Comparison

Back vs Pillar Libraries (NJ)

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

Head to head
About

Back

This app provides peace of mind by offering replacement family care when regular arrangements fall through. It allows users to conveniently schedule care, manage reservations, and find nearby centers directly from their mobile device.

Highlights
  • Schedule back-up care
  • Request previous caregivers
  • View reservation details
  • Receive confirmation notifications
  • Copy past reservations
  • Find nearby care centers
  • Add reservations to calendar
Features
Read full description

Family care emergencies can disrupt your whole day. Bright Horizons Back-Up Care™, a benefit available to you if offered by your employer, can give you peace of mind, providing replacement care when regular arrangements fall through. Now the program is in the palm of your hand! As a user of Bright Horizons Back-Up Care, you can conveniently schedule care right from your mobile device with the Back-Up Care app. Whether your regular caregiver calls in sick, your child has a school holiday, or you’re transitioning back to work from parental leave, the Back-Up Care app is your easy, time-saving solution to managing family care challenges while on the go. You can use the Back-Up Care app to: • Sign up for your benefit (to get started, you just need your employer’s username and password) • Submit a new request for back-up care • Request previously used caregivers • View details of existing reservations • Receive notifications when reservations are confirmed • Quickly create new reservations by copying past reservations • Find nearby centers and view each location on a map • Add confirmed reservations to your device’s calendar • Get details about your benefit offering *Please note: Your employer must participate in Bright Horizons Back-Up Care in order to use this app. Not all employers who participate allow the use of this app. Please contact your human resources department for information on benefit availability.

About

Pillar Libraries (NJ)

Manage your library account on the go. Search the catalog, renew borrowed items, and place holds directly from your mobile device. Access your local library's resources anytime, anywhere.

Highlights
  • Manage library account
  • Search catalog
  • Renew books
  • Reserve books
  • Mobile access
Features
Read full description

Main Library Alliance is now Pillar Libraries! New name, same great app. Access your library anywhere, any time with the Pillar Libraries app for your phone and tablet. Search: Search the library catalog for books, e-books, audiobooks, movies, and more. Sort items by distance and availability to see what’s nearby, or place a hold and select a pickup location at any Pillar Libraries member location. My Barcode: Never forget your library card again. You can access a digital version of your library card, with a scannable barcode, directly in the app. If you have your phone, you have your library card. Scan ISBN Barcode: At a bookstore and want to check if your library has a copy of a certain title? Scan the book’s ISBN barcode and the app will automatically search the library catalog for that title. My Home Library: Check valuable information, including hours, contact information, and other details about your local library branch. Nearest Libraries: On the go? Turn on your location services to find other Pillar Libraries near you. View them on the map or get directions from your location. The app even makes it easy to see which nearby libraries are currently open. My Account: Is your book overdue? Is your DVD ready for pickup? View your current loans and check the status of items on hold in your account information. Pillar Libraries is a nonprofit alliance of New Jersey public libraries in Morris, Essex, Hunterdon, Somerset, Union, Sussex, and Warren counties.

Screenshots

Back4 screens
Pillar Libraries (NJ)4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Pillar Libraries (NJ) at 3.3 against Back's 2.4. Back's advantage is review sentiment (13% vs 0%) and ratings volume (127 vs 25). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Pillar Libraries (NJ) holds the better App Store score, 3.3 against 2.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Back has 127 ratings behind it against 25, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 13% of Back's written reviews are positive against 0% of Pillar Libraries (NJ)'s, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Back ships an update every 3 weeks, Pillar Libraries (NJ) every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Back versus Pillar Libraries (NJ): the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBackPillar Libraries (NJ)
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.4 (127 ratings)3.3 (25 ratings) — better
Positive reviews12.6% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings127 — better25
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size69 MB108 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBright Horizons CC LLCMORRIS AUTOMATED INFORMATION NETWORK (M.A.I.N.) INC.

Customer experience

Back

All ratings123 ratings
Positive33.3%
Neutral2.4%
Negative64.2%
Written reviews111 reviews
Positive12.6%
Neutral2.7%
Negative84.7%

Pillar Libraries (NJ)

All ratings25 ratings
Positive52.0%
Neutral4.0%
Negative44.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Bugs and requests

Back

Reported bugs

19 issues
  • Login credentials not accepted despite being correct
  • Face ID authentication fails
  • Request Care button missing or non-functional
  • App version mismatch preventing login
  • Forced logout when navigating away from app
Show 14 more
  • Profile information not saving
  • Verification codes not arriving
  • General error messages without details
  • Form data lost when navigating between screens
  • Keyboard not appearing on login screen
  • App crashes on startup
  • Slow page loading causing phone lockup
  • SSO and 2FA authentication failures
  • Reservation confirmation status incorrect
  • Missing emergency contact entry screen
  • Special needs/allergies settings not removable
  • Mobile number textability settings not preserved
  • Address validation rejecting valid addresses
  • Inconsistent data between app and website

Requested features

11 requests
  • Distance-based filtering for childcare centers
  • Display facility names after booking
  • Overnight reservation options
  • Extended session timeout before re-authentication
  • Caregiver selection and preference system
Show 6 more
  • Reservation history and details visibility
  • Real-time caregiver availability updates
  • Automatic backup caregiver assignment
  • Clear policy information in intake forms
  • Improved error messages with specific guidance
  • Search by location other than current position

Pillar Libraries (NJ)

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Back

No in-app purchases

None

Pillar Libraries (NJ)

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Back free?
Back is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Pillar Libraries (NJ) free?
Pillar Libraries (NJ) is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Back or Pillar Libraries (NJ)?
Pillar Libraries (NJ) is rated higher. Back averages 2.4 out of 5 from 127 ratings, while Pillar Libraries (NJ) averages 3.3 from 25 ratings.
Do Back or Pillar Libraries (NJ) have ads?
Neither Back nor Pillar Libraries (NJ) shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Back or Pillar Libraries (NJ)?
Back ships an update every 3 weeks, and Pillar Libraries (NJ) every 5 weeks. Most recently, Back was updated on November 1, 2026 and Pillar Libraries (NJ) on November 7, 2026.

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