Comparison

Shelvd vs The ARC Library

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

Head to head
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

About

The ARC Library

Manage your book ARCs, deadlines, and reviews. Authors can run campaigns, find readers, and organize their books. Features include reading statistics, content creator tools, and a reader database.

Highlights
  • Track ARCs by title, ISBN, or barcode
  • Log reading progress and pace
  • Manage deadlines and receive alerts
  • Write and save reviews with prompts
  • Generate reading statistics
  • Run and manage ARC campaigns
  • Discover ARC readers and opportunities
Features
Read full description

ARC Library is the all-in-one platform for ARC readers, reviewers, book content creators, and authors. Whether you're keeping an overflowing ARC list under control or running your own ARC campaigns, ARC Library brings your books, deadlines, reviews, teams, campaigns, and reader connections together in one place. FOR READERS TRACK YOUR ARCS Add books by title, ISBN, or barcode and keep track of everything from received to reviewed. Log your reading progress by pages, audio minutes, or percentage, and use reading pace calculations to stay ahead of deadlines. NEVER MISS A DEADLINE See publication dates, review deadlines, PR tasks, and other important dates in your reading calendar. Due-soon alerts help you see what needs your attention next. REVIEW EDITOR Write and save reviews directly in ARC Library. Keep notes and quotes while you read, use structured review prompts, and copy your finished review when you're ready to post. READING STATISTICS Explore detailed statistics covering your ARCs, personal books, reviews, teams, PR activity, ratings, genres, reading habits, and more. SPICE AND SWOON RATINGS Track spice and swoon levels for your books, explore your rating distributions, and filter your library by level. CONTENT CREATOR TOOLS Keep track of cover reveals, release posts, reviews, PR campaigns, and other content across your social channels. YOUR ARC READER PROFILE Create a shareable reader profile featuring your reading activity, reviews, favorite genres, social links, and more. Give authors and publishers a better picture of who you are as a reviewer. DISCOVER NEW OPPORTUNITIES Browse forms shared by authors for ARC applications, teams, campaigns, and other opportunities. TBR TOOLS Not sure what to read next? Use the TBR Spin Wheel, reading challenges, and other tools to make choosing your next book a little more fun. FOR AUTHORS MANAGE YOUR BOOKS Keep your books and their ARC information organized in one place. RUN ARC CAMPAIGNS Create and manage ARC campaigns, organize applications, work with readers, and keep track of your campaign from start to finish. FIND ARC READERS Use the Reader Database to discover readers based on genres, tropes, social platforms, activity, and other information they choose to share. CREATE AND SHARE FORMS Create forms for ARC applications, reader teams, PR campaigns, and more. Share them directly or make them discoverable through the ARC Library Form Catalog. MANAGE YOUR READERS Keep your ARC readers and campaign information organized without relying on scattered spreadsheets, forms, messages, and notes. BUILD YOUR TEAMS Create and manage reader teams and keep the people supporting your books connected to your campaigns. ONE LIBRARY, TWO SIDES OF THE ARC EXPERIENCE ARC Library brings readers and authors together while giving each side the tools they need. Readers get a home for their ARCs, reviews, deadlines, statistics, teams, and content. Authors get tools to manage books, campaigns, applications, readers, and ARC teams. FREE TO START Get started with ARC Library for free, with optional Premium plans unlocking additional tools, customization, statistics, and features. Built by a reader who wanted a better way to manage the beautifully chaotic world of ARCs. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Terms & Conditions: https://arc-library.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://arc-library.com/privacy

Screenshots

Shelvd4 screens
The ARC Library4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: The ARC Library at 5.0 against Shelvd's 3.9. The ARC Library also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 67%). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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 and The ARC Library sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

The ARC Library holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 11 and 12 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Shelvd's written reviews are positive against 100% of The ARC Library's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Shelvd ships an update fortnightly, The ARC Library every 8 days. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Shelvd versus The ARC Library: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterShelvdThe ARC Library
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.9 (11 ratings)5.0 (12 ratings) — better
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1112 — better
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 8 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.015.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size43 MB111 MB
Age rating12+9+
DeveloperPlatform ThirteenRomana Adamka

Customer experience

Shelvd

All ratings11 ratings
Positive72.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative27.3%
Written reviews15 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%

The ARC Library

All ratings12 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

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
8 purchases

The ARC Library

Subscriptions8
  • ARC Addon (Monthly)$2.991 Month
  • ARC Library Premium (Monthly)7 Days trial$7.991 Month
  • Authors Monthly$9.991 Month
Show 5 more
  • Combo Plan Monthly$12.991 Month
  • ARC Addon (Yearly)$29.991 Year
  • ARC Library Premium (yearly)7 Days trial$79.991 Year
  • Author Yearly$99.991 Year
  • Combo Yearly$129.991 Year

Questions

Is Shelvd free?
Shelvd is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is The ARC Library free?
The ARC Library is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Shelvd or The ARC Library?
The ARC Library is rated higher. Shelvd averages 3.9 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while The ARC Library averages 5.0 from 12 ratings.
Do Shelvd or The ARC Library have ads?
Neither Shelvd nor The ARC Library shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Shelvd or The ARC Library?
Shelvd ships an update fortnightly, and The ARC Library every 8 days. Most recently, Shelvd was updated on October 31, 2026 and The ARC Library on October 31, 2026.

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