SFPL vs MARINet
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SFPL
Access your local library's catalog from your mobile device. Browse new releases, manage holds, renew borrowed items, and discover upcoming events. Plan your library visits with ease, all from your pocket.
- Browse new titles and recommendations
- Place and manage holds
- Renew checked out materials
- Plan library visits
- See upcoming events
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San Francisco Public Library in your pocket. Browse new titles and recommendations curated by your library staff, place and manage holds, renew checked out materials, plan your visit and see upcoming events, anytime and anywhere.
MARINet
Access your local library's digital collection and manage your account on the go. Borrow eBooks, audiobooks, movies, and more. Find nearby branches and check item availability.
- Search library catalog
- Place and manage holds
- Renew borrowed items
- Access eBooks and audiobooks
- Find library locations
- View library card
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Take MARINet with you wherever you go! Search the catalog, place holds, manage your account, and renew materials. Get instant access to eBooks, audiobooks, movies, TV, music, magazines, and more. Find a library location near you: • Belvedere Tiburon Library • College of Marin Library • Dominican University of California's Archbishop Alemany Library • Larkspur Library • Marin County Free Library • Mill Valley Public Library • San Anselmo Public Library • San Rafael Public Library • Sausalito Public Library Features include: • Quickly search the library collection • Browse bestsellers and new items • Check a title’s availability –map the location where your title is available • Place and manage your holds • Renew items • View your library card
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: SFPL at 4.0 against MARINet's 3.3. SFPL also leads on ratings volume (50 vs 12). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
SFPL holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 50 and 12 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 28% of SFPL's written reviews are positive against 33% of MARINet's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
SFPL ships an update every 4 months, MARINet every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | SFPL | MARINet |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.0 (50 ratings) — better | 3.3 (12 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 27.9% of reviews | 33.3% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 50 — better | 12 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 3 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 22 MB | 22 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | San Francisco Public Library | MARINet |
Customer experience
SFPL
MARINet
Bugs and requests
SFPL
Reported bugs
19 issues- Always logs out and has trouble logging back in
- 403 forbidden error message when clicking links/books
- New message alert shows up each login
- Digital and physical books not showing in history
- Cannot request books through link+ without going to website
Show 14 moreShow fewer
- App lags when changing menus
- Login not saved, asks for card number repeatedly
- Search function not working for specific titles
- App crashes upon opening
- App cuts off when using Safari simultaneously
- App doesn't fit large iPhone screens
- Cannot remove search criteria
- App crashes after a while
- App is unstable and crashes every time
- App is unusable, crashes while opening
- App crashes on start
- App crashes right away
- App keeps logging out
- Search function locates books but cannot place holds
Requested features
9 requests- Bring back 'My List' feature
- Add notification feature
- Add dark mode
- Make library card compatible with Apple Wallet
- Add genre tab
Show 4 moreShow fewer
- Improve UI design and styling
- Add alpha sorting in filters for lists
- Wider range of page numbering in lists
- Allow simultaneous login on web and mobile
MARINet
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
SFPL
No in-app purchases
MARINet
No in-app purchases
