📚 Reading apps and reading coaches
Libby
By OverDrive. Visit Libby
Desk research from the maker's own pages. Not yet tried by us. Checked 2026-10-24.
Libby is the free library app from OverDrive. With a public library card, families borrow ebooks, audiobooks and magazines from their own library, read or listen in the app, and return them automatically. Thousands of libraries take part. Kids can browse picture books, chapter books and teen titles. A Libby for Kids setting limits the library and search screens to children's and teen books, and an AI feature called Inspire Me suggests books.
Our take: Every family with a library card should know about it; parents of young kids should turn on Libby for Kids and lock it with a passkey.
Checked in a browser
A browser check on 2026-10-25: what loads, the ads and trackers we saw, and what a child meets first. Not a hands-on test.
| Child safety: 4 out of 5 | No ads or chat; the first screen asks about a library card and offers the app download. |
|---|---|
| Data: 5 out of 5 | No third-party hosts were contacted and no cookies were set. |
| Ease: 4 out of 5 | A friendly step-by-step welcome with two big buttons ("Yes, I Have A Library Card" / "Not Yet"); a child will need a parent's library card. |
| Cost honesty: 5 out of 5 | Free with a public library card; no upsell seen. |
What we found
- The first visit contacted 0 third-party hosts and set 0 cookies.
- libbyapp.com opened a welcome interview asking "do you have a library card?".
- A "Get" button for the Libby app sits below the questions.
- The page text also showed a "Libby has encountered a problem" / "updating" notice during the load.
From the test: Free, ad-free and tracker-free on the first visit; a child needs a parent's library card to borrow books.
| Ages it suits | all ages (kids' and teen collections inside a general library) |
|---|---|
| What its terms say about age | No Libby account is needed, only a library card (library rules vary). OverDrive's terms say an OverDrive account itself is for ages 13 and up. (terms) |
| Price | Free. Free with a participating library card (Oct 2026); popular titles often have wait lists. |
| Works on | iPhone and iPad, Android, Web |
| Account | No account needed |
| Ads | None |
| In-app purchases | None |
| The AI in it | The optional Inspire Me feature uses a large language model to suggest titles; it receives only book titles, not user details. |
What's good
- Free with a library card
- No ads
- Audiobooks help reluctant readers
- Kids-only content setting with a passkey
Watch for
- The full library includes adult books unless a parent sets Libby for Kids
- Kids filter does not hide books already on the Shelf
- Settings do not sync between devices
- Wait lists for popular titles
Data and privacy
Libby says it does not sell personal data, does not sell ad space or use data for third-party ads, and does not ask for payment details. Borrowing history is seen only by the user, their library and OverDrive; OverDrive has a separate privacy policy for children under 13. Read the privacy policy.
Does it work?
No study of Libby's effect on children's reading found; it is a lending app.
In the Big Index
- On the list Top 50 free learning sites for kids (2026)
- On the list 24 best free sources of books and read-alouds online
- On the list 21 best homeschool resources online
- Libby
- Libby
- The maker in the who's who: OverDrive
Alternatives to Libby
Desk researchPaidNo ads
ABCmouse
Age of Learning, Inc. · ages about 2-6 (preschool to kindergarten)
A full preschool program for families who want one paid app; cancel carefully and watch the reward loop.
Desk researchFree, with paid extras
ABCya
ABCya.com LLC (a division of IXL Learning) · ages about 4-12 (pre-K to grade 6+)
Handy for quick grade-level practice in class or at home; skip if you want an ad-free experience without paying.
Desk researchPaidNo ads
Adventure Academy
Age of Learning, Inc. · ages grades 3-8 (about 8-13)
Good for kids who love online games and need a nudge toward school subjects; families wanting no social contact should set chat to off or choose a solo app.
Desk researchPaidNo ads
Amazon Kids+ and Parent Dashboard
Amazon · ages 3-12
A good-value bundle for families already on Amazon devices with kids 3-12; skip it if your child mostly uses an iPad or a phone.
Desk researchFreeNo ads
AmblesideOnline
AmblesideOnline (volunteer advisory) · ages about 5-18 (Year 0 to Year 12)
A strong free plan for homeschool families drawn to Charlotte Mason and literature-rich learning; secular families or those wanting an interactive program should look elsewhere.
Desk researchThrough schoolsNo ads
Amira Learning
Amira Learning · ages about 5-14 (school product; listed studies run from kindergarten to middle school)
Worth asking about if your child's school uses it; parents cannot buy it, so home users should look at family apps instead.
Where these facts come from
- https://libbyapp.com/
- https://www.overdrive.com/apps/libby
- https://about.libbyapp.com/policies/privacy-statement
- https://about.libbyapp.com/policies/artificial-intelligence
- https://www.overdrive.com/policies/terms-and-conditions
- https://www.overdrive.com/policies/privacy-policy
- https://help.libbyapp.com/en-us/6313.htm
Prices, terms and features change. Nobody paid to be listed, nothing here is an affiliate link, and Peabody never rates itself. Where we and the maker disagree, the maker's own pages are the ones to trust.