# LibraryThing vs BookBub

The clearest difference is rating: BookBub at 4.7 against LibraryThing's 3.5. BookBub also leads on ratings volume (960 vs 278). LibraryThing's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 26.0). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

BookBub holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 278 and 960 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 47% of LibraryThing's written reviews are positive against 54% of BookBub's.

LibraryThing ships an update every 4 weeks, BookBub every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | LibraryThing | BookBub |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (278 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/librarything/id948824489/reviews) | **[4.7 (960 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookbub/id1030894438/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 278 | **960** |
| Positive reviews | 47.2% of reviews | **54.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | #205 | **#70** |
| Size | 9 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [LibraryThing.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/397718884) | [Pubmark Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1030894437) |

## What reviewers say

### LibraryThing

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

**Currently charting:** #205 Top Free · Book (US App Store)

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- 🤖 Outdated and dated UI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


### BookBub

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookbub/id1030894438)

**Currently charting:** #70 Top Free · Book (US App Store)

Discover daily deals on bestselling and free ebooks across all genres. Track your wishlist and receive price alerts for your favorite titles, ensuring you never miss a sale on books you want to read.

**Highlights:** Daily ebook deals, Hundreds of free ebooks, Personalized recommendations, Wishlist tracking, Price alerts, Genre and price filtering

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🤩 Great deals on books
- 📚 Variety of genres and authors
- 💰 Affordable and free books
- 🔍 Personalized recommendations

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Limited to Apple Books only
- 🔍 Lack of search functionality
- 📝 Inability to leave reviews
- 🔁 Repeated email subscriptions

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes or freezes during use
- Sign-up and login issues
- Incompatibility with certain devices or operating systems

**Requested features**

- Add support for Kindle and other ebook platforms
- Implement search and filtering options
- Allow users to manage their reading lists and leave reviews
- Improve email subscription management


## Frequently asked questions

### Is LibraryThing free?

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

### Is BookBub free?

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

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

BookBub is rated higher. LibraryThing averages 3.5 out of 5 from 278 ratings, while BookBub averages 4.7 from 960 ratings.

### Do LibraryThing or BookBub have ads?

Neither LibraryThing nor BookBub shows ads.

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

LibraryThing ships an update every 4 weeks, and BookBub every 3 weeks. Most recently, LibraryThing was updated on October 12, 2026 and BookBub on October 10, 2026.

### Which is more popular, LibraryThing or BookBub?

LibraryThing currently peaks at #205 in the App Store charts, and BookBub at #70. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*