Simple pricing for every library
Start free, grow with your community. No surprises, no hidden fees.
Starter
Perfect for small community libraries just getting started.
- Up to 500 active young readers
- Kid-friendly book discovery
- Basic holds & pickup alerts
- Due-date reminders
- Reading log for each child
- Email support
Growth
For public and school libraries ready to level up reader engagement.
- Up to 5,000 active young readers
- Everything in Starter, plus:
- Personalized recommendations
- Reading streaks & milestones
- Parent notification dashboard
- ILS integration (SIP2 / NCIP)
- Collection-use analytics
- Priority email & chat support
District
Multi-branch and district-wide deployments with premium support.
- Unlimited active readers
- Everything in Growth, plus:
- Multi-branch management
- Custom branding per branch
- Advanced analytics & reporting
- SSO / LDAP integration
- Dedicated onboarding specialist
- Phone & video support
- 99.9% uptime SLA
Feature comparison
| Feature | Starter | Growth | District |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active young readers | 500 | 5,000 | Unlimited |
| Kid-friendly discovery | |||
| Holds & pickup alerts | |||
| Due-date reminders | |||
| Reading log | |||
| Personalized recommendations | — | ||
| Reading streaks & milestones | — | ||
| Parent dashboard | — | ||
| ILS integration | — | ||
| Collection analytics | — | ||
| Multi-branch management | — | — | |
| Custom branding | — | — | |
| SSO / LDAP | — | — | |
| Dedicated onboarding | — | — | |
| Uptime SLA | — | 99.5% | 99.9% |
Frequently asked questions
Is there really a free plan?
Yes! The Starter plan is completely free for libraries with up to 500 active young readers. No credit card required.
What counts as an “active young reader”?
Any child profile that has logged a borrow, hold, or reading event in the current billing month. Inactive profiles don’t count toward your limit.
Can I switch plans later?
Absolutely. Upgrade or downgrade at any time. When you upgrade, you’re prorated for the remainder of your billing cycle.
How does the ILS integration work?
BrightShelf connects to your existing Integrated Library System via industry-standard SIP2 or NCIP protocols. Setup typically takes less than a day with our onboarding guide.
Is BrightShelf COPPA compliant?
Yes. We built BrightShelf with children’s privacy as a core principle. We collect only the minimum data necessary, never share it with third parties, and give parents full control.
Do you offer discounts for school districts?
Yes — the District plan includes volume pricing for multi-site deployments. Contact us for a custom quote tailored to your district’s needs.
Still have questions?
Our team would love to walk you through BrightShelf and find the right plan for your library.