Loyal Books vs SimplyE
Loyal Books
loyalbooks.comSimplyE
librarysimplified.orgSide by side
| Figure | Loyal Books | SimplyE |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Audiobook Apps | 8.3 (#7) | 7.4 (#30) |
| Accessibility | The official about page describes the website as screen-reader friendly and primarily visual for browsing. | The Library Simplified platform describes its technology as using interoperable and accessible standards. |
| Privacy | The privacy policy says the site collects reviews, desktop or mobile preference cookies, and standard server logs, and that this information is not shared outside the company. | The SimplyE page says the app does not track patrons’ data; the platform page says it captures only aggregated trend and usage data through Google Analytics. |
| Support | The app page directs Android and iOS comments and requests to [email protected] and [email protected]. | Library Simplified service providers offer setup and onboarding, plus low-cost front-line support for libraries. |
| What it does | Loyal Books is a searchable service for streaming or downloading public-domain audiobooks and eBooks. | SimplyE was a free e-reader for library patrons to browse, borrow, and read library e-books. |
Plans
In their own words
Loyal Books
Loyal Books offers free audiobooks and eBooks on the web, Android, and iOS. Its app page lists 7,000+ audiobooks and 35,000+ eBooks, with material including children’s books, fiction, and mysteries. Books are available in 25+ languages. The catalog includes public-domain works digitized and recorded by volunteers, most sourced from Gutenberg.org and Librivox.org; Loyal Books says all audiobooks on its website are in the public domain. It also offers best sellers. Audiobooks can be streamed or downloaded for offline listening, and playback speed is adjustable. Readers can browse featured books and top charts, and use reviews, ratings, and other discovery features. The website describes its browsing as primarily visual and screen reader friendly for people with vision disabilities. Its privacy policy says the service collects reviews, desktop or mobile preference cookies, and standard server logs, which it says are not shared outside the company. Google and its partners use tracking and third-party cookies to serve ads, and the site uses Google Analytics Advertising Features.
SimplyE
SimplyE was a free library e-reading app for browsing, borrowing, and reading e-books, with audiobook support from Findaway and OverDrive. Patrons could sign in once with a library card and reach materials from listed providers in one place, including OverDrive, Axis360, cloudLibrary, DPLA Exchange, EBSCO NoveList, BiblioBoard, Odilo, and RBdigital. The app connected to a library’s existing card web application and supported instant card sign-up through the app. Reading controls included font, font size, and background-color adjustments, plus OpenDyslexic and screen-reader compatibility. E-books could use Adobe DRM, while audiobooks used Findaway or OverDrive rights management. SimplyE was listed for Android, iOS, and web, but the app retired in August 2025. It did not render Kindle AZW files or Adobe-encrypted PDFs and did not work on e-ink devices. Library Simplified describes the platform as open-source and provides source code for organizational customization.