Reading notes.
Literal is reworking Clubs: what should your book club do now?
Existing Literal clubs still work, but the current version is being sunset. What Literal said, what to save, and where other trackers stand on clubs and spoilers.
Best Book Tracker Apps editors · 29 October 2026 · 4 min read · Facts checked 29 October 2026
Bottom line.Literal said in May 2026: "We're sunsetting the current version of Clubs. Existing clubs still work in the meantime." It moved the Clubs link from the main navigation into the avatar menu and said it is building something new. Nothing forces you to move today. Keep running your club, save its schedule and reading list somewhere you control, and if you want an alternative now, Fable is built around clubs with spoiler-free discussion spaces, and The StoryGraph offers book clubs and buddy reads that keep comments locked until you reach them.
What exactly did Literal announce?
Literal's changelog entry, titled "Clubs are being reworked", says: "We're sunsetting the current version of Clubs. Existing clubs still work in the meantime, but we've moved the link out of the main nav and into your avatar menu." It adds that Literal is "building something that's a better fit for actually bringing readers together." When we checked on 29 October 2026, the changelog had no later entry giving a shutdown date or describing the replacement.
Until now, Literal's book club page has promoted clubs of any size, public or private, for free, and our Literal review credited it for schedules, threaded discussion and spoiler-aware sections by chapter. That credit now carries a note about the sunset. No score changed.
What should a Literal club organiser do now?
- Keep meeting. Literal says existing clubs still work. Find the link under your avatar menu.
- Write down your club's reading list, current schedule and member list outside the app, in a shared document or spreadsheet. Our book club reading schedule template is a ready-made format.
- Copy any discussion you want to keep. We found no club export published by Literal, so assume threads may not come with you.
- Watch Literal's changelog for the replacement before you move a whole club; the new version may suit you.
- If you decide to move, pick the new home together and set a start date at the beginning of a new book, not in the middle of one.
Which other trackers publish book club features?
| App | Club features published | Spoiler handling | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fable | Public or private clubs for books and TV shows | Spoiler-free discussion spaces | Free core app; Fable Plus $5.99 a month or $49.99 a year for extra goals and stats |
| The StoryGraph | Book clubs and buddy reads | Buddy read comments stay locked until other readers reach that point | Free core app; Plus $4.99 a month or $49.99 a year |
| Goodreads | Groups and online book clubs | Spoiler tags in reviews, used at the writer's choice | Free |
| Literal | Clubs with schedules and chapter sections (current version being sunset) | Spoiler-aware sections by chapter | Free |
We found no book clubs published by Hardcover, BookBuddy, Bookly, Basmo or Magic Bookmark. Outside the apps we rank, the App Store lists "Thus Far: No-Spoiler Book Club", which describes itself as a way to track and talk at your chapter; we have not reviewed it.
Our guide to book club apps without spoilers goes through setting up a club in each one.
How do you keep a club spoiler-free after a move?
Every club has fast and slow readers, and the risk is the same in any app: someone posts about chapter 20 while someone else is on chapter 9. Agree on a schedule with checkpoints, use the app's spoiler controls if it has them, and keep one thread or room per section. For members who fall behind, a recap that stops at their page lets them catch up without reading ahead: Kindle's Story So Far for supported Kindle ebooks in the U.S., or Magic Bookmark for its supported titles in print, ebook or audiobook on iPhone.
Should your club change trackers too?
Not necessarily. A club app and a personal tracker can be different apps. Literal itself remains a free tracker with no ads, Goodreads import from your public profile and a developer API, whatever happens to Clubs. If you track elsewhere, the book tracker facts page compares all eight trackers we cover without scores, and readingtrackercompare.com matches trackers to reader types.
Questions
Q1Is Literal shutting down?
No. Literal said it is sunsetting the current version of Clubs, not the app. Existing clubs still work in the meantime, and the tracker itself continues.
Q2Do Literal clubs still work?
Yes, according to Literal's May 2026 changelog. The Clubs link moved from the main navigation into the avatar menu.
Q3What is the best alternative to Literal clubs?
Fable is built around clubs and offers spoiler-free discussion spaces. The StoryGraph has book clubs and buddy reads with comments locked until you reach them. Goodreads has the largest community through groups.
Q4Can I export my Literal club?
We found no club export published by Literal. Save your reading list, schedule and any discussion you want to keep before you move.