Book Collecting Apps: 2012

Last June I took a look at some of the free and not so free book apps that were available. Almost a year has gone by and some powerful new book collecting/cataloging apps have popped up on the scene, so I thought it time to revisit my original iCollect Books app and take a gander at some newer apps.

This time we'll take a look at both iPhone and Android - since those seem to be the two primary markets.

By the way, the folks over at App Advice have a nice break down of their top choices.


Book Crawler > (iPhone, iPad) With Book Crawler, you finally have a way to quickly and accurately upload your entire book collection into one easy-to-manage library cataloging database! Adding new books to your database is simple and fast with the ISBN barcode scanner or manual number search. Title, author, publisher, copyright, cover art, summaries, Goodreads ® reviews, and local library location/availability are automatically generated when you enter a book.  - A bit more dynamic than iCollect Books (and a dollar cheaper) with a rating of 4 1/2 stars (from 743 ratings) on iTunes. ($1.99)  If you want to try it out first, you can test drive Book Crawler Lite for free. It let's you store up to 25 books. (You can also test drive iCollect for free)


Titlz > (iPhone, iPad) Titlz is the premier app for serious book collectors and bibliophiles. Track important identification information on books you are hunting as well as detailed information for books already in your library. - The interface looks similar to iCollect, although it does have a handy "Collection Value" feature that let's you know how much your collection is worth vs. how much you paid for it (assuming you enter that info into the database) - no ratings thus far at iTunes. ($1.99)

Addendum [date: 4/28/2013]: As of 2013, the Titlz app is no longer available in the iTunes U.S. store.


MyBookDroid > (Android) Maintain a virtual bookshelf with MyBookDroid. Fetch reviews online, compare book prices, keep track of books you are reading or have read, books you want to read or buy, find similar books, and add notes, comments, thoughts and quotations. Add books to MyBookDroid manually, search them by their ISBN codes, keywords, or with a Barcode Scanner. (Free)

Addendum [date: 6/25/2016]: As of 2016, the Titlz app is no longer available.



My Books Pro > (Android) Keep track of your book collection along with personal ratings and notes, which you can share with others or keep private. Check to see if you already own a book on your phone while you're out shopping. Features: Use the Bulk Bar Code Scan option to enter your books by quickly scanning the barcode on the cover with your phone's camera. ($2.99) A Free version with ads is also available.

Addendum [date: 4/28/2013]: The My Books Pro app has been renamed Book Collection + Catalog and now costs $3.99. It still lacks some features, so read the reviews before buying.

Other handy apps:


First Edition > (iPhone) With this app, you will have a reference of what to look for in books by over 200 publishers. Additionally, there is a handy set of tips for those not listed. - This isn't title specific, but it does let you know which publishers don't use the #1 in the number line for their first prints and what the clues might be for other publishers who don't use the "First Edition" lingo on their copyright page. ($0.99)


Book Wolf > (iPhone) Instead of constantly searching auction sites and second hand book stores, simply enter your want into Book Wolf and wait for it to be hunted down! - Doesn't specify how/where it looks for books, although the implication is that it scours book fairs, charity shops, second hand stores... of course, it can really only do this if the books are listed online or in an accessible database somewhere. Still, it can be potentially handy. No ratings thus far at iTunes. ($0.99)

Addendum [date: 4/28/2013]: Book Wolf is no longer available in the iTunes U.S. store, but is still available in the Australian iTunes store. You can also download it from Brothersoft.


Collectible Books Price Guide > (iPhone) Price for over 3000 collectible books are now available on your finger tips. You do not need Internet connection to use this product. - So far, the consensus is that this is a GREAT idea, but the database, even at 3,000 titles is still too small.  Keep your eyes peeled for updates. ($4.99) There's also a Cookbook version with 3,800 titles for those cookbook collectors out there ($4.99) 

Addendum [date: 8/25/2016]: It doesn't look like this app has been updated since I first reported it.

Just for fun:

Booktrack Bookshelf > Booktrack is the creator of a new technology that synchronizes soundtracks to text as you read to create an immersive experience. For each story, we have created a customized soundtrack that matches the action in the ebook. Booktrack senses your reading speed, so that as you read, music, ambient audio, and sound effects play, seamlessly matching the plot. (Free)

Other apps:

If you're tired of keeping your collection database in Excel, there are a couple of options available (although not free):

Collectorz (which I currently use and like) > Catalog your book collection on your PC or Mac - Just enter author & title or scan ISBN barcodes to automatically download book information (publisher, publication year, genre, subjects, etc..) & cover images. You can do author, title, ISBN-10, and ISBN-13 searches to find and import your title; or you can use a separate scanner to scan books in bulk and download into the database. Lots of categories, notes & informational fields, and a few customizable fields. (Standard Edition: $29.95; Pro Edition: $49.95) 

- and don't forget their mobile app: CLZ Books - only works in conjunction with the Collectorz database. available for most platforms ($9.99) 

Addendum [date: 8/25/2016]: The CLZ apps are now $14.99 and can act as stand-alone apps. They still work with the Collectorz desktop software, but you don't need the software for the apps to function. 

BookCat (for Windows only) > BookCAT is a powerful book collector database program which will help you catalog a book collection of any size. BookCAT is used by book-lovers, schools, churches, clubs, and business libraries. Using BookCAT you can quickly catalog your books by downloading information from the Internet. BookCAT will help you track what you have in your library, where it is (including books out on loan) and the total value of your collection. ($39.99) 

Delicious Monster (for Mac only) > Lots of features. Hold book up to Webcam to scan/search title or use separate blue tooth scanner. Handles large collections with customizable categories. Export to iPhone or publish to the Web. Tracks current value of books and makes it easy to post on Amazon to sell (if you're into that).  ($35)