# LibraryThing vs Bookshop.org

The clearest difference is rating: Bookshop.org at 4.8 against LibraryThing's 3.5. Bookshop.org also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 4 weeks) and chart position (#176 vs unranked). LibraryThing's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 16.4). 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.

Bookshop.org holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bookshop.org has 2.1K ratings behind it against 278, 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 57% of Bookshop.org's.

LibraryThing ships an update every 4 weeks, Bookshop.org every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | LibraryThing | Bookshop.org |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (278 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/librarything/id948824489/reviews) | **[4.8 (2.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookshoporg-ebook-reader/id6465290096/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 278 | **2.1K** |
| Positive reviews | 47.2% of reviews | **56.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | — | **#176** |
| Size | 9 MB | 106 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [LibraryThing.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/397718884) | [Bookshop, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1706515971) |

## 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


### Bookshop.org

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookshoporg-ebook-reader/id6465290096)

**Currently charting:** #176 Top Free · Book (US App Store)

Read your ebooks and discover new titles while supporting independent bookstores. All ebook purchases made through this platform directly benefit local bookshops, ensuring their continued success in the digital age.

**Highlights:** Read ebooks from your library, Browse millions of ebooks, Add titles to wishlist, Support local bookstores with purchases, Connect seamlessly with Bookshop

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Wonderful app
- 👍 Great alternative to Amazon
- 👍 Supports local bookstores
- 👍 Clean and pleasing interface
- 👍 Solid app for a new release

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Formatting issues (lack of italics, poor paragraph spacing, etc.)
- 🐛 Buggy page turning and navigation
- 🔧 Limited customization options (fonts, themes, brightness, etc.)
- 🔧 Missing essential features (highlighting, note-taking, search, etc.)

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to remember last page read
- Scrolling issues and unexpected page skipping
- Formatting problems (stripped italics, weird paragraph spacing)
- Settings not persisting between app sessions

**Requested features**

- More font and theme options
- Ability to adjust line spacing, margins, and other formatting
- Implement highlighting, annotation, and note-taking features
- Add search functionality
- Improve page turning and navigation


## Frequently asked questions

### Is LibraryThing free?

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

### Is Bookshop.org free?

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

### Which has better reviews, LibraryThing or Bookshop.org?

Bookshop.org is rated higher. LibraryThing averages 3.5 out of 5 from 278 ratings, while Bookshop.org averages 4.8 from 2.1K ratings.

### Do LibraryThing or Bookshop.org have ads?

Neither LibraryThing nor Bookshop.org shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, LibraryThing or Bookshop.org?

LibraryThing ships an update every 4 weeks, and Bookshop.org every 5 days. Most recently, LibraryThing was updated on October 16, 2026 and Bookshop.org on October 18, 2026.

---

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