Comparison

Palex Library vs Shelvd

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Palex Library

Features
Read full description

Palex is a physical social library that helps you catalog the books you own, connect with friends, and discover what to read next. Add the books on your shelves to your digital library, organize what you have read or want to read, and explore the personal libraries of friends and other readers. Palex makes book discovery feel human again by focusing on real collections instead of trends or algorithms. Whether you are building a home library or looking for your next great read, Palex turns personal bookshelves into a shared experience. Features: Create a digital library from the books you physically own Track reading status and organize your collection Find friends and explore their personal libraries Discover books through people you trust Simple, distraction free design built for readers Your bookshelf tells a story. Palex helps you share it.

About

Shelvd

Effortlessly log your reading progress by simply taking a photo of any page. This app organizes your library visually, tracks detailed reading statistics, and syncs with Goodreads. It also facilitates book club participation and helps manage your to-read list.

Highlights
  • Photo-based page logging
  • Visual book shelves
  • Goodreads synchronization
  • Import entire reading history
  • Detailed reading statistics
  • Book club features
  • Add books via cover photo
Features
Read full description

Log your reading from a photo, not a keyboard. SHELVD is a book tracker that keeps up with how much you read, and keeps your Goodreads library and friends right where they are. FEATURES • Bookmark: Point your camera at any page or Kindle screen and SHELVD marks your place. It reads the page number and updates your progress in about two seconds. No typing. • Visual shelves: Your library lives as real, browsable shelves with spine art, not a list of rows. • Keep your Goodreads updated (Pro): Track everything in SHELVD and your Goodreads profile stays current on its own. Your progress, ratings, and finished books show up there automatically, so the friends you already have keep seeing what you're reading. No other reading app does this. • Bring your whole library: One upload imports your full Goodreads or StoryGraph history: ratings, read dates, and shelves included. • Reading stats: A heatmap of every day you've read, your reading pace, time-to-finish predictions, genre breakdowns, streaks, and progress toward your reading goals. • Book clubs: Read alongside friends, follow live progress on leaderboards, and share what you're into. Create and run your own clubs on Pro. • Snap a cover: Spot a book you want? Photograph the cover and SHELVD adds it to your want-to-read shelf (your TBR). • Hands-free Kindle tracking (Founders): Connect your Amazon account once and your Kindle reading logs itself, no photos needed. Your reading data stays yours. SHELVD never sells or shares your information with third parties. Terms of Use (EULA): https://shelvd.io/legal/terms Privacy Policy: https://shelvd.io/legal/privacy

Screenshots

Palex Library4 screens
Shelvd4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Palex Library at none against Shelvd's 7. On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Shelvd sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $6.00 per month. Palex Library asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Palex Library versus Shelvd: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPalex LibraryShelvd
PriceFreeFree
Rating—3.9 (11 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—66.7% of reviews
Number of ratings—11 — better
Update frequency—Fortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size32 MB43 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperDavid SohnPlatform Thirteen

In-app purchases

None

Palex Library

No in-app purchases

7 purchases

Shelvd

Subscriptions7
  • Plus (Monthly)1 Month trial$6.001 Month
  • Pro (Monthly)1 Month trial$12.001 Month
  • Full Shelfie (Monthly)$18.001 Month
Show 4 more
  • Plus (Annual)1 Month trial$58.001 Year
  • Pro (Annual)1 Month trial$114.991 Year
  • Full Shelfie (Annual)$172.991 Year
  • Founders (Annual)$299.991 Year

Questions

Is Palex Library free?
Palex Library is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Shelvd free?
Shelvd is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Palex Library or Shelvd have ads?
Neither Palex Library nor Shelvd shows ads.

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