StoryGraph vs Goodreads: which book tracker should you use in 2026?
Best Book Tracker Apps editors · Data refreshed 14 October 2026 · Editorial assessment
For getting back into a book without spoilers, The StoryGraph scores 6.30 to Goodreads' 5.35. As a tracker, The StoryGraph has far better stats, a smoother way to move your data and a lighter privacy label. Choose Goodreads if your friends and book clubs are already there; its community and catalogue are much larger, and it has no paid tier.
The StoryGraph
Deepest reading statsThe strongest all-round reading tracker: the deepest stats, easy Goodreads import and spoiler-aware buddy reads.
Price, checked Sep 27, 2026
- Free core app
- StoryGraph Plus: $4.99 a month or $49.99 a year (US App Store)
Goodreads
Biggest communityThe biggest catalogue and community, free, but with simpler stats, no public API and Amazon's data practices.
Price, checked Sep 27, 2026
- Free, no subscription
Verdict: StoryGraph for stats and privacy; Goodreads for community and catalogue size.
Every head-to-head on this site compares on the weights of our one scored ranking, Best apps for getting back into a book without spoilers.
How do StoryGraph and Goodreads compare, criterion by criterion?
| Criterion | Weight | The StoryGraph | Goodreads | Better for this |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spoiler safety | 30 | 7 | 4 | StoryGraph |
| Getting back into the story | 30 | 4 | 4 | Tie |
| Price | 15 | 8 | 9 | Goodreads |
| Privacy | 10 | 6 | 4 | StoryGraph |
| Logging | 15 | 8 | 8 | Tie |
| Weighted total | 100 | 6.30 | 5.35 | StoryGraph |
Where does StoryGraph win?
- Stats and goals: mood, pace, genre and rating charts, against Goodreads' Reading Challenge and Year in Books.
- Portability: imports your Goodreads shelves and offers a CSV export; the Goodreads API stopped issuing new keys in December 2020.
- Privacy: scores 6 against 4; the Goodreads App Store label lists marketing among the uses of data linked to you.
- Buddy reads with spoiler-safe reactions tied to specific parts of a book.
Where does Goodreads win?
- Community: the largest reader network, with friends, groups, online book clubs and author giveaways.
- Catalogue: the book you scan is almost always already listed.
- Price: free, with nothing behind a paywall. StoryGraph Plus costs $49.99 a year.
How much do they cost?
The StoryGraph
Price, checked Sep 27, 2026
- Free core app
- StoryGraph Plus: $4.99 a month or $49.99 a year (US App Store)
Goodreads
Price, checked Sep 27, 2026
- Free, no subscription
The facts, no scores
| Fact | The StoryGraph | Goodreads |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | iPhone, iPad, Android, web | iPhone, iPad, Android, web |
| Price | Free core app; StoryGraph Plus: $4.99 a month or $49.99 a year (US App Store) | Free, no subscription |
| Goals | Yes | Yes |
| Stats | Yes | Yes |
| Clubs | Yes | Yes |
| Import/Export | Yes | Yes |
| Scan (barcode or page photo) | Yes | Yes |
Which should you choose?
Most readers who want to understand their reading habits will be happier on StoryGraph, and moving is easy because it imports your Goodreads shelves. If you mainly use a tracker to see what friends are reading and to join big group reads, Goodreads is still where the people are. Many readers keep both for a while.
- Choose StoryGraph if you want charts, half-star ratings, content warnings and a way out of Amazon's ecosystem.
- Choose Goodreads if your friends, clubs and favourite authors are there and you want everything free.
Questions about StoryGraph vs Goodreads
Can I use StoryGraph and Goodreads at the same time?
Yes. Import your Goodreads shelves into StoryGraph once, then log new books in whichever app you use most. They do not sync with each other automatically.
Does StoryGraph import Goodreads reviews and ratings?
StoryGraph imports your currently-reading, read, to-read and did-not-finish shelves and turns custom shelves into tags. Check your ratings after the import.
Is Goodreads or StoryGraph better for privacy?
Both App Store labels list data linked to you. The Goodreads label also lists marketing among the uses, so we score StoryGraph 6 and Goodreads 4 on privacy.