Use both apps if your library offers both. Libby lends ebooks and digital audiobooks, with a hold when all copies are checked out, while Hoopla’s Instant titles have no wait up to a monthly borrowing cap set by your library.
Libby needs a library card to get started, and Hoopla needs an email address and your library card number to sign up. Pick Libby if you can wait on a hold for a title, and Hoopla if you want to borrow Instant titles immediately from your remaining monthly borrows.
The Direct Answer for Library Patrons
Use Libby for your library’s ebooks and audiobooks when you do not mind placing holds. Use Hoopla when you need an Instant title without waiting, provided you still have monthly borrows remaining.
Libby is developed by OverDrive and connects to public libraries that use OverDrive to lend digital titles, as noted on Libby Help. Hoopla is the digital service of Midwest Tape, described in the Hoopla FAQ as a free service provided to library users by participating libraries.
In Libby, you can place a hold and wait when all copies bought by your library are checked out. Hoopla Instant titles allow simultaneous usage by multiple patrons, assuming you have monthly borrows remaining.
Borrowing Models and Waiting Lists
Libby operates on a copy-by-copy lending model where public libraries buy individual digital copies. According to Libby Holds Help, publishers often require that each digital copy be loaned to only one person at a time.
When all copies of a title are checked out in Libby, you place a hold. The number of copies your library buys depends on factors like demand and budget, and your place in line appears under Shelf > Holds as outlined on Libby Shelf Help.
Hoopla offers Instant borrows. The Hoopla FAQ states that Instant titles are always immediately available with no holds or waiting, assuming you have monthly borrows remaining.
Hoopla also has Flex borrows for some titles. Flex titles are not simultaneous-use, meaning they circulate to one person at a time with a wait list if all copies are out.
Supported Formats and Media Types
Libby offers ebooks, digital audiobooks, and magazines from your public library, as explained on Libby App Overview. Libby does not include physical materials from your library, though your library may offer streaming video services under Library > Extras.
Hoopla provides audiobooks, ebooks, comics, music, movies, and television episodes, citing more than 1,000,000 titles on Hoopla Digital Music. Hoopla also provides the BingePass, which gives unlimited streaming of entire online collections for seven days using a single monthly borrow.
If you want to read on a dedicated ereader, device compatibility varies. US libraries in Libby show an option to send most ebooks to Kindle, according to Libby Getting Started, though certain titles may not be offered for Kindle as noted on Libby Reading Preferences. Hoopla pages do not mention sending titles to Kindle ereaders, naming only Kindle Fire mobile devices.
Borrowing Limits and Loan Periods
According to Libby Card Limits, your library chooses how many loans and holds you can have at a time, with ebook and audiobook loans counting toward the cap while magazines and Extras do not.
Loan periods in Libby vary by library and format, though you can adjust the loan period per title when you borrow or renew, as documented on Libby Loan Length Help. Loans expire at the same time of day they were borrowed, according to Libby Due Dates.
Hoopla uses a monthly borrow limit set by your local library that resets at the start of each calendar month. The Hoopla FAQ confirms that unused borrows do not roll over, and returning an Instant title early does not give an extra borrow back.
Hoopla sets standard loan lengths: most movies and TV episodes circulate for 72 hours (or 48 hours depending on the publisher), most music albums circulate for 7 days, and most audiobooks, comics, and ebooks circulate for 21 days.
App Compatibility and Offline Access
Libby runs on iOS 10 and newer, Android 7.1 and newer, and newer Fire tablets, with browser access available on Windows, Mac, and Chromebook computers. By default, the mobile app downloads loans on Wi-Fi for offline use, as stated on Libby Getting Started.
Hoopla offers mobile apps on Apple iOS, Android, and Amazon Fire tablets, as well as television apps for Apple TV, Fire TV, Roku, Samsung TV, and Chromecast. Most Hoopla titles can be downloaded directly to a mobile phone or tablet for offline access, and Hoopla works with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Neither service charges any fees. All digital content is free to borrow with a valid library card, with no subscription costs, late fees, or in-app charges on either service.
Side-by-Side Service Comparison
| Feature | Libby | Hoopla |
|---|---|---|
| Made By | OverDrive | Midwest Tape |
| Media Types | Ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, Extras video if your library offers it | Audiobooks, ebooks, comics, music, movies, TV |
| Borrowing Model | Library-bought copies, often one user per copy, with holds | Instant simultaneous borrows and select Flex titles |
| Borrowing Limits | Loans and holds at a time, set per library; listed under Menu > Cards | Monthly borrow limit set per library; borrows remaining shown under My Hoopla |
| Wait Lists | Holds queue with position tracking | No holds on Instant titles; wait lists on Flex titles |
| Kindle Support | Send most ebooks to Kindle (US libraries) | Kindle ereaders not mentioned; names Kindle Fire devices only |
| Offline Downloads | Downloaded on Wi-Fi by default in mobile app | Most titles downloadable on phone or tablet |
| Loan Lengths | Varies by library and format; adjustable | Most: 21 days books, 7 days music, 72 hours video (some 48) |
Which Service You Should Choose
Choose between Libby and Hoopla by the format you want and how quickly you need the title.
Choose Libby when you want to send ebooks to a Kindle ereader (an option at US libraries) or read digital magazines. If you are comparing dedicated devices, see our guide to Kindle vs Kobo to evaluate hardware choices.
Choose Hoopla when you need an Instant title immediately for travel, book clubs, or study, and cannot wait in a hold line. Hoopla is also the only choice between the two if you want to borrow music albums.
Readers exploring different storytelling formats can consult our breakdown of audiobook vs reading or compare digital reading habits in ebook vs audiobook. To jumpstart your reading routine, look at our tips on how to get back into reading or try the What Should I Read quiz to pick your next digital loan.