Shelf

Overview

Shelf is an open-source platform for tracking organizational assets, their locations and who has custody of them. It is a strong fit for equipment managers and teams coordinating shared property across departments or sites. Its unlimited asset allowance is a clear advantage, but multi-user work and bookings start at the paid Team plan.

Key features

Shelf combines asset records and location tracking with custody, bookings, audits, kits, consumables, calendars, dashboards, search, reminders and workspaces. That breadth makes it more useful than a simple inventory when staff need to know not only what an organization owns, but who has it and when it is reserved. Barcode and QR code scanning and check-in/check-out support extend that workflow to physical equipment.

The free Shelf Companion app for iPhone and Android scans QR codes, runs audits, manages custody and checks bookings in or out. It is useful for staff handling assets away from a desk. The web app can also be installed as a progressive web app on iOS, Android, macOS, Windows and Linux.

Shelf can run as a managed cloud service or be self-hosted from its open-source code with Docker and Supabase. Managed-cloud data is stored in Frankfurt, Germany, while application servers run in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Shelf says it uses TLS 1.3 in transit, AES-256 at rest, and role-based and organization-level access controls. It supports SAML 2.0 with Entra, Google Workspace, Okta and other identity providers, with automatic SCIM provisioning. It is not yet SOC 2 or ISO 27001 certified, a material consideration for organizations that require those certifications.

Pricing

All plans include unlimited assets, so the pricing decision is mainly about users, fields and workflow requirements. Personal costs nothing and gives one user a personal workspace and three custom fields. It is a reasonable no-cost option for an individual, but the single-user limit rules it out for a team, and the field cap constrains how much asset information can be captured.

Plus costs $34 a month for one user, unlimited custom fields, CSV import and export, and email support. It makes sense for a solo equipment manager who needs richer records or data portability, but it does not add team members or bookings.

Team costs $67 a month and includes unlimited team members, bookings and reservations, a booking calendar and availability, booking PDFs, audits and barcode add-ons. This is the practical choice for departments and other groups sharing equipment; the jump from Plus buys collaboration and scheduling rather than more asset capacity.

Enterprise has custom pricing. It includes SSO / SAML / SCIM, a custom MSA, DPA and SLA, HECVAT/VPAT compliance documents, a dedicated account manager, priority support and onboarding; dedicated single-tenant hosting is available. Large organizations that need these contractual, identity or hosting arrangements are its natural audience.

Shelf offers a 7-day trial. The stated monthly plan prices are $34 a month for Plus and $67 a month for Team; no additional renewal terms are given.

Platforms

Shelf supports Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, self-hosted deployments, the web and Windows. The free native Companion app is for iPhone and Android, while the installable web app spans all five listed operating-system families. This combination suits organizations with mixed devices, though native mobile access is limited to the two mobile platforms.

Who it's for

Shelf suits individuals and solo equipment managers who want an unlimited-asset catalog, and teams in labs, production, universities or multi-site organizations that need custody, audits and reservations. Personal is confined to one user; Plus remains a one-user plan. Groups that need shared access and booking workflows should budget for Team, while large organizations needing formal enterprise arrangements can consider custom-priced Enterprise.

Pros and cons

Pro: Unlimited assets on every plan avoids a volume ceiling as an inventory grows.

Pro: Companion supports QR scanning, audits, custody and booking check-in/out on iPhone and Android, useful for work around equipment.

Pro: Self-hosting or managed cloud gives organizations a choice of deployment model.

Con: Personal permits only one user and three custom fields, limiting it to a narrow individual use case.

Con: Multi-user access and booking workflows require Team at $67 a month.

Con: Shelf is not yet SOC 2 or ISO 27001 certified, which may disqualify it where certification is mandatory.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison, see Asset Tracking Software.

Choose Prey if device tracking across Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web and Windows, or API access, better fits the job; its Starter plan is $2.99 a month for five device slots.

Lansweeper is another freemium option, with a free continuation for up to 100 assets after its 14-day full trial and unlimited user seats.

AssetTiger is another asset-management option with a free plan and mobile apps for Android and iOS.

Choose Reftab for a free plan capped at 50 assets that still includes unlimited inventory and software tracking, mobile apps, and barcode and QR-code support.

Scanlily offers a free one-user plan with 500 items included, or unlimited items with QR labels, and a Pro plan at $9 a month.

AssetCenter has a free plan with no time limit for up to 25 available or deployed assets, but no reports.

MapYourTag has a free plan for 10 assets, two users and 10 scans per asset history.

Sortly is another freemium inventory option, with its free plan limited to 100 unique items, one user license and two active jobs.

Verdict

Choose Shelf if your organization needs an unlimited-asset system that connects location and custody tracking with audits and bookings, especially if mobile scanning or self-hosting matters. Its free tier is best treated as a personal starting point; teams should expect to pay for Team. Look elsewhere if required security certification is a hard condition or if a shared workflow must fit a lower-cost plan.