What should you check before and after switching book tracker apps?

Before you export

1. 1Write down your book counts: total, read, want to read, currently reading, DNF.
2. 2Give every paused book one shelf named "paused".
3. 3Mark abandoned books DNF rather than leaving them in currently reading.
4. 4Delete duplicate editions of the same book.
5. 5Note your current reading goal and progress toward it.
6. 6Screenshot your yearly stats if you care about them; they will not move.

Export

7. 7Export from the website, not the app, where the app has no export (Goodreads).
8. 8Save the file with the date in its name and keep a second copy.
9. 9Open it in a spreadsheet and check the row count against step 1.

Import

10. 10Try the new app for two weeks with real books before importing years of history.
11. 11Import the file; Literal can read a public Goodreads profile instead.
12. 12Wait for the import to finish fully before editing anything.

After import

13. 13Compare book counts with step 1.
14. 14Spot-check ten read dates, oldest and newest first.
15. 15Spot-check five reviews and their ratings, including half stars if you used them.
16. 16Fix statuses that did not map: paused, owned, DNF (see the crosswalk).
17. 17Update progress on books you are currently reading.
18. 18Set your reading goal again.
19. 19Re-add friends and rejoin clubs or groups.
20. 20Decide what to do with the old account: keep it for friends, make it private, or delete it after a month.

Why is each step there?

Steps 1 and 9 catch silent losses: an export that stops early, or a shelf that did not come across. Steps 2 to 4 stop the most common post-import mess, which is paused and abandoned books all landing in currently reading. Step 6 exists because stats are calculated, not stored: you will get new stats in the new app, but your old charts will not move. Step 10 is the most skipped and the most useful: an app you dislike after two weeks is much easier to leave before you import ten years of data. Our two-week trial plan covers it.

Where do you find each app's import and export options?

The import and export table lists every app's formats, and the status crosswalk shows how shelves map. If you are leaving Goodreads for good, follow deleting your Goodreads account in that order: export, import, check, then delete. Not sure which tracker suits you? Reading Tracker Compare matches trackers to reader types.

Questions

Sources

1. 1Literal, Goodreads import guide
2. 2Goodreads Help, Import or export your books