# Mandarin Software Pricing, Alternatives & More 2026 | Capterra > With the help of Capterra, learn about Mandarin Software - reviews, pricing plans, popular comparisons to other Library Automation products and more. Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/29128/mandarin --- # Mandarin Software Review 2026: Features, Integrations, Pros & Cons Last updated on March 13, 2026 Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. Independent research methodology Capterra’s researchers use a mix of verified reviews, independent research and objective methodologies to bring you selection and ranking information you can trust. While we may earn a referral fee when you visit a provider through our links or speak to an advisor, this has no influence on our research or methodology. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/resources/proprietary-data-research/) How Capterra verifies reviews Capterra carefully verified over 2.5 million+ reviews to bring you authentic software experiences from real users. Our human moderators verify that reviewers are real people and that reviews are authentic. They use leading tech to analyze text quality and to detect plagiarism and generative AI. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/resources/how-we-verify-reviews/) How Capterra ensures transparency Capterra lists all providers across its website—not just those that pay us—so that users can make informed purchase decisions. Capterra is free for users. Software providers pay us for sponsored profiles to receive web traffic and sales opportunities. Sponsored profiles include a link-out icon that takes users to the provider’s website. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/resources/how-we-ensure-transparency/) [Description](#description)[Use cases](#use-cases)[Alternatives](#alternatives)[Features](#features)[Pricing](#pricing)[Support](#support)[Reviews](#reviews) Mandarin ## What is Mandarin? Mandarin M5 is a fully web based, modern, online, HOSTED library automation system. M5 provides unlimited access to library resources from any workstation, at the library or remotely. M5 helps single and multiple site libraries lower costs and save time with M5 hosting service. Mandarin provides all updates and backups. Our technical support is renowned, and is available 24/7/365. Visit our M5 demonstration site today and see what the future looks like! ## What is Mandarin used for? [Catalog Management](https://www.capterra.com/catalog-management-software/)[Library Automation](https://www.capterra.com/library-automation-software/) Overall rating Based on 60 user reviews Reviews sentiment Positive 97% Neutral 0% Negative 3% Starting price $500 Other, Per Year Free trial not available Capterra Shortlist charts the highest-rated and most popular products... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... ## Mandarin alternatives Highest Rated [4.8 (128)](https://www.capterra.com/p/10010536/Surpass/reviews/) Starting price $55.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 98% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [4.8 (24)](https://www.capterra.com/p/27788/Alexandria/reviews/) Starting price $499.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 96% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [4.5 (36)](https://www.capterra.com/p/40056/ResourceMate/reviews/) Starting price $495.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 89% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [4.8 (10)](https://www.capterra.com/p/157700/Lucidea-Integrated-Library-Systems/reviews/) Starting price $2500.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 100% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [View all alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/29128/Mandarin/alternatives/) ## Features Features with the highest number of reviews are displayed first. Those that have no reviews appear next, sorted alphabetically. Search/Filter 4.2 (14) 57.14% of 14 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Search and filter data across systems to locate required information by entering keywords or certain criteria Catalog Management 5.0 (12) 58.33% of 12 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Create and manage digital catalog of products/services with their details, specifications, and price Circulation Management 4.9 (11) 54.55% of 11 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Overseeing distribution of published materials, such as books, newspapers, magazines, etc. Barcoding/RFID 4.8 (9) 66.67% of 9 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Identify and track items using barcode tags or RFID (radio-frequency identification) tags Patron Management 4.4 (8) 37.50% of 8 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Manage library patron registration and accounts Inventory Management 4.0 (7) 42.86% of 7 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Track and manage inventory levels to maintain proper supply Mandarin 35 features Alerts or notifications of various types such as pop-up messages, sounds, banners, or badges Scan barcodes to ensure accurate pricing and label tracking Identify and track items using barcode tags or RFID (radio-frequency identification) tags Create and manage digital catalog of products/services with their details, specifications, and price Caters to library management needs specific to churches Overseeing distribution of published materials, such as books, newspapers, magazines, etc. Add customized logos and colors to align with company branding Alter the layout and content of reports Pre-designed layouts that can be customized to match preferences and requirements Create labels for products that contain required information such as colors, sizes, dates, etc. Import and export data to and from software applications Track the location of specific equipment at all times Automatically collect recurring fees or dues from members Search for specific words or phrases within a document or database Information, data and reports that are being tracked over time Track and manage inventory levels to maintain proper supply Manage and support multiple languages An online catalog of inventory that customers can view Manage Online Public Access Catalog information, such as title, keywords, subjects, and authors. Manage and track customer orders for goods, investments, or any other purchases Manage library patron registration and accounts Manage acquisition and allocation of periodicals. Caters to library management needs specific to private libraries Caters to library management needs specific to public libraries Ability to record, store, update, and retrieve information Collection, analysis, and representation of numerical data and generation of reports to understand various patterns Manage allocation of and track books reserved for specific needs or people. Caters to library management needs specific to school libraries Search and filter data across systems to locate required information by entering keywords or certain criteria Check-in and out via a mobile device or kiosk Online portal through which end users can access the system, manage tasks, or obtain information Manage acquisition and allocation of serials. Sample files or documents that could be customized as needed or used as is Set up connections to third-party platforms to improve business processes Manage user accounts, profiles, roles, permissions, and other details across applications, devices or networks Get Advice We can help you find the software with the features you need. Features 4.2 (44) 4.2 Based on 44 reviews ## Pricing Value for money 4.8 (40) Free Version Basic $500.00 Other,Per Year Value for money 4.8 (40) 4.8 Based on 40 reviews Connect with a Capterra advisor for a free 15-minute consultation Get a personalized software list aligned to your business needs with guidance from our expert advisors. Our team has helped 1 million+ businesses like yours find options that fit their needs. ## Support, customer service and training options Customer Service 4.9 (59) Support - Email/Help Desk - FAQs/Forum - Knowledge Base - Phone Support - 24/7 (Live rep) - Chat Training - In Person - Live Online - Webinars - Documentation - Videos Deployment - Web - Android - iPhone/iPad Typical users - Freelancers - Small businesses - Mid size businesses - Enterprises Customer Service 4.9 (59) 4.9 Based on 59 reviews ## User reviews Overall rating 4.7 Based on 60 reviews Filter by rating 5(43) 4(15) 3(0) 2(2) 1(0) Mentioned topic Sorted by most recent MR Monica R. Librarian Primary/Secondary Education ### "Gimnasio Femenino" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 June 18, 2024 Pros Me gusta su estructura y servicio 24/7 y todas las posibilidades que ofrece como estadisticas, clasificación, agrupar colecciones.. Cons Que si no escribes exactamente bien la palabra no lo encuentra. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. LR Linda R. Librarian Libraries ### "Mandarin" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 October 24, 2023 Pros The ease of getting the library data entered. The Tech crew is wonderful to work with. The time they will spend to help you understand and implement what you need done. Cons I would prefer that they update the picture for my patrons. It is a real pain to get the information from the other source. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. AE Ana E. Librarian Education Management ### "Mandarin M5 review" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 October 24, 2023 overall I am very satisfied with the product Pros Great customer service, ease of use, sufficient customization Cons Call Number Labels are hard to customize to size and we have to use M3 for that. We also use older Report Tool (from M3) to pull overdue and loan reports Reasons for choosing Mandarin Destiny would offer similar features, but we would have lost our historical data Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. AU Anonymous User Lindsay limited company Market Research ### "Good point " 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 7/10 June 16, 2023 Best to use Pros Easy to use ,understandable,supportive ,Great Cons No difficulty ,functionality, easy, reliable Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. LJ Laurie J. Librarian Education Management ### "Mandarin Fan!" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 January 30, 2023 Learning a new system, as a new librarian, with hundreds of patrons, was a daunting position. However, I am consistently pleased with their support through the years. Pros Mandarin is so easy to learn and use. And on those ocassions when I don't find the answer, their customer service responds with efficiency. Cons Nothing to report. Apparently I need more characters in this reponse to make if valid. Still, nothing to report. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. AR ana r. Librarian Director Religious Institutions ### "My experience since 2015-2023" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 January 24, 2023 The process of library status, the library transactions and the reports. Pros It's easy and friendly to use. The size of the letters, and the space in the templates. Cons Update the manual not only the video tutorials. Reasons for choosing Mandarin The price, and the easy use. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. SS szilvia S. website owner Research ### "Wonderful support group" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 3.0 3.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 9/10 October 22, 2022 Amazing and prompt help from Alex and Mike. They are willing to take the time to talk me through a problem when I am hardly coherent about a situation. Pros The package was not my choice. I had to accept what the Hispanic Society Library was already using but I could make it work in a short time Cons The Advanced Search functions at the front end need to be made more intuitive and work better Reasons for choosing Mandarin I did not. This is what the Hispanic Society has Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. TB Teresa B. Teacher-Librarian Education Management ### "Mandarin is fantastic" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 September 28, 2022 Pros The software is easy to personalize for the needs of our Library Learning Commons in a secondary setting. The technical support team is very knowledgeable and quick to respond with questions or things that needs to be fixed. Cons There was a bit of a challenge integrating with our old patron records at first, but the technical support staff was quick to resolve it. I would like if we could add other images or background colours to reflect our school more personally. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. KP Kelly P. Library Director Libraries ### "Great Customer Service" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 August 25, 2022 Excellent customer service Pros M5 is super easy to use and manage however, if a problem arises, the tech support at Mandarin responds quickly and delivers a solution fast so that we can continue to serve our community. Cons The reports are sometimes hard to navigate in order to get the correct info, however, tech support is always helpful in working with me to adjust the reports to what I need. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. SW Sharon W. Elementary Librarian Education Management ### "Easy & Affordable" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 3.0 3.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 March 31, 2022 It's fairly straight forward and easy to use. The help staff is amazing! If you have a problem, can't remember how to do something, or need assistance, they are there to help and take care of things in a timely manner. Pros For a small to mid-range school library, this is a great budget-friendly automation program. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles, but it meets our needs adequately. Cons It's a bit time-consuming and ponderous to set up at the beginning of each school year. The reserving a book part doesn't seem to work well for me. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. [View all Reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/29128/Mandarin/reviews/) Independent research methodology Capterra's researchers use a mix of verified reviews, independent research and objective methodologies to bring you selection and ranking information you can trust. While we may earn a referral fee when you visit a provider through our links or speak to an advisor, this has no influence on our research or methodology. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/resources/proprietary-data-research/) How Capterra verifies reviews Capterra carefully verified over 2.5 million+ reviews to bring you authentic software experiences from real users. Our human moderators verify that reviewers are real people and that reviews are authentic. They use leading tech to analyze text quality and to detect plagiarism and generative AI. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/resources/how-we-verify-reviews/) How Capterra ensures transparency Capterra lists all providers across its website—not just those that pay us—so that users can make informed purchase decisions. Capterra is free for users. Software providers pay us for sponsored profiles to receive web traffic and sales opportunities. Sponsored profiles include a link-out icon that takes users to the provider's website. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/resources/how-we-ensure-transparency/)