Best Barcode Scanner App for Books (Android)

By Maureen · May 2026 · 4 min read

You have a shelf full of books. Maybe two shelves. Maybe a whole room. And somewhere in that room are books you've forgotten you own — and books you've bought twice because you forgot.

The solution isn't a spreadsheet. It's a barcode scanner in your pocket.

Why most book tracking apps get it wrong

Most book apps want you to create an account, connect with friends, get recommendations, track reading challenges, and share reviews. That's fine if you want a social network. But if you just want to know what's on your shelf — and whether you already own a book before you buy it at a charity shop — you don't need any of that.

You need something simple. Open the app. Scan the barcode. Done.

How SeniorEase Library works for books

Every book published since the 1970s has an ISBN number printed as a barcode on the back cover. SeniorEase Library reads that barcode and automatically looks up the title, author, and cover image from an online database. One tap to save it to your collection.

Your collection lives on your phone. No account. No cloud. No subscription. Just your books, stored locally, always available — even offline.

Scanning your bookshelf: how to start

1. 1
   Download SeniorEase Library from Google Play. Open the app — you'll see your empty collection and a scan button.
2. 2
   Pick up a book, tap scan, hold it over the barcode. The camera reads the ISBN in a second. Title, author and cover appear automatically. Tap "Add" to save it.
3. 3
   Work through your shelves. Most people scan their entire collection in an afternoon. Once it's done, you have a searchable catalogue you can check anywhere — secondhand shop, library sale, a friend's house.

What if the barcode doesn't scan?

Very old books sometimes have no barcode, or a barcode that isn't in the database. In that case you can add the book manually by typing the title and author. It takes about 20 seconds and you can add a photo if you like.

One app for your whole collection

Once you've scanned your books, you might as well scan everything else. SeniorEase Library handles the full collection:

• Books — ISBN barcode on the back
• Vinyl records and CDs — barcode on the sleeve or case
• DVDs and Blu-rays — barcode on the disc case
• Video games — barcode on the box

Filter by type, search by title or author, sort however you like. Your entire collection in one place.

Frequently asked questions

• How do I scan books into a collection app?

  Open SeniorEase Library, tap the scan button, and hold your phone camera over the ISBN barcode on the back cover of the book. The app looks up the title, author and cover automatically and saves it to your collection. No typing needed.

• Do I need a Goodreads account to track my books?

  No. SeniorEase Library stores your collection locally on your phone with no account, no sign-up and no email address required. It also works without an internet connection once items are saved.

• Can I track books, music and DVDs in the same app?

  Yes. SeniorEase Library is an all-in-one collection tracker. You can add books, vinyl records, CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays and video games — all in one place, searchable and filterable.