Kaffe · a free, private bookshelf

Book recommendations from friends, not algorithms

The best book recommendations usually come from someone who knows you. Kaffe is built around that idea. Instead of a feed tuned to keep you scrolling, it shows you what the people you trust actually rated highly.

You keep a shelf of the books you've finished and invite a few friends to a private circle with a link. When a friend shares their rated shelf with your circle, Kaffe shows you the books they loved that you haven't read yet. If a friend hasn't rated anything that qualifies, Kaffe shows nothing rather than inventing a pick.

For one person whose taste you know well, use compare shelves. You choose the direction (their shelf to yours, or yours to theirs), and Kaffe scores picks using the books you share, your ratings and themes across both shelves. Friends can also leave a short note on any book (up to 280 characters) saying why it's worth reading.

There's an optional friends-of-friends setting too. It's off by default, and when someone turns it on their ratings are anonymised outside their own circles. Kaffe is free, has no ads, and needs only a name and password.

Start your own reading circle: free, with just a name and a password. No email, no ads.

Questions

Where do Kaffe's recommendations come from?

From friends in your circles who share a rated shelf, plus optional anonymised friends-of-friends ratings and free public reading lists.

Does Kaffe use an algorithmic feed?

No. There is no public feed. Recommendations come from books your friends rated highly.

What if my friends haven't rated much?

Kaffe won't make up picks. Recommendations appear once friends share rated shelves.

Is it free?

Yes, and there are no ads.