Skip to main content

Know What's in Books
Before You Read

Scan barcodes, get AI-powered content analysis personalized to your family's values. Works on any book with an ISBN. Know before you read.

Download Shelf Checkout

Available now on iPhone. Android coming soon.

On Android? Sign up and we'll let you know when it's ready.

How It Works

Three simple steps to confident reading decisions

1. Scan

Point your phone at the book's barcode. Batch scan 20 books in under 3 minutes.

2. Analyze

AI reads and analyzes content across 25 categories based on YOUR values.

3. Decide

Get personalized verdicts for each child. Green, yellow, or red — you're in control.

Scan any book in seconds

Point your phone at a barcode. Scan one book or batch scan twenty. Results in 3-5 seconds, not minutes of Googling.

AI analyzes 25 content categories

From violence and language to emotional themes and substance use. Every book gets a thorough analysis based on YOUR thresholds.

Personalized for every reader

Your 12-year-old and your 8-year-old get different verdicts for the same book. Green, yellow, or red, customized per reader.

25 filters, fully customizable

Violence, language, romance, substances, emotional themes, and more. Set each filter to None, Caution, Mild, or Any. Your thresholds, your call.

Your library, your rules

Every scanned book builds your personal library. Track what's approved, what needs a conversation, and revisit any time.

Barcode scanner with scanned books showing verdicts
Book analysis showing Looks Good verdict with detailed content breakdown
Per-reader verdicts showing different recommendations for each reader
Content filter settings with sensitivity levels per category
Bookshelves with reader tabs, organized by status

Scan any book in seconds

Point your phone at a barcode. Scan one book or batch scan twenty. Results in 3-5 seconds, not minutes of Googling.

Barcode scanner with scanned books showing verdicts

AI analyzes 25 content categories

From violence and language to emotional themes and substance use. Every book gets a thorough analysis based on YOUR thresholds.

Book analysis showing Looks Good verdict with detailed content breakdown

Personalized for every reader

Your 12-year-old and your 8-year-old get different verdicts for the same book. Green, yellow, or red, customized per reader.

Per-reader verdicts showing different recommendations for each reader

25 filters, fully customizable

Violence, language, romance, substances, emotional themes, and more. Set each filter to None, Caution, Mild, or Any. Your thresholds, your call.

Content filter settings with sensitivity levels per category

Your library, your rules

Every scanned book builds your personal library. Track what's approved, what needs a conversation, and revisit any time.

Bookshelves with reader tabs, organized by status

Conversation Starter, Not Content Blocker

Verdicts based on your personal filters, but you still decide what's right for your reader.

Green

Suggests it passes your filters

This book aligns with your family's preferences. Minimal concerning content.

Yellow

Reviewing further is recommended

Contains themes that might warrant a conversation. Check the details and decide.

Red

Not recommended based on your filters

Significant content that exceeds your current thresholds. Worth a deeper look before deciding.

Your Values. Every Book.

Customize what matters to your family

Per-Child Verdicts

Different kids, different answers. What's OK for your 12-year-old might not be for your 8-year-old.

Instant Results

3-5 second analysis. No waiting, no Googling, no guessing.

Any Book

Works on any book with an ISBN. New releases, classics, everything in between.

25 Content Filters

Violence, language, romance, and 22 more categories. You control the thresholds.

Series Awareness Coming Soon

Warns when later books in a series have content escalation.

Read-Alike Suggestions

AI recommends similar books that match your preferences.

Built by Parents, for Parents

Erik Newby, founder of Shelf Checkout

"I built this because my wife and I were standing in the library aisle with our two daughters, holding 20 books and no idea what was inside them. Now we know before you read."

— Erik, Dad & Developer

Read our story →

Available Now on iPhone

Download
Shelf Checkout

Get it on iPhone today. Android coming soon.

On Android? Sign up and we'll let you know when it's ready.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.