Social Proof

Libby Cost

Speechify is the #1 audio reader in the world. Get through books, docs, articles, PDFs, emails - anything you read - faster.
Try for free

Featured In

forbes logocbs logotime magazine logonew york times logowall street logo
Listen to this article with Speechify!
Speechify

What does Libby Cost? - it's entirely FREE! This is a library app that works with public libraries and uses Overdrive. Libby is great for users of all ages.

What does Libby Cost?

Libby is The Library reading app from Overdrive and it is entirely free! If you’re tired of paying for pricey subscription services like Audible then Libby app might be the solution for you. There is no cost for the user or for the library. In order to take advantage of the benefits that Libby offers, simply install the app from Google Play or the Apple App Store or by visiting libbyapp.com There are no subscription fees, in-app purchases, or late fees. 

You do need a valid library card in order to access digital titles on Libby. You can choose as many libraries as you want as long as you have a valid card with that particular library. You can also add multiple library cards for the same library. All U.S. libraries have their own guidelines for acquiring a card so just be sure to contact each library individually to obtain a card. 

What is Libby?

Libby is a free library app that works with public libraries that use Overdrive. Libby is great for users of all ages and is available for all devices. Libby app is compatible with android and iPhone iOS systems.  With this app and your library card, you can browse your library’s book catalog, place holds, and check out digital titles such as eBooks, audiobooks, magazines, and more. Whether you’re looking for a New York Times Best-Seller or a classic, you can find it all through your local library’s selection on Libby. You have the ability to either download the books to your device and read them offline or you can stream them if you need to save space on your device. You can even use Libby to listen to Audiobooks in your car through Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a Bluetooth connection or Speechify.

Libby is free! (And here’s what you get)

There are thousands of titles chosen by your library that are available to you through Libby. Choose from ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines. Libby will keep track of your reading progress, notes, and bookmarks. Libby is also completely customizable. You can adjust the font size, book layout, and lighting. You can also add bookmarks, make notes and highlights, and define words. The Libby app will automatically sync to all your devices so that you can pick up right where you left off. With this e-reader, you can listen to audiobooks in your car, send library eBooks to your Kindle or download them for offline reading. Some people have reported issues getting books from Amazon to their Kindle. If you experience trouble with this, Libby has step-by-step instructions in the help center to fix it.

Libby’s interface is UX-friendly and compatible with all mobile devices

UX or user experience is very important and refers to the overall experience that a user has when interacting with a product. Libby app is very user-friendly and provides for a very positive experience overall. It’s easy to understand and navigate without any special training. It is not necessary to be super techy to use Libby. If you can operate a smartphone, you can easily use Libby. It’s easy to install on your smartphone or Kindle. There are even step-by-step instructions in the Libby help center for sending your books to Kindle if you’re having trouble getting them from Amazon.

It’s easy to see what’s available and what’s not

Once you download the app, it’s easy to find your local library as long as they use Overdrive. You can add as many libraries as you wish. Once you have added your library, the next step is to sign in with your library card in order to view the available titles. You can find exactly what you’re looking for using a keyword search or browse the following categories: just added, popular, random, available now, or subjects. 

One of the disadvantages of using Libby over some other apps like Audible is the wait times. Most publishers require that libraries only loan out one copy of an eBook at a time so if someone has already checked out the book that you’re wanting there may be a wait. You can place the titles on hold just like you would any other library book and then you will be able to check them out as soon as they are available. Once you have borrowed a book, the due date can be viewed in the loans tab.

Libby’s site is easy to navigate with no ads or sponsored posts

Libby app from Overdrive is free to install and use, and there are no annoying ads or sponsored posts. This makes Libby super easy to navigate. There are no ads or sponsored posts to distract you and it makes for a very pleasant reading experience. It’s just like browsing through the catalog at your local library.

Libby works with Screenreaders

A screenreader is a special software that takes the written text and turns it into speech. This can be especially helpful for those who have visual impairments. Screenreaders make it possible for people who are blind or have low vision to have access to electronic media. This software also makes it possible for busy people to make better use of their time by listening to written content while completing other tasks. Libby can be used with screen readers such as Speechify, iOS Voiceover, Android TalkBack, and various desktop screen readers. The screen readers can be used to browse and borrow books from your local library, read eBooks and listen to audiobooks.

Best reader for Libby: Speechify

Speechify is a text-to-speech app that instantly converts text into speech. It turns any PDF into an audiobook. It is available as a Chrome extension, iOS app, and android app. Speechify is the #1 rated text-to-speech app in its category and has over 150,000 5-star reviews. 

Using an audiobook player like Speechify allows you to maximize your time. You can get through content 2 to 3 times faster than reading it yourself. You can also take it with you wherever you go which means that you can be listening while you’re driving in your car, going for a walk or working around the house.

You can also select the speed that Speechify reads content which means you can read up to 9 times as fast as the average reading speed. You can even set a sleep timer.

Speechify will work on your desktop or mobile devices and will automatically sync across all devices so that you can read anything you want, wherever you want, whenever you want. 

You can also choose which voice you want to listen to. Speechify voices are more natural sounding than other AI voices. You can choose male or female voices in a variety of different accents.  

How Speechify works with Libby

Speechify is easy to use with Libby app from Overdrive. Simply import your eBooks to Speechify from Libby and Speechify will read them aloud to you. You can save them to your library and organize them in folders. Speechify will even highlight as you listen so that you can easily follow along, significantly increasing your retention and understanding of the material. 

Speechify even allows you to take a picture of a physical book and import that into your device as a PDF. This is a great feature to have for those books that are not available in digital format. 

FAQ’s

How much does Libby cost libraries?

  • There is no cost to libraries. As long as the library uses Overdrive, they are eligible to publish their digital titles on Libby.

Can you use Libby without a library card?

  • No. You must have a valid library card with any of the libraries that you wish to add on Libby. Some libraries actually allow you to obtain a library card right inside Libby. Each library is different so if you don’t already have a library card, you will just want to contact your local library or visit their website to see what their guidelines are.

Is Libby library app free?

  • Yes. The Libby library app is totally free. There is no installation fee, no subscription fees,

no in-app purchases and no late fees.

Is Libby better than Audible?

  • Libby isn’t necessarily better or worse than Audible. Audible is a paid subscription-based service and often has the newest titles and there is no wait time. Libby is a free app that gives you access to digital titles from your local library.

Is Libby a good app for library users?

  • Libby is a great app for library users. It’s an easy and convenient way to access all of the digital titles from your local library.

Which library app is Libby?

  • Libby is the library app from Overdrive.

Is Libby the same as Audible?

  • No. Libby and Audible are similar but also very different. Libby connects you directly to your local library’s selection of digital titles. Audible is a subscription-based service for audiobooks.

How many libraries are there?

  • As of January of 2021, there were over 65,000 libraries registered with Overdrive.

What is Libby’s slogan?

  • Libby's slogan is “The library reading app”.
Cliff Weitzman

Cliff Weitzman

Cliff Weitzman is a dyslexia advocate and the CEO and founder of Speechify, the #1 text-to-speech app in the world, totaling over 100,000 5-star reviews and ranking first place in the App Store for the News & Magazines category. In 2017, Weitzman was named to the Forbes 30 under 30 list for his work making the internet more accessible to people with learning disabilities. Cliff Weitzman has been featured in EdSurge, Inc., PC Mag, Entrepreneur, Mashable, among other leading outlets.