Libby

Overview

Libby is a digital lending app for people with a card at a public library that uses OverDrive. It suits readers who want to borrow ebooks, audiobooks, or magazines without buying each title. Its strongest case is free access to a library’s digital collection; the trade-off is that selection and lending rules vary by library, and physical materials are out of scope.

Search the library’s collection or browse its curated lists, guides, and campaigns. Borrow available titles or place holds on checked-out ones; Libby notifies you when a hold is ready. Loans return automatically on their due dates, with no late fees. Each library sets its own loan and hold limits, and ebooks and audiobooks count toward the loan limit while magazines and Extras do not.

Key features

Offline access: The mobile apps download ebooks and audiobooks over Wi-Fi by default, which is useful for reading or listening without a connection. The website always requires internet access.

Reading and listening: EPUB and PDF support, annotation tools, and reading sync suit readers who want to keep their place and mark up titles. Audiobooks include a sleep timer with preset or custom durations from 5 to 120 minutes.

Kindle and CarPlay: At U.S. libraries, most ebooks can be sent to Kindle or read in Libby. Audiobook loans work with Apple CarPlay, with playback controls and speed from 1x to 2x.

Tags and recommendations: Create tags to organize titles; smart tags can track borrowed or sampled items and notify you about certain new library titles. Inspire Me uses generative AI: when you use a tag, the model receives a random selection of its titles, not the tag name or description.

Library Extras: Participating libraries may offer links to additional learning or entertainment resources, including Kanopy and Craftsy. These do not count toward the loan limit, but access depends on what the library provides.

Privacy and support: Libby says it does not sell personally identifiable information or use or disclose it for third-party advertising, and does not use third-party cookies. Reset Everything offers an in-app way to delete certain data. OverDrive says data is encrypted at rest and in transit, and that it has a dedicated security team and commissions independent security audits. Contact Libby Technical Support through Menu > Help & Support.

Pricing

Libby costs free. The free plan is free to install and lets anyone with a valid library card borrow that library’s digital content without subscription costs, in-app purchases, or late fees. There is no free trial because the core service is free. This is a strong fit for readers whose library participates and has titles they want; it is not a way to buy or access every title on demand.

The lower cost comes with library-set limits and availability: each library determines its catalog, loan and hold limits, and lending policies. If a title is unavailable, you can place a hold, but access depends on the library’s lending terms. Libby does not provide physical library materials.

Platforms

Libby is available on iOS 10+ and Android 7.1+ apps, and in a browser on Windows, Mac, and Chromebook computers. The mobile apps support offline downloads for ebooks and audiobooks; browser use requires an internet connection. Kindle delivery for most ebooks is available at U.S. libraries.

Who it's for

Choose Libby if you have a card at an OverDrive-using public library and want a no-cost way to borrow digital books, audiobooks, and magazines, especially if offline mobile use, Kindle delivery in the U.S., or CarPlay listening matters. Look elsewhere if you need physical materials, a catalog independent of your library, or guaranteed access to a particular title.

Pros and cons

Pro: Digital borrowing has no subscription cost, in-app purchases, or late fees, making the library’s catalog accessible without per-title charges.

Pro: Mobile downloads, reading sync, annotations, audiobook sleep timer, and CarPlay support cover useful reading and listening needs.

Pro: Library Extras and magazines do not count toward the loan limit, giving participating libraries ways to add resources beyond books and audiobooks.

Con: A library card is required, and each library controls its collection, loan limits, holds, and policies; the same app can therefore offer different choices to different readers.

Con: Offline use is limited to mobile ebook and audiobook downloads; the browser version requires an internet connection.

Con: Libby covers digital titles only, so it cannot replace borrowing physical books from a library.

Alternatives

For broader ebook-reader options, browse the Ebook Reader Software directory.

Readest is a better fit if you want open-source software or broader platform coverage, including Linux; its Plus plan costs $4.99 a month and includes 5 GB cloud sync storage and 100K AI transl.

FBReader is an alternative if you want a reader for Linux as well as Android, macOS, and Windows; its current code is closed source.

Adobe Digital Editions is another free ebook reader for Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows.

ReadEra suits readers looking for a free, no-ads reading plan, or a one-time 14.99 USD Premium plan with Google Drive sync and background text-to-speech.

Calibre-Web is a free option for readers who want a self-hosted web interface and have a Calibre database.

eBoox is a free, ad-free alternative for Android, iOS, and web.

Librera Reader offers a free ad-supported plan or a one-time 5.99 USD PRO plan without ads.

Verdict

Libby is the right pick for library cardholders who want convenient, free access to digital books and magazines, with especially useful mobile offline access and listening options. Its chief limitation is that the library—not the app—determines what you can borrow and on what terms. Choose it for your library’s digital collection; look elsewhere if you need a broader, predictable catalog or physical materials.