Yes, you can save money on children's books with a library app. Libby and Hoopla are free library apps that let you borrow ebooks and audiobooks with a library card instead of buying them. For families who buy picture books each month, borrowing can replace several purchases. The savings depend on your library, borrow limits, and how your kids read.
Table of Contents
- What can kids borrow for free?
- What do you need to start borrowing?
- How far can borrowing stretch a budget?
- What limits should families plan around?
What can kids borrow for free?
OverDrive says on OverDrive's current Libby page that Libby lends ebooks, audiobooks, magazines and more for free from local libraries. The app supports offline reading and Kindle delivery at U.S. libraries. For kids, that can mean bedtime books without a store trip. Hoopla says its app gives cardholders free access to ebooks, audiobooks, comics, music, movies and TV.
Its children's catalog is built for young readers and listeners. Hoopla Hub Newsroom reported 10 children's BingePasses launched Sept. 4, 2025 with HarperCollins and Lerner. Those passes include 50-plus Berenstain Bears ebooks and 20-plus Fiona the Hippo ebooks. One themed bundle can cover a week of rereads for a young child. The mix helps when siblings want different characters.
What do you need to start borrowing?
You need a participating library and a valid library card. OverDrive reports that over 90 percent of North American public libraries use its platform. Most families likely have access through their local branch.
Keep both apps on one phone or tablet for home and travel. Use offline reading for cars and waiting rooms. Let each child pick two titles to avoid midweek gaps.
- Check your library website for Libby or Hoopla access.
- Sign up for a valid library card if you lack one.
- Add the card in the app before browsing kids titles.
How far can borrowing stretch a budget?
BulkBookstore lists Abrams Here Is a Book at $18.99 in its BulkBookstore listing for Here Is a Book. Borrowing two picture books a month avoids about $38 in purchases. That math fits families who buy new hardcovers for birthdays and holidays.
Hoopla patron staff explain in their Hoopla Loop guide to BingePass that one BingePass costs one monthly borrow. That borrow unlocks seven days of unlimited access to the whole bundle. One borrow can therefore cover many kids books in one week.
What limits should families plan around?
Hoopla Hub for librarians notes in its Hoopla Hub budget guide that libraries set monthly borrow limits, often around 10 per patron. Bonus Borrows count separately only during the last seven days of each month. Heavy readers can hit the cap before the month ends.
Plan long series around the reset date and save BingePasses for school breaks. Pair Hoopla picks with Libby borrows to stretch the month. Check your library's Hoopla limit before counting on it for daily bedtime reading.
