# LibraryThing vs Ray

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Ray at 100% against LibraryThing's 47%. Ray also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.5). LibraryThing's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (288 vs 6). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Ray sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. LibraryThing asks for nothing beyond the download.

Ray holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: LibraryThing has 288 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 47% of LibraryThing's written reviews are positive against 100% of Ray's.

LibraryThing ships an update every 4 weeks, Ray every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | LibraryThing | Ray |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (288 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/librarything/id948824489/reviews) | **[5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ray-one-reading-a-day/id6747955197/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **288** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 47.5% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 9 MB | 128 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [LibraryThing.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/397718884) | [Cristobal Grana Samanez](https://appshunter.io/developer/1764769281) |

## 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- 🤖 Outdated and dated UI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


### Ray

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ray-one-reading-a-day/id6747955197)

This app offers a curated library of over 1,000 poems, short stories, and essays for daily reflection. Enjoy offline access, progress saving, and bookmarking with a single one-time purchase, fostering a habit of contemplation without subscriptions.

**Highlights:** Curated library of 1000+ poems, stories, essays, Daily thoughtful reading delivery, Offline access, Auto-save progress, Bookmark functionality, Sharing tools

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ray Lifetime | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is LibraryThing free?

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

### Is Ray free?

Ray is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

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

Ray is rated higher. LibraryThing averages 3.5 out of 5 from 288 ratings, while Ray averages 5.0 from 6 ratings.

### Do LibraryThing or Ray have ads?

Neither LibraryThing nor Ray shows ads.

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

LibraryThing ships an update every 4 weeks, and Ray every 2 weeks. Most recently, LibraryThing was updated on October 21, 2026 and Ray on September 29, 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.*