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Goodreads vs StoryGraph: which reading app is for you?
Goodreads and The StoryGraph are the two reading trackers most people choose between. They’re good at different things. Here’s a fair side-by-side, and a third option if what you really want is a private home for the books you own.
Side by side
Feature by feature
| Feature | Goodreads | The StoryGraph |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| No account needed | NoAccount needed | NoAccount needed | YesKept in your own iCloud |
| Not tracked across apps | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| No ads | NoListing says it contains ads | Yes | Yes |
| Native Mac app | NoiPhone and iPad apps, plus the website | PartlyiPad app on Apple silicon Macs | YesNative on iPhone, iPad and Mac |
| Barcode scanning | YesCover scanner and ISBN search | Yes | YesOne book or a whole shelf |
| Track who borrowed a book | No | Not listed | YesPlus hand-over links |
| Record which shelf a book is on | NoOwned-book details removed in 2022 | Not listedAn owned status, no location | Yes |
| Save your own quotes | PartlyPublic quotes pages | NoAn open request on its roadmap | YesPhotograph the page |
| Import from Goodreads | Not listedNot applicable | Yes | YesAlso StoryGraph, LibraryThing |
| Export your library | YesCSV, from the website only | YesFrom Manage Account | NoComing soon |
| No subscription or paid tier | YesFree, with ads | PartlyPlus from $4.99 a month | YesEverything included |
| Android or web | YesAndroid and web | YesAndroid and web | NoComing soon |
YesPartlyNoNot mentioned in their own listing or help pages
Updated October 2026. Sources are on the Goodreads and StoryGraph pages.
The short version
Which one?
Choose Goodreads if…
- You want to follow friends, read reviews and post your own.
- You read mostly ebooks or library books and don't need a catalogue of what you own.
- You need Android or the web.
Choose The StoryGraph if…
- You want stats on your reading habits: moods, pace, genres, goals and streaks.
- You want recommendations based on mood and pace.
- You use Android or the web.
Or choose Volumes if…
- You want your reading private, with no profile, feed or account.
- You own a lot of physical books and want them catalogued, shelf by shelf.
- You lend books, keep quotes, and want a native Mac app.
Price and privacy
What each one costs you
Goodreads. An account is needed. Goodreads is owned by Amazon, and its App Store listing says it contains advertising. Free.
The StoryGraph. An account is needed. Its App Store privacy label lists data linked to you, and no tracking across apps. Free, with StoryGraph Plus at $4.99 a month or $49.99 a year for custom charts and more stats (US App Store prices).
Volumes. Free on the App Store, with no account, no ads and no subscription. Your library stays in your own iCloud.
Switching
Moving between them
The StoryGraph imports a Goodreads export, and so does Volumes. Volumes reads a StoryGraph export too. How to export your Goodreads library and how to export your StoryGraph library walk through getting the file out, and what comes across into Volumes says exactly what makes it.
Questions
Good to know
Is The StoryGraph better than Goodreads?
For reading statistics and mood-based recommendations, many readers prefer The StoryGraph. For friends, reviews and the biggest community, Goodreads is still the larger. Neither is built to catalogue the physical books you own.
Can I use The StoryGraph without leaving Goodreads?
Yes. Export your Goodreads library and import it into The StoryGraph; your Goodreads account stays as it is.
Is there a private alternative to both?
Volumes tracks your reading and catalogues your books on iPhone, iPad and Mac, with no account and no ads. It imports from both Goodreads and The StoryGraph.
Or keep your reading, and your shelves, to yourself.
Free on iPhone, iPad and Mac · No account · No ads