# LibraryThing vs GCLS Mobile

The clearest difference is rating: GCLS Mobile at 4.0 against LibraryThing's 3.5. LibraryThing's advantage is ratings volume (288 vs 4) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.6). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

GCLS Mobile holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: LibraryThing has 288 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 47% of LibraryThing's written reviews are positive against 40% of GCLS Mobile's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

LibraryThing ships an update every 4 weeks, GCLS Mobile every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | LibraryThing | GCLS Mobile |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (288 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/librarything/id948824489/reviews) | **[4.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gcls-mobile/id1564350047/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **288** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | **47.5% of reviews** | 40.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 9 MB | 49 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [LibraryThing.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/397718884) | [Greenville County Library System](https://appshunter.io/developer/1861927170) |

## 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


### GCLS Mobile

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gcls-mobile/id1564350047)

Manage your library account on the go. Access your digital library card, place holds, and find library locations. Connect with your local library system easily.

**Highlights:** Manage multiple library cards, Digital library card for checkouts, Place holds on materials, Scan ISBN codes, Library location directions, Connect with the library

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is LibraryThing free?

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

### Is GCLS Mobile free?

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

### Which has better reviews, LibraryThing or GCLS Mobile?

GCLS Mobile is rated higher. LibraryThing averages 3.5 out of 5 from 288 ratings, while GCLS Mobile averages 4.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do LibraryThing or GCLS Mobile have ads?

Neither LibraryThing nor GCLS Mobile shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, LibraryThing or GCLS Mobile?

LibraryThing ships an update every 4 weeks, and GCLS Mobile every 3 weeks. Most recently, LibraryThing was updated on November 6, 2026 and GCLS Mobile on November 3, 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.*