# LibraryThing vs Little Free Library

The clearest difference is rating: Little Free Library at 3.8 against LibraryThing's 3.5. Little Free Library also leads on chart position (#99 vs unranked). LibraryThing's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.0). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

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

Little Free Library holds the better App Store score, 3.8 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 288 and 199 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 47% and 47% positive.

LibraryThing ships an update every 4 weeks, Little Free Library every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | LibraryThing | Little Free Library |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (288 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/librarything/id948824489/reviews) | **[3.8 (199 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/little-free-library/id1555760218/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **288** | 199 |
| Positive reviews | **47.5% of reviews** | 47.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | — | **#99** |
| Size | 9 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [LibraryThing.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/397718884) | [Little Free Library, Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1555760220) |

## What reviewers say

### 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- 🤖 Outdated and dated UI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


### Little Free Library

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/little-free-library/id1555760218)

**Currently charting:** #99 Top Free · Book (US App Store)

Discover nearby book-sharing locations with this app. Find libraries using filters, get directions, and save your favorites. Track your visits and leave notes for stewards. If you manage a library, update its details directly.

**Highlights:** Find nearby book-sharing locations, Search filters by location, Get directions and create routes, Favorite and track visited libraries, Leave notes in guest books, Edit library listings in real-time

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🗺️ Excellent map feature for locating libraries
- 📍 GPS-based location discovery
- ⭐ Ability to favorite and track visited libraries
- 🧭 Driving directions integration
- 📱 User-friendly interface design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent and persistent crashes
- ⚠️ App won't open or load
- 🔄 Endless loading screens
- 📵 Incompatible with recent iOS updates
- ❌ Check-in feature consistently fails

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on startup or after 2-3 clicks
- Instant crash when opening app
- Loading screen freezes indefinitely
- Check-in submit button spins forever without submitting
- Favorite feature causes immediate crash

**Requested features**

- Ability for non-stewards to add missing libraries
- Retroactive check-in date editing
- Children's book category indicator
- Book genre/category specifications
- Want-to-visit list separate from favorites


## Frequently asked questions

### Is LibraryThing free?

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

### Is Little Free Library free?

Little Free Library is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, LibraryThing or Little Free Library?

Little Free Library is rated higher. LibraryThing averages 3.5 out of 5 from 288 ratings, while Little Free Library averages 3.8 from 199 ratings.

### Do LibraryThing or Little Free Library have ads?

Neither LibraryThing nor Little Free Library shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, LibraryThing or Little Free Library?

LibraryThing ships an update every 4 weeks, and Little Free Library every 3 weeks. Most recently, LibraryThing was updated on October 26, 2026 and Little Free Library on October 27, 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.*