How We Compare
We're not here to replace Common Sense Media or other review sites. We're here to give you a faster, more personalized tool for everyday decisions.
Feature Comparison
Shelf Checkout vs the alternatives
| Feature | Shelf Checkout | Common Sense Media | BookLooks | Plugged In |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile App | ✓ iPhone & Android | ✓ iOS & Android | ✗ Web only | ✗ Web only |
| Barcode Scanning | ✓ Yes | ✗ No | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| Content Filter Categories | 25 categories | 4 sliders | Color ratings | Narrative reviews |
| Customizable Filters | ✓ Full control | ~ Limited (4 sliders) | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| Per-Child Verdicts | ✓ Yes | ✗ No | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| Book Coverage | Any ISBN | ~42K titles (all media) | ~5K books | ~3K books |
| Analysis Method | AI-powered | Human reviewers | Human reviewers | Human reviewers |
| Analysis Speed | 3-5 seconds | N/A (pre-reviewed) | N/A (pre-reviewed) | N/A (pre-reviewed) |
| Series Awareness | ✓ Content escalation warnings | ✗ No | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| Read-Alike Suggestions | ✓ AI-powered | ✗ No | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| Values Orientation | Neutral (you set values) | General audience | Conservative | Christian/evangelical |
| Price | $1.99/month | $3.99/month | Free | Free |
Why Not Both?
We're complementary tools, not competitors
Use Common Sense Media for...
- ✓ In-depth human reviews
- ✓ Educational value assessments
- ✓ Parent & kid perspectives
- ✓ Movies, TV shows, games, apps
- ✓ Curriculum tie-ins
Use Shelf Checkout for...
- ✓ Fast decisions in the library aisle
- ✓ Books not yet reviewed anywhere
- ✓ Personalized verdicts per child
- ✓ Batch scanning 20+ books at once
- ✓ Series commitment awareness
Use both for ~$6/month. Common Sense Media for deep dives, Shelf Checkout for everyday speed and personalization.
What Makes Shelf Checkout Different
Three things no one else offers
Barcode Scanning
No typing ISBNs. No searching databases. Just point your phone and scan. 3-5 seconds per book.
Per-Child Verdicts
The same book gets different verdicts for different kids in your family. Personalized, not one-size-fits-all.
Series Awareness
Know what's coming in Books 5, 7, and 9 before your kid gets hooked on Book 1. Commitment decisions upfront.
Book Coverage: AI vs Human Reviewers
Different approaches, different trade-offs
Shelf Checkout: AI-Powered Analysis
Coverage: Any book with an ISBN (millions of titles).
Speed: 3-5 seconds per book.
Accuracy: High but not perfect — community verification helps improve it over time.
Trade-off: AI can miss nuance or context. That's why we focus on factual content detection, not subjective quality judgments.
Others: Human Reviewers
Coverage: Limited to what's been manually reviewed (~3K-42K titles).
Speed: Instant if reviewed; never if not.
Accuracy: Nuanced and thoughtful when available.
Trade-off: Can't scale to every book. New releases, obscure titles, and indie books often aren't covered.
The Bottom Line
If you love Common Sense Media, keep using it. If you need something faster, more personalized, and built for the library aisle, try Shelf Checkout.
We're solving a different problem: quick decisions on any book, customized to your family.
Try it when we launch
See the difference for yourself.