Hoopla

Overview

Hoopla is a library-borrowing app for people who want more than books: participating libraries can offer video, music, audiobooks, ebooks, comics, and magazines through one service. It is best for patrons with a valid card at a library whose digital catalog suits them. Its breadth and immediate borrowing make it useful, but library eligibility and catalog variation are real constraints.

Key features

A broad media collection

Hoopla brings audiobooks, ebooks, comics, movies, television, magazines, and music into a single borrowing service. Patrons can stream titles, and most can be downloaded to a phone or tablet; offline listening is supported. That makes it practical for travel or times without a connection, though downloads are not DRM-free.

Immediate borrowing and BingePass

Hoopla says patrons can borrow titles immediately, without artificial availability constraints. That can be a welcome alternative to waiting for a title, but it does not guarantee that a particular title is in every library's catalog. A BingePass uses one borrow to unlock seven days of access to a collection or platform, a useful option when a grouped offering is more appealing than a single title.

Kids Mode

Kids Mode removes adult-intended titles from search and browsing, including history, favorites, and My hoopla. Its reach across those areas makes it more useful for a family device than a filter confined to the initial search.

More ways to listen and watch

Supported TV options include Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV, Samsung TV, and Chromecast. Audio support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto extends listening to compatible car setups.

Pricing

Patron access: free. The free plan is library borrowing, not open signup: it requires a valid card from a participating public library and an email address. This suits patrons who want access without a paid audiobook subscription, but the catalog depends on the library, and lending periods vary by format and provider agreement.

Platforms

Hoopla is available on Android, iOS, and the web. Most titles can be downloaded to a phone or tablet, and supported TVs and car audio systems provide additional ways to use the service. Offline listening is supported, but family sharing is not.

Who it's for

Hoopla is a strong fit for public-library patrons who want one place to borrow different kinds of digital media, especially those who value immediate access and offline playback. It is not the right route for someone without a participating library card, or for a listener who wants a paid service with access independent of a library's collection.

Pros and cons

• Pros: A free borrowing service spans books, comics, audio, video, magazines, and music, making it useful beyond audiobook listening.
• Pros: Immediate borrowing and downloads for most titles reduce waiting and support offline use.
• Pros: Kids Mode filters adult-intended material across browsing and personal sections.
• Cons: A participating library card and email address are required, and catalogs differ between libraries.
• Cons: Lending periods depend on format and provider agreement, and downloaded titles are not DRM-free.

Alternatives

For audiobook-focused comparisons, see Audiobook Apps.

• Libby is another free library-borrowing app for Android, iOS, and the web; like Hoopla, borrowing requires a library card and depends on the library's collection.
• Libro.fm is a paid option for listeners who want a monthly audiobook credit, 30% off additional audiobooks, and member-exclusive sales.
• Audible suits listeners who prefer a paid audiobook plan with one audiobook per month from its entire collection; its Standard plan is $8.99 a month and auto-renews at that rate after 30 days.
• Kobo Books offers a paid Kobo Plus Listen option for $7.99 a month after a 14-day free trial, with audiobooks included in Kobo Plus.
• Bookmate is a freemium alternative with a seven-day free Premium period and books, comics, audiobooks, podcasts, uploads, and offline use.
• AudiobooksNow has a $4.99 a month Club plan after a 30-day free trial, with discounts on eligible audiobooks.
• BorrowBox is another free library borrowing option for Android, iOS, and the web.
• Audiobookshelf is a free, self-hosted audiobook and podcast server for people who want to manage their own listening setup rather than borrow through a library.

Verdict

Choose Hoopla if you have a participating public-library card and want free access to a varied digital-media collection, with immediate borrowing and offline options for most titles. Look elsewhere if you need access without library eligibility or want a collection that does not depend on your library's catalog.