Litres: Books and audiobooks

What it does

Litres is a comprehensive digital bookstore and library for e-books and audiobooks. The app allows users to browse a massive catalog across various genres, purchase content, and consume it within a highly customizable reader or audio player. Beyond just a store, it functions as a personal library where users can organize their collection into lists, track their reading progress, and engage with a community of other readers through reviews and discussions.

Where it shines

Litres excels by integrating its vast catalog with robust community and personalization features. The main discovery feed (01:08) is clean and content-rich, using familiar carousel patterns to surface recommendations, bestsellers, and new releases. The transition from discovery to consumption is seamless. The book detail page (01:15) is more than just a product page; it's a hub for community discussion, prominently featuring user reviews and quotes. The app's strongest feature is arguably its reader, which offers an impressive level of customization (04:05) for everything from fonts and themes to line spacing and margins, allowing for a truly personal reading experience.

UX highlights

Frictionless Onboarding: The app gets users into the core experience in seconds, deferring account creation until it's actually needed (09:35).
Integrated Social Proof: User reviews are not hidden on a separate tab but are a core part of the book detail screen, complete with reply and like functions (01:47).
Granular Filtering: The search and filter tools are powerful, allowing users to narrow down the vast library by format, language, rating, and more (08:15).
Custom Lists: Users can create and manage their own collections (e.g., 'To Read'), adding a layer of personal organization beyond simple favoriting (01:21).
Clear Content Distinction: The app makes it easy to differentiate between e-book and audiobook versions of a title, which is a common point of friction in other apps.
Deferred Permissions: Aside from initial notifications and tracking prompts, permissions like photo access are only requested when the user tries to use a feature that requires it (10:46).

Monetization & growth

Monetization is not aggressively pushed in the observed user journey. The app operates on a per-book purchase model, with prices clearly displayed on detail pages. There are mentions of 'subscription' options on some book listings, but no paywall or forced subscription flow is encountered. The primary growth mechanic appears to be community-driven engagement. By allowing users to create content (reviews, lists) and interact, the app builds a network effect that encourages retention and deeper investment in the platform.

Who it’s for

This app is designed for avid readers who want more than just a basic e-reader. It caters to users who value a large selection, appreciate a highly customizable reading environment, and enjoy discussing books with a like-minded community. It's suitable for both casual browsers looking for their next read and power readers who want to meticulously organize their digital library and track their reading habits.

Notes & opportunities

The app is feature-rich, but this can sometimes lead to a busy interface. For example, the three-dot menu on book cards reveals a pop-up with several options (00:47), which is functional but could feel slightly cluttered. While the community features are a strength, the review section could benefit from more advanced sorting or filtering options beyond 'Popular first' and 'New ones first' (02:39) to help users find the most relevant opinions.