Comparison
Shelfmade vs Goodreads
Goodreads helps you track what you've read and share reviews with friends. Shelfmade helps you actually catalog the physical books on your shelves — what you own, where they live, and who borrowed them. They solve different problems. Here's how to choose.
Feature comparison
Side-by-side at a glance. We tried to be fair — let us know if anything looks off.
| Feature | Shelfmade | Goodreads |
|---|---|---|
Primary purpose | Catalog your physical library | Social reading log + reviews |
AI whole-shelf photo scan Snap a photo of a shelf, get every book. | ||
Barcode (ISBN) scanning | ||
Lending tracker (who borrowed what) | ||
Track physical shelf locations | ||
Public profile to share your library | ||
Reviews & ratings community Shelfmade focuses on your own ratings, not a social feed. | Partial | |
Reading challenges | Partial | |
Owned by Amazon | ||
Privacy-first (your library is private by default) | ||
CSV import & export Goodreads export works, import is manual. | Partial | |
Free plan | Up to 100 books | Unlimited (ad-supported) |
Paid plan | From $2.92/mo | No paid tier |
Mobile-first design | Partial | |
Works offline |
Pick Shelfmade if…
- You actually own a lot of physical books and want to know what's on your shelves.
- You lend books to friends and never get them back.
- You want a clean, private catalog — not a social feed.
- You want AI to scan an entire shelf in one photo.
- You don't want your reading data going to Amazon.
Stick with Goodreads if…
- You want a social feed with friends' reviews and recommendations.
- You only track ebooks and Kindle reading.
- You participate in big reading challenges and want public stats.
- You don't care about cataloging physical books.
How to migrate from Goodreads
Bring your library over in a few minutes. Your data stays yours.
- 1
Export from Goodreads
Go to My Books → Import and export → Export library. Goodreads emails you a CSV with every book you've added.
- 2
Sign up for Shelfmade
Create your free Shelfmade account in under a minute. No credit card required to start.
- 3
Import your CSV
Pro accounts can drop the Goodreads CSV into Settings → Import. Titles, authors, ISBNs, and ratings come across automatically.
Frequently asked
Is Shelfmade really a Goodreads alternative?
Yes, but with a different focus. Goodreads is built for social reading and reviews. Shelfmade is built for cataloging the physical books you own. Many readers use both — Goodreads for tracking what they've read, Shelfmade for tracking what they own.
Can I import my Goodreads library into Shelfmade?
Yes. Export your Goodreads library as a CSV from Goodreads' My Books page, then import it in Shelfmade Settings → Import (Pro feature). Your titles, authors, ISBNs, and star ratings come across.
Is Shelfmade free?
Yes. The Free plan includes up to 100 books, barcode scanning, the lending tracker, two shelf locations, and auto-filled metadata. Pro starts at $2.92/month billed annually.
Will my library be public like Goodreads?
Only if you choose. Every Shelfmade library is private by default. You can opt into a public profile at /u/yourname if you want to share your shelves with friends.
Does Shelfmade have reviews and ratings?
You can rate and add private notes to any book. Shelfmade does not have a community review feed — it's designed as a personal catalog, not a social network.
Is Shelfmade owned by Amazon?
No. Shelfmade is independent and not affiliated with Amazon. Your reading data stays with you.
Ready to move your library?
Start free in under a minute. Scan a shelf, see the magic, then decide.