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Libraries · head to head

Hoopla vs Storytel

Hoopla logo

Hoopla

Libraries

Free library streaming app with instant borrowing, capped by a monthly checkout limit set by your library

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Storytel logo

Storytel

Publishing

Unlimited audiobook and ebook subscription, strong in Europe and Latin America, no library card needed

From
$14.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Hoopla has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Hoopla the monthly borrow limit is a hard cap, so a heavy user runs out of checkouts partway through the month and simply cannot borrow more, unlike a queue they can wait out.; Storytel catalogue depth and specific title availability vary significantly by country, so the experience in a core Nordic market is not the same as in newer markets.
  • They diverge on capability: Hoopla covers Instant borrowing, Storytel covers Unlimited streaming.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Hoopla and Storytel actually diverge.

Attributes where Hoopla and Storytel differ
AttributeHooplaStorytel
Starting priceFree$14.99/month
Pricing modelFree with a participating library card, capped by monthly borrow limitPer user per month, unlimited
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, Android, Web, Roku, Amazon Fire TViOS, Android, Web
CategoryLibrariesPublishing

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Hoopla

  • Instant borrowing
  • Video and music
  • Monthly borrow cap
  • Comics and graphic novels
  • Kids mode

Only in Storytel

  • Unlimited streaming
  • Combined ebook and audiobook catalogue
  • Kids profiles
  • Personalised recommendations
  • Multi-device sync

Both cover

  • Offline downloads

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Hoopla

  • A patron who wants to watch a specific movie or listen to an album tonight without waiting in a queuenot Storytel
  • A family wanting streaming video and music alongside books in one library-card appnot Storytel
  • A light-to-moderate reader whose habits fit comfortably inside a monthly borrow capnot Storytel
  • Someone using a Roku or Fire TV who wants library video content on the living room screennot Storytel

Storytel

  • A commuter who listens to several audiobooks a month and finds per-title purchase or credit systems expensivenot Hoopla
  • A reader tired of library holds queues who wants guaranteed instant access to anything in the cataloguenot Hoopla
  • A family wanting a shared subscription with separate kids profiles for audio contentnot Hoopla
  • Someone in a Storytel-strong market such as Sweden, Poland or Brazil where the catalogue depth is greatestnot Hoopla

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Hoopla

  • The monthly borrow limit is a hard cap, so a heavy user runs out of checkouts partway through the month and simply cannot borrow more, unlike a queue they can wait out.
  • Borrow limits and even Hoopla availability itself vary by library and can be reduced if a library needs to control its licensing costs, sometimes with little notice to patrons.
  • Because libraries pay per checkout, a library under budget pressure may cut its Hoopla limit or drop the service entirely, which is a risk outside the app.
  • The video and music catalogue is decent but noticeably smaller than Netflix or Spotify, so it is a supplement, not a replacement, for those services.
  • Audio and video quality and metadata are sometimes inconsistent, particularly for older or niche titles licensed from smaller distributors.

Storytel

  • Catalogue depth and specific title availability vary significantly by country, so the experience in a core Nordic market is not the same as in newer markets.
  • Access stops the moment you cancel, so a lapsed subscriber loses the ability to continue books they were partway through, unlike owned audiobook purchases elsewhere.
  • Its ebook catalogue is meaningfully smaller than dedicated ebook services, so heavy ebook readers may find it thinner than expected.
  • It competes on unlimited access, so heavy listeners get better value than light users, who may find a credit-based service like Libro.fm or Audible cheaper per book.
  • Pricing and plan structure have changed by market over time, so the number of concurrent profiles and exact price should be checked for your specific country.

Pricing, plan by plan

Hoopla

Free
  • HooplaFree
    • Free with an eligible library card
    • Monthly borrow limit set by your library, commonly 5 to 15 items
    • No holds queues, instant availability

Storytel

$14.99/month
  • Storytel$14.99/month
    • Unlimited audiobook streaming
    • Smaller unlimited ebook catalogue
    • Offline downloads

Which should you pick?

Choose Hoopla if

  • You need instant borrowing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web, Roku, Amazon Fire TV.
  • You also want video and music.
Hoopla review

Choose Storytel if

  • You need unlimited streaming.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want combined ebook and audiobook catalogue.
Storytel review

Questions people ask

Is Hoopla or Storytel better?
Neither clearly leads. Hoopla starts at Free and Storytel at $14.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Hoopla or Storytel?
Hoopla has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Hoopla and $14.99/month for Storytel.
Does Hoopla or Storytel run on more platforms?
Hoopla runs on iOS, Android, Web, Roku, Amazon Fire TV. Storytel runs on iOS, Android, Web.
Can I use Hoopla for free?
Yes. Hoopla has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Storytel starts at $14.99/month.
What is Hoopla best used for?
Hoopla is most often used for a patron who wants to watch a specific movie or listen to an album tonight without waiting in a queue, a family wanting streaming video and music alongside books in one library-card app, a light-to-moderate reader whose habits fit comfortably inside a monthly borrow cap, someone using a roku or fire tv who wants library video content on the living room screen. Of those, a patron who wants to watch a specific movie or listen to an album tonight without waiting in a queue and a family wanting streaming video and music alongside books in one library-card app are not what Storytel is typically brought in for.
What can Hoopla do that Storytel cannot?
Hoopla covers Instant borrowing, Video and music, Monthly borrow cap, Comics and graphic novels. Storytel covers Unlimited streaming, Combined ebook and audiobook catalogue, Kids profiles, Personalised recommendations. Both handle Offline downloads.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Hoopla: Does Hoopla have holds queues like Libby?

No, everything is available instantly, but your library sets a monthly limit on how many items you can borrow.

Storytel: Do I need a library card for Storytel?

No, it is a paid subscription open to anyone regardless of library eligibility.

Hoopla: What happens when I hit my monthly limit?

You cannot borrow anything further until the limit resets, usually on the first of the next month.

Storytel: Is access unlimited or credit-based?

Unlimited streaming while subscribed, not a credit system like Libro.fm or Audible.

Hoopla: Does Hoopla include movies and music, not just books?

Yes, that is one of its main differences from Libby, which only offers ebooks, audiobooks and magazines.

Storytel: What happens to my books if I cancel?

You lose access to the catalogue, including anything you were partway through, since nothing is owned outright.

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