LibraryThing vs Reading Journal
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
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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.
Reading Journal
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Sticky tabs tell you where something happened. TabMap helps you remember how the book felt. Mark a page in seconds, choose what kind of moment it was, and watch your reading pulse take shape across twelve spoiler-free sections. No copied passages are needed. BUILT FOR PHYSICAL-BOOK READERS • Add the book beside you or start with a prepared sample • Mark a page as Keep, Felt, Clue, or Discuss • Add intensity and an optional private note • See the emotional shape of the whole book at a glance • Use built-in prompts to compare reactions after everyone finishes • Share a visual discussion card without revealing plot details or private notes PRIVATE BY DEFAULT Your books, page marks, labels, and private notes stay on your device. TabMap has no account, ads, analytics SDK, or remote AI. Sharing happens only when you choose the system share button. FREE AND PRO The free version includes one complete book map and a spoiler-free share preview. TabMap Pro unlocks unlimited books, custom tab legends, clean discussion shares, and local backup and restore. Choose Pro Annual for a renewable plan or Lifetime Pro for a one-time purchase. Both choices unlock the same features. Prices vary by storefront and Apple shows the final price before confirmation. The annual subscription renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel subscriptions in your Apple Account settings. Lifetime Pro does not renew. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://briefready-support.dapper-kiwi-8512.chatgpt.site/tabmap#privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: LibraryThing at none against Reading Journal's 2. LibraryThing also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 17.0). Reading Journal's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 4 weeks). On price, ads and device support 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. Reading Journal sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per year. LibraryThing asks for nothing beyond the download.
LibraryThing ships an update every 4 weeks, Reading Journal every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | LibraryThing | Reading Journal |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.5 (278 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 48.2% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 278 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 9 MB | 4 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | LibraryThing.com | 程辉 杨 |
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
Reading Journal
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
LibraryThing
No in-app purchases
Reading Journal
- TabMap Pro Annual$6.991 Year
- TabMap Lifetime Pro$14.99
Questions
Is LibraryThing free?
Is Reading Journal free?
Do LibraryThing or Reading Journal have ads?
Which is updated more often, LibraryThing or Reading Journal?
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