# LibraryThing vs OBC Reader

The clearest difference is rating: LibraryThing at 3.5 against OBC Reader's 2.8. LibraryThing also leads on ratings volume (278 vs 10) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 13.0). OBC Reader's advantage is review sentiment (78% vs 48%). 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.

LibraryThing holds the better App Store score, 3.5 against 2.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: LibraryThing has 278 ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 48% of LibraryThing's written reviews are positive against 78% of OBC Reader's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

LibraryThing ships an update every 4 weeks, OBC Reader every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and June 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | LibraryThing | OBC Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.5 (278 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/librarything/id948824489/reviews)** | [2.8 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/obc-reader/id1592390086/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **278** | 10 |
| Positive reviews | 48.2% of reviews | **77.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 9 MB | 15 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [LibraryThing.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/397718884) | [OnlineBookClub.org LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1592390088) |

## 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


### OBC Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/obc-reader/id1592390086)

Access a library of ePub2 books, download free titles from a community collection, and enjoy private books for members. Features include copy-paste, bookmarking, and text search for an enhanced reading experience.

**Highlights:** Read ePub2 books, Download free books, Community library access, Private member books, Copy-paste text, Bookmarks, Text search

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is LibraryThing free?

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

### Is OBC Reader free?

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

### Which has better reviews, LibraryThing or OBC Reader?

LibraryThing is rated higher. LibraryThing averages 3.5 out of 5 from 278 ratings, while OBC Reader averages 2.8 from 10 ratings.

### Do LibraryThing or OBC Reader have ads?

Neither LibraryThing nor OBC Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, LibraryThing or OBC Reader?

LibraryThing ships an update every 4 weeks, and OBC Reader every 2 months. Most recently, LibraryThing was updated on September 29, 2026 and OBC Reader on June 2, 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.*