What Is hoopla and Is It Free?

By the Public-Libraries.com Editorial Team · Updated October 21, 2026

hoopla is the most wide-ranging of the free library apps: with one card you can borrow movies, TV, music albums, comics, ebooks and audiobooks — and unlike most library apps, there are no waitlists. Here is how it works and what the catch is.

What is hoopla?

hoopla (hoopla digital), run by Midwest Tape, is a digital library service launched in 2013 that lets patrons of participating libraries borrow movies, TV shows, music albums, audiobooks, ebooks and comics. It also offers BingePass, where a single borrow unlocks several days of access to a whole collection or partner service (such as The Great Courses or a streaming channel).

How does hoopla work?

hoopla works in four steps. First, sign in with a card from a library that offers hoopla plus a free hoopla account (an email and password). Second, browse and tap Borrow — every title is available instantly, with no holds or waitlists, because your library pays per borrow. Third, read, watch or listen on your phone, tablet, computer or TV. Fourth, at the end of the lending period the title returns itself automatically, so there is nothing to return and never a late fee. The one catch is a set number of borrows each month, chosen by your library (commonly around 5 to 10), which resets at the start of each month.

Is hoopla free to watch? What you need

Yes — hoopla is free for patrons of participating libraries; the library covers the cost. You need a card at a library that offers hoopla, plus a free hoopla account (an email and password) linked to that card. Not all libraries offer it, so you select your library when you sign up.

How borrowing works: instant, but capped

hoopla's defining feature is Instant Borrow: titles are always immediately available, with no holds or waiting. The trade-off is a monthly borrow limit set by your library. There is no universal number — libraries commonly allow somewhere around 5 to 10 borrows a month, but it ranges widely — and the count resets at the start of each month. Standard lending periods are:

Two extras are worth knowing: Bonus Borrows are periodic promotional borrows that don't count against your monthly limit, and everything auto-returns at the end of its period — there is nothing to return and never a late fee.

Is hoopla the same as Libby?

No — and the difference matters. Libby lends a limited number of digital copies, so popular ebooks and audiobooks have waitlists but generally no monthly cap. hoopla has no waitlists — everything is instant — but caps how many titles you can borrow each month. Many people use both: Libby for books, hoopla for everything else. See Libby vs. hoopla vs. Kanopy for a full comparison.

How to get around the hoopla limit

There is no trick to raising the cap — it is set by your library's budget — but there are legitimate ways to borrow more: use Bonus Borrows when they're offered, wait for the monthly reset, add a second library's card if you qualify for one (each library has its own allowance), and use Libby or Kanopy for titles you don't need instantly. If your library's shared daily limit is reached, simply try again after it resets at midnight.

Devices, including Roku and Fire

hoopla works on the web, iPhone/iPad, Android, Amazon Fire tablets, and TV apps for Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV and Chromecast — and it's free on all of them with your library sign-in. (On a Kindle Fire tablet you install the hoopla app from the Amazon Appstore; standard black-and-white Kindle e-readers don't run apps, so hoopla isn't available on those.)

How to get started

1. Go to hoopladigital.com or install the hoopla app.
2. Create an account with your email and a password.
3. Choose your library and enter your card number (and PIN if asked).
4. Tap Borrow to start reading or streaming instantly.

For the other free services your card unlocks, see borrowing free ebooks, audiobooks and movies.

Frequently Asked Questions