling city, or driving along a country road when your iPhone or CarPlay gently tells you: “Just ahead is the church where your ancestors were married.” “This was the town your family called home for generations.” “Your great-grandfather worked just a few streets from here.” That’s the Heritage Compass experience. Heritage Compass is a unique voice-guided heritage companion that transforms your family tree into a living journey. As you travel anywhere in the world, it automatically discovers nearby locations connected to your ancestors and tells you their stories through spoken narration. Whether you’re walking through an ancestral village, visiting a historic city, or enjoying a scenic drive, Heritage Compass helps you experience your family history without constantly looking at your phone. Simply travel, listen, and discover. Your Family Tree Comes to Life Import your existing family tree using a standard GEDCOM file from your favourite genealogy software. Heritage Compass intelligently matches the people and places in your tree with your current location, helping you discover: • Birthplaces • Family homes • Churches • Marriage locations • Burial places • Places of work • Historic landmarks • Villages, towns and cities connected to your family Whether your ancestors lived nearby or on the other side of the world, Heritage Compass is ready whenever you travel. Hear History as You Travel Unlike traditional genealogy apps, Heritage Compass doesn’t just display information—it speaks to you. Using natural voice narration through your iPhone or Apple CarPlay, the app tells you about nearby family connections while you walk or drive. Keep your eyes on the road, enjoy the scenery, and let your family’s story unfold around you. More Than Genealogy Heritage Compass helps you experience places rather than simply read about them. Discover the communities your ancestors lived in, understand the history that shaped their lives, and create a deeper connection with the places that helped make your family who they are today. It’s genealogy you can experience. Your Privacy Matters Your family tree belongs to you. Heritage Compass stores your genealogy data securely on your own device. Your personal family history isn’t uploaded for everyday use, giving you complete control over your information. Features • Voice-guided heritage discovery • Automatic location-aware family history • Spoken notifications through iPhone • Apple CarPlay support • Import standard GEDCOM family trees • Interactive maps • Family history linked to real-world locations • Historical context for places you visit • Beautiful, easy-to-use interface • Designed for genealogy, heritage tourism and family history travel Perfect For • Family historians • Genealogists • Heritage tourists • Road trips • Walking tours • Ancestral journeys • Local history enthusiasts Wherever Your Journey Takes You… History isn’t confined to books or archives. It’s waiting in the villages, churches, streets and landscapes around you. With Heritage Compass, your family’s story becomes part of every journey. Travel. Listen. Discover. Terms of Use: https://siorailabs.com/terms/ Privacy Policy: https://siorailabs.com/privacy-policy/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: LibrariesWest at none against Heritage Compass's 3. LibrariesWest also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). Heritage Compass's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price and ads 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. Heritage Compass sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. LibrariesWest asks for nothing beyond the download.
LibrariesWest ships an update every 2 months, Heritage Compass every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | LibrariesWest | Heritage Compass |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 16.7% of reviews | — |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 50 MB | 4 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Somerset County Council Library Service | Siorai Labs Ltd |
Bugs and requests
LibrariesWest
Reported bugs
20 issues- Login PIN not recognized
- App freezes and becomes unusable
- Camera not working for verification
- App stops music playback
- FastBack renewal error
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- App won't open unless via App Store
- Unable to connect to server
- Linked accounts repeatedly unlinked
- App doesn't work at night
- Invalid date error when reserving
- Charges appear on returned books
- App stops working after update
- White screen on launch after update
- Hangs on loading screen
- Blank screen with 'image not available'
- Scrolling not working on loans
- Cannot search or reserve
- Linked accounts disappear
- Catalogue search not working
- Barcode scanner not working
Requested features
6 requests- Add loan history section
- Indicate font size in book info
- Add wish list option
- Improve search functionality
- Add browsing by categories
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- Add notes area
Heritage Compass
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
LibrariesWest
No in-app purchases
Heritage Compass
- Heritage Compass Monthly$1.991 Month
- Heritage Compass Annual$9.991 Year
- Heritage Compass Lifetime$34.99
Questions
Is LibrariesWest free?
Is Heritage Compass free?
Do LibrariesWest or Heritage Compass have ads?
Which is updated more often, LibrariesWest or Heritage Compass?
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