# LibraryThing vs ALA Booklist Publications

The clearest difference is review sentiment: LibraryThing at 47% against ALA Booklist Publications's 0%. LibraryThing also leads on rating (3.5 vs 1.0) and update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 29 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

LibraryThing holds the better App Store score, 3.5 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: LibraryThing has 288 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 47% of LibraryThing's written reviews are positive against 0% of ALA Booklist Publications's.

LibraryThing ships an update every 4 weeks, ALA Booklist Publications every 29 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | LibraryThing | ALA Booklist Publications |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.5 (288 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/librarything/id948824489/reviews)** | [1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ala-booklist-publications/id1048668422/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **288** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **47.5% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 weeks** | Every 29 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 9 MB | 127 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [LibraryThing.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/397718884) | [American Library Association](https://appshunter.io/developer/467667414) |

## What reviewers say

### LibraryThing

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/librarything/id948824489)

Catalog your personal book, DVD, and CD collections. Easily add items by searching or scanning barcodes. Enhance your catalog with high-resolution cover photos and browse your collection visually.

**Highlights:** Catalog books, DVDs, and CDs, Search for media items, Scan ISBN barcodes, Add high-resolution cover photos, Browse collection by cover type

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Quick barcode scanning
- 👍 Useful for cataloging library
- 🚀 Fast book addition

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitches and crashes
- 🔍 Limited search and editing capabilities
- 🤖 Outdated and dated UI

**Reported bugs**

- Barcode scanner not working
- Books disappearing from catalog
- Editing and saving issues

**Requested features**

- Ability to create custom collections
- Offline access to library
- Integration with other book apps
- Lending/loan tracking feature


### ALA Booklist Publications

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ala-booklist-publications/id1048668422)

This app provides access to thousands of book and media reviews for children, teens, and adults. It's a valuable resource for librarians, teachers, and book lovers seeking recommendations and collection development tools. Features include curated lists, author interviews, and classroom resources.

**Highlights:** Thousands of annual book and media reviews, Collection development tools, Readers' advisory resources, Top 10 and core collection lists, Author interviews, Classroom resources and activities

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is LibraryThing free?

LibraryThing is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is ALA Booklist Publications free?

ALA Booklist Publications is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, LibraryThing or ALA Booklist Publications?

LibraryThing is rated higher. LibraryThing averages 3.5 out of 5 from 288 ratings, while ALA Booklist Publications averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do LibraryThing or ALA Booklist Publications have ads?

Neither LibraryThing nor ALA Booklist Publications shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, LibraryThing or ALA Booklist Publications?

LibraryThing ships an update every 4 weeks, and ALA Booklist Publications every 29 months. Most recently, LibraryThing was updated on November 1, 2026 and ALA Booklist Publications on October 29, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*