MyCollections vs Collection & Inventory Tracker

Bottom Line: Both apps are freemium, general-purpose collection organizers with custom fields and cloud sync. Choose MyCollections if you want cross-platform support on iOS, Android, and Windows today. Choose Collection & Inventory Tracker if you want a more modern, actively developed app with barcode auto-fill, formula fields, alerts, bulk editing, and a cleaner mobile experience.

MyCollections and Collection & Inventory Tracker are the most similar apps in this space - both freemium, both general-purpose, both offering customizable fields for any type of collection. The difference comes down to depth of features, development pace, and mobile experience. Here is how they compare.

Quick Summary

MyCollections is a free collection cataloging app by Altova GmbH, available on Android, iOS, and Windows. It was originally built as a showcase for Altova's MobileTogether app development framework. The app includes built-in templates for books, CDs, wine, artwork, and more, with the ability to create custom collections and fields. It supports barcode scanning for books (via Open Library), cloud sync, sharing with friends, and lending/selling tracking. The interface uses a cross-platform design that can feel dated and unintuitive on Android compared to native apps. MyCollections has a 4.4 rating on Google Play with 1.7K reviews and around 190K total downloads. The last update was December 2025.

Collection & Inventory Tracker is a dedicated collection and inventory app for Android (iOS coming soon). You create your own collections with fully customizable fields - text, numbers, dropdowns, ratings, images, and formula fields. Barcode scanning auto-fills product images, titles, and descriptions for any product type. Number-based alerts notify you when tracked values cross a threshold. The app is offline-first, syncs across devices, supports collaboration with viewer and editor roles, and is updated frequently. Collection & Inventory Tracker has a 4.7 rating on Google Play.

Organize your collections the smart way

Collection & Inventory Tracker lets you catalog anything - books, tools, wine, coins, or home inventory - with custom fields, barcode scanning, and offline access.

Feature Comparison

MyCollections vs Collection & Inventory Tracker

Source: Feature comparison based on app listings and official websites, March 2026.

Key Differences

Purpose-built vs. framework showcase

Collection & Inventory Tracker is built as a dedicated collection and inventory management product. MyCollections was created by Altova as a demonstration of their MobileTogether cross-platform development framework. This difference shows in the pace of development and feature depth - Collection & Inventory Tracker receives frequent updates with new features, while MyCollections has seen minimal development in recent years.

Barcode scanning

MyCollections supports barcode scanning for books through Open Library integration, but does not offer barcode auto-fill for other product types. Collection & Inventory Tracker uses a barcode lookup API that auto-fills product images, titles, and descriptions for any product with a barcode - books, food, electronics, tools, or anything else.

Advanced field types

Both apps support custom text and number fields. Collection & Inventory Tracker goes further with dropdown menus, color fields, and formula fields that automatically calculate values based on other fields. MyCollections does not offer these field types.

Alerts and quantity tracking

Collection & Inventory Tracker includes built-in quantity tracking and number-based alerts - you can set notifications on any number field to track inventory levels, expiration thresholds, or budget limits. MyCollections has no alert or notification system.

Import and export

MyCollections supports import and export via XML format, which requires technical knowledge to work with. Collection & Inventory Tracker supports CSV and Excel formats - widely used, easy to open, edit, and share without special tools.

User interface and ease of use

This is where the two apps diverge most visibly. MyCollections was built with a cross-platform framework that renders the same interface on every device. The result is a dated, non-intuitive layout where common actions require extra taps, navigation feels inconsistent, and the overall experience does not follow modern Android design patterns. Collection & Inventory Tracker is designed as a native, mobile-first app with a clean, modern interface where everything is where you expect it. Adding items, scanning barcodes, switching between collections, and editing fields all feel fast and intuitive - with no learning curve.

Verdict

Choose MyCollections if you want a free-to-start collection tracker that already works on iOS, Android, and Windows with cloud sync. It handles basic cataloging well and the ability to publish collections to the web and track lent items are useful extras. It is a solid choice for light use and simple collections.

Choose Collection & Inventory Tracker if you want more powerful organizing tools - formula fields, dropdown menus, barcode auto-fill for any product, number-based alerts, bulk editing, grouping, label printing, and Google Drive backup. It is more actively developed, more feature-rich, and delivers a modern, intuitive interface that makes organizing feel effortless. For anyone who needs their collection or inventory app to do more than basic cataloging, it is the stronger choice.

Both apps offer a free tier to get started. MyCollections wins on cross-platform availability today. Collection & Inventory Tracker wins on features, user experience, and development pace.

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