# LibraryThing vs YLN Catalog

The clearest difference is review sentiment: LibraryThing at 48% against YLN Catalog's 0%. LibraryThing also leads on rating (3.5 vs 1.6) and ratings volume (278 vs 30). 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 1.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: LibraryThing has 278 ratings behind it against 30, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 48% of LibraryThing's written reviews are positive against 0% of YLN Catalog's.

LibraryThing ships an update every 4 weeks, YLN Catalog every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | LibraryThing | YLN Catalog |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.5 (278 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/librarything/id948824489/reviews)** | [1.6 (30 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/yln-catalog/id1634065317/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **278** | 30 |
| Positive reviews | **48.2% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 weeks** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 9 MB | 56 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [LibraryThing.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/397718884) | [Yavapai County Library District Office](https://appshunter.io/developer/1454432557) |

## 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- 🤖 Outdated and dated UI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


### YLN Catalog

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/yln-catalog/id1634065317)

Explore your library's collection from anywhere to discover new and familiar books, movies, and games. Search the full catalog, including digital content, and manage your account by placing holds, checking due dates, and renewing items.

**Highlights:** Search library catalog, Discover books, movies, games, Access eContent, Place holds, Check due dates, Renew titles

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is LibraryThing free?

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

### Is YLN Catalog free?

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

### Which has better reviews, LibraryThing or YLN Catalog?

LibraryThing is rated higher. LibraryThing averages 3.5 out of 5 from 278 ratings, while YLN Catalog averages 1.6 from 30 ratings.

### Do LibraryThing or YLN Catalog have ads?

Neither LibraryThing nor YLN Catalog shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, LibraryThing or YLN Catalog?

LibraryThing ships an update every 4 weeks, and YLN Catalog every 5 weeks. Most recently, LibraryThing was updated on September 25, 2026 and YLN Catalog on September 19, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*