LibraryThing vs 1000 Books Before 5
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
LibraryThing
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.
- Catalog books, DVDs, and CDs
- Search for media items
- Scan ISBN barcodes
- Add high-resolution cover photos
- Browse collection by cover type
Read full descriptionHide full description
The LibraryThing app allows LibraryThing members to catalog and browse their collections. LibraryThing is focused on books, but you can add most media, including books, DVDs and CDs. LibraryThing relies on data from Amazon, and over 65 million library records. Add books by searching for them or scanning their ISBN barcode with the camera. Add high-resolution cover photos of your books with the cover editor and browse your books by cover type to find copies that need better covers.
1000 Books Before 5
Easily log books read with your child to track progress toward a reading goal. This private, ad-free app helps build vocabulary and foster a love of reading from an early age.
- Log books read
- Track reading progress
- Scan book barcodes
- Search books by title
- Manual book entry
- Private and ad-free
Read full descriptionHide full description
The 1000 Books Before Kindergarten app makes it easy to log books you read with your little one and watch their progress grow—one story at a time. Reading early builds vocabulary, strengthens your bond, and sets the stage for a lifelong love of books. Whether it’s a bedtime classic, a library find, or a favorite board book, every story counts toward your goal. Why Parents Love It: 1. Simple & Private – No login, no ads—your reading log stays on your device. 2. Fast Book Entry – Scan a book’s barcode, search by title, or type it in manually in seconds. 3. Personalized Progress – Add your little one’s name and birthday to see a custom pace toward 1,000 books before age 5. Start your family’s reading adventure today and enjoy the moments that matter most—one book at a time.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: 1000 Books Before 5 at 4.3 against LibraryThing's 3.5. LibraryThing's advantage is review sentiment (47% vs 25%) and update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
1000 Books Before 5 holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: LibraryThing has 288 ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 47% of LibraryThing's written reviews are positive against 25% of 1000 Books Before 5'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, 1000 Books Before 5 every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | LibraryThing | 1000 Books Before 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.5 (288 ratings) | 4.3 (15 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 47.5% of reviews — better | 25.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 288 — better | 15 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks — better | Every 3 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 9 MB | 44 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | LibraryThing.com | Gil Osborne |
Customer experience
LibraryThing
1000 Books Before 5
Bugs and requests
LibraryThing
Reported bugs
3 issues- Barcode scanner not working
- Books disappearing from catalog
- Editing and saving issues
Requested features
4 requests- Ability to create custom collections
- Offline access to library
- Integration with other book apps
- Lending/loan tracking feature
1000 Books Before 5
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
LibraryThing
No in-app purchases
1000 Books Before 5
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is LibraryThing free?
Is 1000 Books Before 5 free?
Which has better reviews, LibraryThing or 1000 Books Before 5?
Do LibraryThing or 1000 Books Before 5 have ads?
Which is updated more often, LibraryThing or 1000 Books Before 5?
Other comparisons
