Is Gleeph shutting down?

We found no sign of that. As of October 2026, Gleeph's App Store listing shows ten updates between January and September this year, the latest dated 28 September 2026. If you are happy there, a rumour is no reason to leave.

Can I move my Gleeph or Babelio library to Librisync?

Yes, if you have a CSV export file: you can upload it directly into Librisync via the file import tab in manual entry, review recognized titles and duplicate warnings, and add them with one click. Alternatively, shelf photos let you capture physical bookcases in minutes.

Can I write reviews in Librisync?

You can keep your own reviews and personal notes for each book, and you get recommendations based on your collection. If you want other readers to read your reviews, Babelio and Gleeph are built for exactly that, and you can keep an account there next to your catalog.

Yes, up to 100 books, permanently, with no credit card. Librisync is funded transparently: when you buy a recommended book, we receive a small commission from the retailer, and your price stays the same. There are no banner ads and no sale of personal data.

Gleeph alternative

A Gleeph alternative for knowing what you own

Gleeph and Babelio are French reading communities, built around reviews, suggestions and other readers. If you are looking for a Gleeph alternative because you mostly want to know which books stand on your shelves, this page explains the difference and where Librisync fits.

Babelio alternativereaders who know Gleeph or Babelio and mainly want a private record of the books they ownA clear idea of what each kind of app is for, and a simple way to keep both if you enjoy the community.

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How Librisync helps

You may have met these two apps through French friends or French books. Both are social services first. Below we sum up what each one says it offers, based on its own pages, and when a private catalog is the better tool.

Librisync is not affiliated with Gleeph & Babelio. This page helps readers compare workflows and choose the right tool for their personal library.

Babelio alternative

You joined a reading community, but most days you only want to check whether a book is already on your shelf.

A clear idea of what each kind of app is for, and a simple way to keep both if you enjoy the community.

What Gleeph and Babelio are made for

Both are French services, and both offer a lot. Gleeph comes from F-451, a company in La Rochelle, and its App Store listing calls it the social network for readers. You scan a book's barcode, sort books onto your own shelves, get daily suggestions based on your taste, write reviews, connect with readers who liked the same books, and see nearby bookshops where a title is available. Babelio, based in Paris, describes itself as a community of French-speaking readers and a bibliographic database. Its app lets you build a library by scanning barcodes, sort books as read or to read, set a reading goal for the year, and publish reviews and ratings. As of October 2026, the Babelio app is listed as free, and Gleeph is free with an optional monthly subscription at €1.99.

When a Gleeph alternative makes sense

Picture an afternoon at a secondhand book fair. You hold a paperback of The Count of Monte Cristo and want one answer: do I already have this book? In a social reading app, your shelves sit next to reviews, a news feed and what other readers are doing. That is the whole point of those apps. But if you rarely post, the community part becomes a backdrop to a question that is really about inventory. If you are looking for a Babelio alternative, you may not want fewer features, but a different centre: the physical books in your home, which edition, which volume, who borrowed what. That is a catalog, and we think it deserves its own tool.

What Librisync focuses on

Librisync turns your physical bookshelves into a calm, searchable digital library. You point your camera at a shelf, and the AI identifies the visible books with title, author, cover and ISBN. Single books go in via barcode or ISBN. Duplicate titles are caught during scan review, and you see instantly which volume of your series is missing. You can note who borrowed which book. The catalog stays in sync on phone and laptop. Privacy comes first, with data export and account deletion available at any time. There are no banner ads, no tracking ads and no sale of personal data.

Sharing only when you choose, and keeping both apps

Sometimes you do want others to see part of your shelves, for example a wishlist before your birthday. In Librisync you choose which books appear, arrange them and set the priorities readers see, then publish a link you can update or revoke at any time. Your library or single shelves can be published by link too; sharing is optional and can be revoked. Nothing forces you to give up your community account. A sensible split, in our view: reviews and reading conversations stay on Babelio or Gleeph, and the record of what you own lives in Librisync. If you have an exported CSV file, you can import it directly via Librisync's file import tab in manual entry.

Updated on October 30, 2026

Methodology

This comparison looks at capture speed, metadata review, privacy, reading context, sharing, and how much work each tool creates once a personal collection grows.

Librisync pros

Photo-first capture for real shelves
Private organization with reading context
Duplicate checks and wishlist in the same workflow

Trade-offs

Newer ecosystem than long-established catalog tools
Best suited to personal libraries, not institutional circulation systems

What to look for

You check more than you post

If you open your reading app to look something up rather than to write, a catalog-first tool fits your habit. The question is usually short: do I own it, which edition, where is it.

Reviews are your main use

If you read and write reviews every week, you probably don't need a Babelio alternative at all. Keep the community you like. A private catalog does not replace one.

Missing volumes

Gleeph's listing mentions checking which BD or manga volumes you are missing while in a shop, and Librisync shows which volume of a series is missing. Try both on the same series and keep whichever answers faster.

Who sees your shelves

Think about how much of your library you want visible. In Librisync, sharing your library, a shelf or a wishlist is optional, works by link and can be revoked at any time.

Trying Librisync next to the app you already use

Keep your Gleeph or Babelio account exactly as it is. Pick the bookcase you know least well and photograph it one shelf at a time, then review the matches and import them. Add the odd book with an unreadable spine by barcode or ISBN. Once a few shelves are done, compare the result with your list in the other app. If you lend books, note the borrowers now, while you still remember. Up to 100 books is free, with no credit card, so a shelf or two is a fair test. If it isn't for you, you can export your data and delete the account.

1
Keep your community account
2
Photograph a shelf, review, import
3
Compare both lists, then decide

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book inventory spreadsheet alternative

Book inventory spreadsheet alternative

Replace Excel and Google Sheets book trackers. Auto-fetch covers, scan shelves by photo, avoid duplicates, and search on mobile. Free up to 100 books.

Questions people ask

Is Gleeph shutting down?: We found no sign of that. As of October 2026, Gleeph's App Store listing shows ten updates between January and September this year, the latest dated 28 September 2026. If you are happy there, a rumour is no reason to leave.
Can I move my Gleeph or Babelio library to Librisync?: Yes, if you have a CSV export file: you can upload it directly into Librisync via the file import tab in manual entry, review recognized titles and duplicate warnings, and add them with one click. Alternatively, shelf photos let you capture physical bookcases in minutes.
Can I write reviews in Librisync?: You can keep your own reviews and personal notes for each book, and you get recommendations based on your collection. If you want other readers to read your reviews, Babelio and Gleeph are built for exactly that, and you can keep an account there next to your catalog.
Is Librisync free?: Yes, up to 100 books, permanently, with no credit card. Librisync is funded transparently: when you buy a recommended book, we receive a small commission from the retailer, and your price stays the same. There are no banner ads and no sale of personal data.

Build the book system around your real shelves

Start with a few books or scan a whole shelf. Librisync keeps the structure useful after the first import.