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Guide

The 7 best Goodreads alternatives in 2026

The best Goodreads alternative depends on what you used Goodreads for. For reading stats and mood-based recommendations, The StoryGraph is the strongest choice. For a free, ad-free reading tracker with a social side, look at Hardcover. For deep cataloging data, LibraryThing. For a private catalog of the books you physically own, including where each one sits on your shelves, Better Bookshelf.

Last updated: October 30, 2026. Prices and features checked on each app's own site or app-store listing on October 30, 2026. Better Bookshelf is our app. It's in the list, and so are its trade-offs.

The alternatives at a glance

App	Best for	Price	Imports Goodreads	Barcode scanning	Account needed
The StoryGraph	Reading stats, mood and pace recommendations	Free; Plus US$4.99/mo or US$49.99/yr	Yes	Yes, in the app	Yes
Hardcover	Ad-free tracking and social discovery	Free; optional Supporter US$4.99/mo or US$49.99/yr	Yes (CSV)	Yes, in the app	Yes
LibraryThing	Detailed cataloging and edition data	Free	Yes	Yes, iPhone app by ISBN	Yes
Libib	Books plus movies, music and games; lending	Free up to 5,000 items; Pro US$9/mo or US$99/yr	Yes, CSV with ISBNs	Yes	Yes
CLZ Books	Collectors who want detailed fields per copy	Mobile US$19.95/yr; Web US$39.95/yr	CSV import (Web app)	Yes	Yes, for cloud sync
BookBuddy	Simple cataloging on iPhone, iPad and Mac	Free up to 50 books; Pro US$9.99 once; optional sharing subscriptions	Yes (CSV)	Yes	Not stated; library saved on device
Better Bookshelf	Cataloging books you own, and finding them on the shelf	Free up to 50 books. A 51st book needs the US$29.99 upgrade, with 6 AI shelf scans; extra scans US$10 per 6	Yes (CSV)	Yes, free within the 50-book limit	No

Why people look for a Goodreads alternative

Goodreads has been owned by Amazon since 2013. For some readers that's the whole reason: their ratings and reading history sit with the company that sells them books. Others want fewer ads and less social noise, or better tools for books they own rather than books they've read.

Goodreads lets you export your library as a CSV file.

1. Best for reading stats and recommendations

The StoryGraph

StoryGraph is the most common destination for readers leaving Goodreads. It recommends books by mood and pace, shows detailed charts of what you read, supports half and quarter star ratings, has a built-in did-not-finish status, and carries content warnings from authors and readers. It also has buddy reads, book clubs and reading challenges. The mobile app has a barcode scanner, and it can sync reading progress from Kobo.

The Goodreads import brings over your currently reading, read, to-read and did-not-finish shelves. Custom shelves become custom tags.

For a full head-to-head, see StoryGraph vs Goodreads.

Trade-offs: You need an account, and your data lives on StoryGraph's servers. Extra stats filters and custom charts are part of Plus, which also funds keeping StoryGraph ad-free. It tracks reading, not where your physical books are.

Price: Free. Plus is US$4.99 a month or US$49.99 a year.

2. Best free, ad-free tracker with a social side

Hardcover

Hardcover tracks want to read, currently reading, read and did not finish, with ratings, reviews, lists and the ability to follow other readers. It's free with no ads, and it imports Goodreads and StoryGraph CSV exports directly. It also has an API for readers who want to pull out their own data.

Trade-offs: A smaller community than Goodreads, so fewer reviews on less popular books. Account required.

Price: Free. An optional Supporter plan (US$4.99 a month or US$49.99 a year) adds extras like priority support and early access to features.

3. Best for detailed cataloging

LibraryThing

LibraryThing has been around longer than most of this list and has some of the deepest book data available, down to editions and library classification. It dropped its fees in 2020 and is now free.

Trade-offs: The interface feels older than the others and there's more to learn. Account required.

Price: Free.

4. Best for mixed collections and lending

Libib

Libib catalogs books alongside movies, music, video games and board games, with barcode scanning in its iPhone and Android apps and a web app. It's designed for home collections as well as classrooms, offices and small libraries.

Trade-offs: The free plan stops at 5,000 items, and lending, patron management and batch editing are on Pro. Account required.

Price: Free up to 5,000 items. Pro is US$9 a month or US$99 a year.

5. Best for serious collectors

CLZ Books

CLZ is built for detail: condition, location, purchase information and custom fields for each copy, with barcode scanning and a cloud sync between the mobile and web apps.

Trade-offs: It's a subscription, and the mobile and web apps are priced separately.

Price: Mobile app US$19.95 a year; web app US$39.95 a year (clz.com, checked Oct 30, 2026).

6. Best for simple cataloging on iPhone, iPad and Mac

BookBuddy

BookBuddy is a long-running cataloging app for iPhone, iPad and Mac, with barcode scanning and a lending tracker. It imports CSV exports from Goodreads, LibraryThing and Google Books, and keeps your library on the device with iCloud or Dropbox sync.

Trade-offs: Apple devices only. The free version stops at 50 books.

Price: Free up to 50 books. BookBuddy Pro is a one-time US$9.99 in-app purchase, and optional Online Sharing plans start at US$1.99 a month.

7. Best for cataloging the books you own

Better Bookshelf

Better Bookshelf is our app, and it does a different job from the trackers above. It's a catalog of your physical library. Scan a book's barcode and it's added with its title, author, cover and details. With the paid upgrade, you can photograph a whole bookcase and AI suggests matches for the spines it can read and marks where each book sits, so a later search opens that shelf photo with the book highlighted.

It also brings in your other libraries. Goodreads exports import directly, and Kindle and Audible libraries come in from CSV, with copies of the same book in different formats merged into one entry. Kindle highlights sync in through Readwise.

There's no sign-up and no ads. Your library lives on your phone, backs up to your own Google Drive, and exports to CSV.

Trade-offs: No social features, friends' reviews or recommendations. Whole-shelf AI scanning is a paid feature and needs an internet connection. The free version is limited to 50 books, and barcode scanning is free only up to that limit. Adding a 51st book requires upgrading to the paid version (US$29.99).

Price: Free for your first 50 books. Adding a 51st book requires upgrading to the paid version (US$29.99), which includes 6 whole-shelf AI scans. More scans cost US$10 per pack of 6. No subscription.

How to export your Goodreads library

1On Goodreads.com, go to My Books, then Import and Export, then Export Library.
2Wait for the file to generate and download the CSV.
3Import that file into the app you're moving to. In Better Bookshelf, open Import and choose the file. Better Bookshelf imports supported Goodreads CSV files.

Already have your books on shelves? See how to catalog a home library with a scanner app.

How to choose

If your Goodreads habit was mostly logging what you read and finding the next book, pick StoryGraph or Hardcover. If it was keeping track of what you own, pick a cataloging app: LibraryThing or CLZ for detail, Libib for lending and mixed media, Better Bookshelf if you want the catalog private on your phone and want to find books on the shelf. Plenty of readers use one of each.

More on this site: the bookshelf scanner, the reading journal template, pricing, and the feature comparison.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best alternative to Goodreads?

For reading stats and recommendations, The StoryGraph. For a free, ad-free tracker with a social side, Hardcover. For cataloging the books you own and finding them on your shelves, Better Bookshelf.

Is there a free Goodreads alternative?

Yes. Hardcover and LibraryThing are free, StoryGraph is free with an optional paid Plus plan, and Libib is free up to 5,000 items. Better Bookshelf is free for your first 50 books. Adding a 51st book requires upgrading to the paid version (US$29.99).

Can I move my Goodreads library to another app?

Yes. Export your library as a CSV from Goodreads (My Books, then Import and Export). StoryGraph, Hardcover and Better Bookshelf import that file directly.

Is there a Goodreads alternative that doesn't need an account?

Better Bookshelf works with no sign-up. Your library is stored on your phone and backed up to your own Google Drive.

Is there a Goodreads alternative without a subscription?

LibraryThing and Hardcover are free. Better Bookshelf is a one-time US$29.99 purchase after the free 50 books. Adding a 51st book requires that upgrade. BookBuddy Pro is a one-time US$9.99. StoryGraph and Libib are free with optional paid plans, and CLZ is a subscription.

Does StoryGraph have a barcode scanner?

Yes. The StoryGraph mobile app includes a barcode scanner for adding print books.

A private catalog of the books you own

Import a Goodreads CSV, scan barcodes for your first 50 books, and keep the library on your phone. No sign-up. Adding a 51st book requires upgrading to the paid version (US$29.99).

See the full feature-by-feature comparison