Reading app comparisons

Best Book Tracking Apps for Different Reading Habits

For reviews and shelves, start with Goodreads. For charts and mood filters, consider The StoryGraph. For a personal timer and goals, look at Bookly. For timed reading alongside friends, consider ReadersGuild. The right choice starts with what you want to keep from a sitting.

A ReadersGuild guide. About the publisher. Revised .

We make ReadersGuild. This is a four-app, source-based shortlist, not a hands-on test or a ranking by score. Cards are alphabetical. Read our method and sources.

Bookly

A timed sitting

Time your reading and keep a session record.

  1. 1.Start a timer
  2. 2.Update pages
  3. 3.View a report
Goodreads

A shelf of books

Keep shelves, browse reviews and follow friends.

  1. 1.Find a book
  2. 2.Choose a shelf
  3. 3.Read or review
ReadersGuild

A shared sitting

Bring your own books. Read at the same time.

  1. 1.Invite a friend
  2. 2.Read together
  3. 3.Save a session
The StoryGraph

A view of your reading

Explore charts and choose books by mood.

  1. 1.Log a book
  2. 2.Explore charts
  3. 3.Filter by mood
Illustrated workflows based on the documented features below. These are not app screenshots or a ranking.

Choose the record you want to keep

Four approaches to tracking books, with platforms and free or paid access
AppConsider it forPlatformsAccess
BooklyA personal reading timer and goalsiOS and AndroidFree download with limits; optional Pro subscription
GoodreadsReviews, shelves and book discoveryWeb, iOS and AndroidFree
ReadersGuildTimed reading alongside friendsiPhone; Android email waitlistFree to start with limits; optional Premium
The StoryGraphReading stats and choosing books by moodWeb, iOS and AndroidFree core features; optional Plus

Free download does not mean every feature is free. Check the live local offer. US documentation was reviewed; availability in every country was not tested.

A personal reading timer and goals

Bookly

Its listing describes timed sessions, progress, reading reports, ambient sounds and half-star ratings. Daily, monthly and yearly goals suit a reader who wants a plan around their own sittings.

Check before choosing

Check which reports and limits are included in the current free or Pro offer. Readathons and shared report images serve a different purpose from joining a live reading room.

A small first test

Time a sitting and check whether the resulting report records the things you want to keep.

Read Bookly's official details

Reviews, shelves and book discovery

Goodreads

Keep a read or want-to-read shelf, browse reader reviews and follow friends. Its current iPhone listing also advertises half- and quarter-star ratings, so fractional ratings alone are not a reason to leave.

Check before choosing

Its documented workflow centers on books and progress updates. If timing individual sittings matters, compare a session tracker as well. Check that friends or groups you want to follow actually use it.

A small first test

Find your edition, save a book and inspect the reviews you would use to choose your next read.

Read Goodreads's official details

Timed reading alongside friends

ReadersGuild

Keep books and timed sessions together, or invite a friend into a shared reading room. Each person brings their own book. This is the product we make, and the room workflow is why it belongs in this shortlist.

Check before choosing

The app is not available on Android or as a web tracker. It does not supply ebook text, and a room only has company when other readers join. Premium is optional; check the limits and localized offer in the app.

A small first test

Add one book and save a short session before moving a whole library. Invite a friend if shared reading is the reason you chose it.

Read ReadersGuild's official details

Reading stats and choosing books by mood

The StoryGraph

Charts, mood and pace filters, content warnings and private progress notes support a reader who wants to understand their choices. Buddy reads let people discuss a book with reactions hidden until others reach the relevant part.

Check before choosing

Some custom charts, filters and comparisons require Plus. Book-based discussions and live rooms where people bring different books are different workflows; choose the one you want.

A small first test

Explore the standard stats and a mood filter, then check Plus only if you need a specific extra chart.

Read The StoryGraph's official details

Try one book before moving a library

Add a title, record one sitting and check the result. Can you find where you stopped? Does it record the unit you use: pages, percentage or audio minutes? Are the features you need available on your device and plan? Keep your old account and original files until you know what transfers.

Get a Goodreads library backupPrefer paper? Copy a free reading log

ReadersGuild for iPhone

Read together, with your own books.

Open a reading room and share its code with a friend. Read quietly together, without an assigned title or a discussion to prepare.

See reading together on iPhone

Free to start. Optional paid upgrades. Android is on the email waitlist.

Recorded app demonstration with sample activity. Room availability depends on who joins.

How we compared the apps

Published by ReadersGuild, a reading app. Sources reviewed October 31, 2026: public product documentation and available store listings. This is a source-based comparison, not a hands-on competitor test. Recommendations reflect the task each product documents. Store offers and platform features can vary by region and version.

Questions before choosing