8 Goodreads Alternatives for Better Tracking and Book Discovery

If Goodreads no longer helps you find books you enjoy or track your reading the way you want, start with the feature you miss most.

The StoryGraph is our first pick for reading stats and mood-based discovery. Hardcover suits readers who want shelves, reviews, and a social feed.

Fable is worth trying for book clubs. The harder part is moving your history.

A Goodreads import button does not guarantee that every edition, date, review, and custom shelf will arrive exactly as expected.

Below, we compare eight Goodreads alternatives by what they do well, how you can bring your books across, and what to check before committing.

Goodreads alternatives Comparison

“Free” here means a free entry point. It does not mean every feature is included.

The product sections link to official information; subscription terms can differ by store and country.

1. The StoryGraph: for reading stats and mood-based discovery

The StoryGraph is a strong starting point when you want more detail about your reading habits. Its charts show patterns in what you read, while discovery filters let you look beyond a book's average star rating.

You can filter by mood and pace, use half-star and quarter-star ratings, and mark books as did not finish. It also supports buddy reads and book clubs.

Goodreads migration is clearly explained: standard reading shelves are imported, and custom shelves map to tags.

Most of the app is free. Plus lists a US-dollar annual price of $49.99 and adds tools such as custom charts and more stats filters.

Choose it if: you want to understand your reading and narrow down your next book.

Check first: whether its discovery options help with your preferred genres. More filters do not guarantee better recommendations for every reader.

2. Hardcover: for social tracking with control over your profile

Hardcover combines reading lists with reviews, ratings, goals, and discovery through other readers.

Its official app description lists public, private, and friends-only profiles. That makes it worth comparing if you want to share some reading activity while keeping tighter control over who sees your profile.

Hardcover supports Goodreads imports, and its public changelog records ongoing work on import behavior.

One distinction matters for Kindle users: a Goodreads import is not the same as automatic device integration. Hardcover's e-reader integration update explains the limits of official Kindle integration and points to community projects.

Choose it if: you want book tracking alongside other readers' shelves and recommendations.

Check first: how your existing Kindle workflow would work after switching. Try the import before moving your whole routine.

3. Fable: for book clubs and reading discussions

Fable makes community a central part of the experience. Its documented features include book clubs, discussion rooms designed around avoiding spoilers, reading lists, goals, and streaks.

That is useful when your main frustration is having nobody to discuss a book with. A tracker can record that you finished a novel; a club gives you somewhere to talk about it.

Fable documents both an in-app Goodreads import and a CSV import option. The CSV help page describes that option as beta, so allow time for processing and inspect the result.

Its support team confirms free access remains available, with an optional Plus upgrade.

Choose it if: discussions and shared reading matter most.

Check first: whether clubs covering your interests have recent, useful conversations.

4. LibraryThing: for a detailed personal book catalog

LibraryThing is worth considering when your collection needs more organization than a simple read/unread list.

It is built around cataloging books and connecting readers through their collections. Personal accounts can also be private. Its official information says you can catalog any number of books for free.

The import and export page includes a dedicated Goodreads route, which makes it a practical candidate for an established reading library.

There is an ownership detail to understand if avoiding Amazon is your main reason for switching.

LibraryThing's published company history lists AbeBooks as a minority investor, and its explanation of Amazon's stake describes that connection. Do not assume a separate brand means no Amazon connection.

Choose it if: catalog organization is your priority.

Check first: whether the cataloging workflow suits your daily use, especially on your phone.

5. BookWyrm: for decentralized reading communities

BookWyrm lets people track books, post reviews, and discover reading through connected communities.

Instead of joining one centrally operated service, you choose a server. Those servers can communicate with one another through federation. The practical difference is that your server's operators, rules, and moderation matter.

BookWyrm offers privacy controls for posts. Its documentation also explains Goodreads CSV imports and warns that matching books may not recover every item.

That documentation describes the current development version. Check your chosen server's installed features rather than assuming every server behaves identically.

Choose it if: you want a decentralized social reading network and are comfortable choosing a community.

Check first: server rules, registration availability, maintenance, and backup options. Privacy settings still require you to decide what to share.

6. Literal: for shelves, highlights, and reading with friends

Literal combines reading progress, shelves, goals, notes, and highlights with social discovery.

Its official site advertises Goodreads and StoryGraph imports. It also lists barcode scanning, sharing book highlights, and joining clubs.

This is a useful option when a memorable passage matters as much as a final rating. You can look for a reading workflow that keeps those thoughts near the books they belong to.

Choose it if: you want to organize books and share ideas from them with friends.

Check first: whether the people you want to follow are there, and how your imported notes and reviews appear. Support for importing a library does not establish that every type of annotation will transfer.

A social reading app becomes more useful when its actual conversations match your interests.

7. Libib: for organizing the books on your shelves

Libib fits readers whose main problem is remembering what they own.

It supports collections, tags, notes, barcode scanning, and cloud access. You can catalog other media alongside books, which is useful for a household collection.

Its Basic plan is free for personal use and allows up to 5,000 items. CSV import and export are included. Paid Pro adds functions such as lending and patron management.

Treat migration differently here. A general CSV importer is not a promise to preserve Goodreads-specific reviews, shelves, and reading dates. Compare the supported fields before importing.

Choose it if: you need an inventory of physical books or mixed media.

Check first: whether you want a collection manager or a social reading tracker. Libib's main value in this comparison is organizing what you own.

8. Bookly: for building a regular reading habit

Bookly focuses on reading sessions. You start a timer, record progress, and use reports to see how much time you spend reading.

Its official app description lists goals, reminders, reading speed, and estimated finishing time. The developer also documents bringing Goodreads data across.

That makes Bookly a useful candidate when you already have plenty of books to read but struggle to make time for them.

Choose it if: you want to measure sessions and maintain a reading routine.

Check first: the free and Pro features available on your device. Also consider whether starting a timer adds motivation or creates another task.

Bookly serves a different need from a discussion community. Try it with a book you are currently reading before treating it as your full Goodreads replacement.

How to choose the right Goodreads replacement

Write down the one job the new app must do better.

If that job is choosing your next book, compare discovery in The StoryGraph and Hardcover. If it is talking about books, inspect Fable's clubs and Literal's community features.

For managing a collection, compare LibraryThing with Libib.

Then run a small practical check:

1. Search for five books you know well, including a less common edition.

2. Add a current read and update your progress.

3. Write a short review or private note.

4. Inspect privacy settings.

5. Find the export option or documentation explaining how to retrieve your data.

Do this on the device you use most. A feature list cannot tell you whether updating your reading feels easy enough to keep doing.

You may also decide to use two tools. A catalog for owned books and a timer for daily reading can serve different purposes.

Decide which one holds your main reading history, so updates do not become confusing.

If you also follow book blogs and literary newsletters, our Flipboard alternatives guide covers tools for organizing article reading alongside your book tracker.

How to move your Goodreads library

Start by saving a backup.

On the Goodreads desktop website, open My Books, find Import and export, and request Export Library. The import/export page requires sign-in.

Download the generated CSV and keep an untouched copy.

Next, follow the destination app's import instructions. Some accept a file; others offer an in-app workflow.

Once processing finishes, compare:

• Total books and reading statuses.

• Several ratings and written reviews.

• Custom shelves or tags.

• Reading dates and rereads, where supported.

• Different editions, translations, and audiobooks.

These are checks to perform, rather than a promise that every app imports each field.

If something is missing, inspect the original CSV before blaming the new app. A destination cannot restore information that the export did not include.

Keep Goodreads available until you are satisfied with the result. Avoid repeating a full import without checking the app's duplicate-handling guidance.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best free Goodreads alternative?

Start with The StoryGraph for reading stats, LibraryThing for cataloging, or Literal for shelves and shared reading. Each offers free access, but the right choice depends on the job you need it to do.

Is StoryGraph better than Goodreads?

It is worth comparing if mood filters, detailed stats, and fractional ratings matter to you. Whether it is better overall depends on your preferred workflow and where your reading friends are active.

Which Goodreads alternative is not owned by Amazon?

The StoryGraph explicitly describes itself as an Amazon-free alternative. BookWyrm offers a decentralized community model.

LibraryThing deserves a separate ownership check because its published history includes the AbeBooks connection.

What if I want a separate blog for my book reviews?

A book tracker keeps reviews beside your reading history. If you want a dedicated place for longer reviews, essays, and a public reading journal, see our LiveJournal alternatives guide to blogging and community platforms.

For switching your reading tracker, test one candidate with your own books first.

Choose the app that improves the task you actually repeat.

Prices checked as of Nov 3, 2026.