Booktrail vs Shelfmate
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Booktrail
Organize your personal library by tracking books you're reading, want to read, or have finished. Add books by scanning barcodes or searching by title/author, and monitor your reading progress. Create custom collections for better organization and discover new titles with synopses and reviews.
- Track reading status (reading, want to read, finished)
- Add books via barcode scan or search
- Record reading progress and percentage
- Create custom book collections
- View book synopses and user reviews
- Private, no account required
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Scan a barcode. Build your shelves. Track your progress. Booktrail is a private book tracker and reading list that lives on your device. No account, no sign-up. SCAN OR SEARCH TO ADD BOOKS Scan the ISBN barcode on the back of a book, or search by title or author. SHELVES FOR EVERY STAGE Keep books you're reading, want to read, and have finished, all in one place. TRACK YOUR PROGRESS Update pages read or percentage complete, and see how far along you are. CUSTOM COLLECTIONS Group books into your own collections to organize your library your way. DISCOVER YOUR NEXT READ Browse synopses and reader reviews before you add a book. PRIVATE BY DESIGN No account is required. Your library is stored on your device.
Shelfmate
Organize your personal library, track reading progress, and receive personalized book suggestions. This app prioritizes user privacy with secure iCloud storage and no analytics.
- Organize physical, eBook, and audiobook libraries
- Track reading progress
- AI-powered book recommendations
- Goodreads import
- Privacy-first data storage
- iCloud synchronization
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Track your books and discover your next favorite read. Shelfmate is the ultimate companion for book lovers. Keep your library organized, track your reading progress and uncover tailored book recommendations. Why Shelfmate? • Privacy first: Your data stays yours, stored securely on iCloud with absolutely no analytics or tracking. • Smart recommendations (Alpha): Powered by advanced AI, discover books you’ll love based on your reading history and preferences. Fine-tune recommendations for a personal touch. • Effortless Organization: Manage physical books, eBooks, and audiobooks in your digital bookshelf. • Goodreads import: Already have a Goodreads library? You can import it and continue where you left off Download Shelfmate and elevate your reading journey today!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Booktrail at every 9 days against Shelfmate's every 3 weeks. On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Booktrail ships an update every 9 days, Shelfmate every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Booktrail | Shelfmate |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.0 (1 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 1 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days — better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 — better | 18.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 28 MB | 3 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Defyner | Mario Mouris |
Customer experience
Booktrail
Shelfmate
In-app purchases
Booktrail
No in-app purchases
Shelfmate
No in-app purchases









