Libby is the better app overall, scoring 9.1 to 8.4. Libby wins on 5 of the 5 scores, Feedly on 0.
Readers and audiobook fans who have, or can get, a public library card
Readers who want a simple, free feed of their favorite sites on any device
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Libby | Feedly |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Reading & News | Reading & News |
| Category rank | #1 of 11 | #7 of 11 |
| Developer | OverDrive | Feedly Inc. |
| Pricing | Free | Free + paid plans |
| Usable for free | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web | ✓ | ✓ |
Common questions
Is Libby better than Feedly?
Libby is the better app overall, scoring 9.1 to 8.4. Libby wins on 5 of the 5 scores, Feedly on 0.
Which is cheaper, Libby or Feedly?
Libby: Free; you just need a card from a participating library. Feedly: Free for 100 feeds; Pro is $6 a month and Pro+ $12, both billed yearly. On value for money, Libby scores higher.
Do Libby and Feedly work on the same devices?
Yes, both run on iPhone & iPad, Android, Web.
Which is more private, Libby or Feedly?
Libby scores higher on privacy (9.2/10). App Store label: no tracking. Only crash data is linked to you; product interaction and performance data are collected without being tied to you. Google Play says nothing is shared.
Strengths and weaknesses
Libby
- Completely free with a library card
- No tracking, and almost no data tied to you
- Clean design that's easy for any age
- Popular titles can mean long hold waits
- Catalog depends on your library's collection
- Send to Kindle works only in the US
Libby turns your library card into a free ebook, audiobook and magazine app. Borrow titles, place holds and get told when they're ready, download them for offline reading, set audiobook speed from 0.6x to 3x and, in the US, send loans to a Kindle. You can link several library cards at once. The only real cost is patience, since popular books often have long hold queues.
Full Libby review
Feedly
- Free plan is enough for casual readers
- iOS app collects no data, per its privacy label
- Clean, simple reading on every device
- Free plan has sponsored ads and only 3 folders
- Search and sharing tools need Pro
- New features mostly target business plans
Feedly is one of the best-known RSS readers, and its free plan still covers most people: up to 100 sources in three folders, on the web, iPhone and Android. Follow news sites, blogs, YouTube channels and Reddit in one calm feed. Pro adds search, notes and no sponsored ads, while Pro+ adds AI filters, newsletters and Google News feeds. Just know that most of Feedly's new work now goes into its business plans.
Full Feedly review
