Book lending tracker
A book lending tracker that remembers who has your books
Everyone who owns books has lost one to a friend — not stolen, just never returned, because neither of you remembered. Kitabi keeps a proper ledger instead: who has it, since when, and when it came back.
How it works
Add the book
Point your camera at the barcode, or search for it. It goes on your shelf as the edition you own.
Mark it lent
Write the name of the friend and the day. They do not need the app — a name is enough.
Get a nudge
When a book has been out a while, a quiet notification on your phone reminds you to ask. It goes to you, never to them.
Tick it returned
The loan stays in the ledger — "lent to Anu, 2 June, returned" — so a book's travels are remembered.
Both sides of the ledger
Books friends lent you go on a Borrowed shelf, so you remember what to give back as well as what to get back.
If your friend uses Kitabi too, lend to them in the app: the book appears on their Borrowed shelf, and when it comes home a return ticks both ledgers at once.
A record, not a sticky note
Each loan is its own dated entry, so a book lent three times has three loans, each with its own dates. Lending is free in Kitabi — it is the point of the app, not an upgrade.
Questions
Is the lending tracker free?
Yes. Lending is part of the free app, and the app shows no ads.
Does the person I lend to need Kitabi?
No. A borrower can simply be a name. If they do use Kitabi, you can lend to them in the app and the book appears on their Borrowed shelf.
Will Kitabi message my friend about the book?
No. Reminders are notifications on your own phone. Nothing is sent to the borrower.
Can I keep track of books I have borrowed?
Yes. Books lent to you go on a Borrowed shelf, with who lent them and when.
Does it work offline?
Yes. The ledger lives on your phone and syncs when you are back online.
What is Kitabi?
Kitabi is a free personal library app for iPhone and Android, for readers who own books. Scan a barcode to catalogue a book, keep a lending ledger of who borrowed what, log your reading in pages, and import a Goodreads export. It works offline, shows no ads, and is private by default.
More about Kitabi
Kitabi vs GoodreadsKitabi vs LibibKitabi vs LibraryThingAll comparisons
Keep the shelf in your pocket
Kitabi is a personal library app — track what you own, log what you read, and lend a book to a friend without losing it. Free, offline-first, no ads.