# LibraryThing vs Gavagai

The clearest difference is rating: Gavagai at 5.0 against LibraryThing's 3.5. Gavagai also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 4 weeks). LibraryThing's advantage is ratings volume (288 vs 1) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.1). 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.

Gavagai holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.5. 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.

LibraryThing ships an update every 4 weeks, Gavagai weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | LibraryThing | Gavagai |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (288 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/librarything/id948824489/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gavagai/id6758524767/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **288** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 47.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 9 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [LibraryThing.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/397718884) | [Gavagai](https://appshunter.io/developer/1873356659) |

## 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- 🤖 Outdated and dated UI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


### Gavagai

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gavagai/id6758524767)

Discover curated short fiction and publish your original writing on this platform for thoughtful readers and serious writers. Explore new authors, follow creators, and join critique circles for feedback. Reading is always open, with account creation for participation.

**Highlights:** Editor-selected short fiction, Publish original writing, Explore new authors, Follow writers, Join critique circles, Community stories

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is LibraryThing free?

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

### Is Gavagai free?

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

### Which has better reviews, LibraryThing or Gavagai?

Gavagai is rated higher. LibraryThing averages 3.5 out of 5 from 288 ratings, while Gavagai averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do LibraryThing or Gavagai have ads?

Neither LibraryThing nor Gavagai shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, LibraryThing or Gavagai?

LibraryThing ships an update every 4 weeks, and Gavagai weekly. Most recently, LibraryThing was updated on November 1, 2026 and Gavagai on October 14, 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.*