How do you move from Goodreads to The StoryGraph?

Best Book Tracker Apps editors · Data refreshed 3 November 2026 · Editorial assessment

Bottom line.Export your library from Goodreads on a computer (My Books, then Import and export, then Export Library), then upload the .csv file on The StoryGraph's Goodreads import page, which you reach from your StoryGraph account once you are signed in. StoryGraph imports your currently-reading, read, to-read and did-not-finish shelves and turns other custom shelves into tags. Friends, groups and your Reading Challenge history stay on Goodreads, so many readers keep both accounts for a while.

Facts checked 29 October 2026

What should you do before you start?

Decide whether you are moving or adding. You can keep Goodreads for its community and use StoryGraph for stats; see StoryGraph vs Goodreads.
Tidy your Goodreads shelves first. Books on the wrong shelf will land on the wrong shelf in StoryGraph too.
If you used a custom DNF shelf, consider moving those books to Goodreads' Did Not Finish shelf, added in March 2026, so they arrive as a status rather than a tag.
Note your Reading Challenge totals by year if you care about them; they are a Goodreads feature.

What are the steps?

On a computer, sign in to Goodreads, go to My Books, click Import and export under Tools, then click Export Library. Download the .csv file when the link appears. Full detail: exporting your Goodreads library.
Create a free StoryGraph account at thestorygraph.com if you do not have one.
Signed in to StoryGraph on the web, open its Import Goodreads page at app.thestorygraph.com/import-goodreads, the address StoryGraph's own support articles give.
Upload the .csv file and start the import. Large libraries can take a while.
When it finishes, check the shelves and tags as described below.
Explore what StoryGraph adds on top: mood, pace and genre charts, and content warnings.

What moves across, and what does not?

What a Goodreads to StoryGraph move carries, from both apps' published pages, checked 29 October 2026
Item	Moves?	Notes
Currently reading, read, to-read shelves	Yes	StoryGraph lists these as imported shelves.
Did-not-finish shelf	Yes	StoryGraph lists DNF among the imported shelves and has its own DNF marker.
Other custom shelves	As tags	StoryGraph turns custom shelves into tags.
Read dates	The latest one	Goodreads exports only the most recent finish date per book, with no start dates, according to Hardcover's FAQ. Add earlier reads by hand.
Owned books and editions	Yes, if in the file	StoryGraph's import format reads the Owned Copies and ISBN13 columns; the ISBN picks the edition.
Friends and followers	No	We found no friends import published by StoryGraph; add people again.
Groups and their discussions	No	Goodreads groups stay on Goodreads. StoryGraph has its own book clubs and buddy reads.
Reading Challenge history	No	Note your yearly totals; StoryGraph runs its own challenges and goals.

Ratings, reviews and dates are part of what you recorded in the Goodreads file. Spot-check them after the import, because editions and dates are where mismatches tend to show.

How do you check the import worked?

Compare the number of books on your StoryGraph read list with your Goodreads read shelf.
Open five books from different years and check the rating and the read dates.
Open your tags and confirm each old custom shelf became a tag with the right books.
Check two or three books you read in translation or in an unusual edition; these are the likeliest to match a different edition.
Keep the Goodreads .csv file. If something went wrong, it is your source of truth.

Should you keep Goodreads after moving?

Many readers do. Goodreads has the largest community and the yearly Reading Challenge, and Goodreads added a DNF shelf in March 2026 and half and quarter star ratings in October 2026, which removed two old reasons to leave. The StoryGraph has the deepest stats of the trackers we cover, an ad-free app, and since June 2026 a Kobo sync that brings Kobo reading progress into StoryGraph automatically. Logging in two places is a chore, so pick one as your main log and treat the other as a social or stats layer.

If you want help choosing, the book tracker facts page lists all eight trackers we cover without scores.

Can you go back from StoryGraph to Goodreads?

Yes. StoryGraph offers a CSV export from its settings (app.thestorygraph.com/user-export), emailed to you as a link, and Goodreads imports .csv files on desktop as long as each book has an ISBN. Goodreads' help page suggests splitting large files into files of fewer than 500 books and basing them on its sample import file. A file exported by one app may need its columns renamed to match the other's sample, so try a small test file first.

Questions

Q1Can I import a spreadsheet that did not come from Goodreads?

Yes, if you reformat it. StoryGraph's support article says it only processes Goodreads-format files, but a personal spreadsheet works when the headings match its sample exactly and Title, Author, My Rating, Date Added, Exclusive Shelf and Read Count are filled in for every row.

Q2Does StoryGraph import my DNF books from Goodreads?

Yes. StoryGraph lists did-not-finish among the Goodreads shelves it imports, alongside currently reading, read and to-read.

Q3Will my Goodreads custom shelves come across?

Yes, as tags. StoryGraph turns custom shelves into tags rather than shelves.

Q4Do I lose my Goodreads friends if I move to StoryGraph?

Your Goodreads friends stay on Goodreads. We found no friends import published by StoryGraph, so add people on StoryGraph again if they use it.

Q5Can I use Goodreads and StoryGraph at the same time?

Yes. Many readers keep Goodreads for community and the Reading Challenge and use StoryGraph for stats. Pick one as your main log to avoid double entry.