Librify vs Libly: Which Free Library App Fits You?

Libly and Librify are both free to start and both built for study halls, not book lending. If you searched for a free library app, the difference that matters first is the free plan limit: Libly stops at 20 students, and Librify does not cap students or seats.

Librify is a library management app for private self-study libraries and reading rooms in India. Libly describes itself as built in India for study libraries and is open about not handling book cataloguing. Every Libly fact here comes from Libly's website, read on 27 October 2026.

Librify vs Libly at a glance

Where Libly is stronger

Libly has thought hard about WhatsApp. On paid plans, reminders for fee due, plan expiry, locker assignment and birthdays go out from the library's own branded number on the official WhatsApp Business API, according to its FAQ. Students see your library's name, not a vendor's.

• Add-ons with the seat. Libly bills lockers, AC seats, water and dedicated desks in one transaction with the seat plan. If you rent lockers, that removes the second register most owners keep for them.
• A lead pipeline. Walk-ins and phone calls move through New, Contacted, Follow-up and Converted, with a conversion rate worked out for you.
• A long-term price. ₹3,999 for three years works out to about ₹111 a month before GST.
• Clear scope. Libly tells book-lending libraries to use an integrated library system such as Koha instead, which saves owners from buying the wrong thing.

Libly also runs in any browser, so an owner with an iPhone can use it from Safari without waiting for an app.

Where Librify is stronger

Librify's free plan carries much bigger libraries. A 90-seat reading room with a morning and an evening batch can run 150 students on Librify Free, with student records, seats and shifts, QR self-registration, attendance and the student app. Librify is used by 1500+ libraries across 20+ Indian states (Librify, 2026).

• Lower paid prices for most sizes. Librify Mini costs ₹59 a month up to 50 seats and ₹99 a month for 51-100 seats; see Librify pricing by seat count.
• A student app. Students see their plan, seat and shift on an Android app and mark attendance by scanning the library's QR code. Students can also fill the admission form themselves by scanning the QR code at the desk.
• Shift detail. Six shift types from Morning to 24-hour, custom timings, a fee per shift, and fixed or floating seats across floors.
• Indian languages. Nine interface languages on Mini and Pro, set per branch.

What each costs in a year

Libly charges the same at any size; Librify charges by seat count. Here is the yearly cost at three sizes, from the public pricing pages.

At 250 seats Libly's flat yearly price is lower than Librify Pro. Libly's paid plans include automated WhatsApp reminders, so compare like with like: Librify Mini sends receipts and payment-due messages, and expiry reminders need Pro. For a fuller look at what software really costs, read our guide to hidden costs in library software.

Which library should pick which?

• Pick Libly if you have 20 students or fewer, rent lockers or AC seats as add-ons, want WhatsApp messages from your own number, or work mostly from an iPhone or a desk computer.
• Pick Librify if you have more than 20 students and want to stay on a free plan, want the lowest paid price for up to 200 seats, want students to have their own app, or want the dashboard in Hindi or another Indian language.
• Pick Librify Pro if you run more than one branch, since Pro includes unlimited branches, owners and admins.

If neither fits, our list of library apps compared covers six more, and the best free library management apps guide looks at free plans only. For a ranked view of the market, see the best library management software in India or the grid on Librify's compare page.

Moving between Libly and Librify

Both apps are browser-based on the owner side, so the move is about data, not hardware. Libly offers to help with student import when you join, and Librify's support team can import a student list from Excel or CSV.

1. Pick a quiet week, away from your busiest renewal days.
2. Get your student list out of the old app with seat, shift, plan end date and amount due.
3. Set up seats, shifts and fees in the new app first.
4. Import the students, then check five records by hand against the old app.
5. Run both for one billing cycle before you stop the old one.

Librify publishes this blog. We have tried to keep this comparison fair; check each product's own site for current details.

Frequently asked questions

Is Libly really free?

Yes, up to 20 students. Libly's website lists a free-forever plan with unlimited shifts, a seat map and payment tracking for up to 20 students, with manual reminders only (as of October 2026). Automated WhatsApp reminders and unlimited students start at ₹199 a month plus 18% GST.

Which free plan suits a 60-seat library, Libly or Librify?

Librify's, if you want to stay free. A 60-seat library with two shifts usually has far more than 20 students, which is Libly's free limit. Librify's free plan has no cap on students or seats, though it is limited to one branch, one owner and one admin login, and it has no WhatsApp messages (as of October 2026).

Do students need to install an app?

Not for Libly. Libly says students only receive WhatsApp messages from the library's number and install nothing. Librify has an optional Android student app where students see their plan, seat and shift and scan the library QR code for attendance. Students can also self-register by scanning the library's QR code.

Does Libly or Librify collect fees online?

Libly's FAQ describes recording cash, UPI, bank transfer or card payments and sending a WhatsApp receipt, and its sample reminders include the library's UPI ID for the student to pay. Librify records payments rather than collecting them and sends WhatsApp receipts on Mini and Pro; its online payment gateway is on the roadmap, not live (as of October 2026).

Which is cheaper per year for a paid plan?

Librify, at most sizes. Libly's yearly plan is ₹1,999 plus GST, or ₹3,999 for three years. Librify Mini is ₹590 to ₹1,590 a year by seat count and Pro is ₹1,490 to ₹3,490 (as of October 2026). Libly's price stays the same at any size, so very large libraries should compare carefully.