Tracking the books we read can be fun + very helpful. Having fun bookish apps to help you can be beneficial and fun! It can be hard to keep track of the different things we read, when we read them, and what we thought about them. Especially if you end up doing something like a reading challenge or have a large break in reading due to a personal setback of some sort. The main book tracking app has been Goodreads for years, but in recent times, there have been some really awesome ones that have popped out into the world, and I think more people need to know about them.
I will start with my (new) favorite bookish app, and go down the list of the top 5 bookish apps that I use or have used recently.
Here We Go: Bookish Apps You Need!
Storygraph
Storygraph is the first one I switched to from Goodreads (even though I do still use Goodreads, and will have an author page there when I finish my book). (You can follow me on Goodreads here) Storygraph offers book tracking and insights into your book tracking. The insights provide all kinds of information around the books you read and when you read them. Pretty neat. They also have really awesome reading challenges that offer real prizes, which is always super fun. The challenges are free, too, unlike many other places that charge for a challenge that includes a prize.
Fable
Fable is my second-favorite book-tracking app. This bookish app has a fantasy-like feel to its layout and aesthetic, and it is extremely user-friendly. After using it for a while, Fable provides a “smart summary” of the books you’ve been reading. Organized by themes, and I love that it tells me what I’ve been reading based on emotions and tropes. That helps me with my own mood tracking. It’s also a social media app where you can connect with others who share a passion for books, and you can host online book clubs within the app as well.
You can find me on Fable here.
Pagebound
Pagebound is a women-owned direct challenge app for Goodreads. They offer many things that Goodreads doesn’t, along with a wonderfully colorful and exciting interface. There are book groups for every book and type of person who wants to connect with others who share similar reading interests. You can chat about the book, meet new people based on books you both read, and join challenges as well.
You can find me on Pagebound here.
Bookly
Bookly is a simple-to-use book tracking app – also with fun challenges. There is a pro and a free version of this app. The interface is very modern and easy on the eyes. You get to have a blob that you can buy clothes for using diamonds you earn from reading, which is just all Tamagotchi for us millennials. I like playing with Bookly (I just recently downloaded this one) because how fun is it to read, earn diamonds, and dress a book blob?!
Bookmory
As of writing this post, I have not tried this one, but it is one that is on my list to try. This app seems great because it also offers a book timer and a place to take notes and store them when you are reading your book, while also allowing you to track your books. There is also a neat feature that allows you to choose different backgrounds and share quotes from the book you are reading or notes you have taken.
If you thrive with structured apps, colorful spreadsheets, or journaling each chapter, that’s wonderful. But if you’d rather just remember what you read by how it made you feel, that’s just as valid. There’s no single right way to be a reader.
Book tracking tools like Goodreads, StoryGraph, Pagebound, Bookly, Bookmory, Fable, or even simple pen-and-paper reading journals all serve different purposes. Some readers love analyzing their habits—how many books they read per month, what genres they gravitate toward, or how diverse their authors are. Others use tracking simply as a memory aid, jotting down titles and brief thoughts so they can recommend favorites later or revisit beloved passages.
But here’s the thing: none of those methods should feel like a chore. If you find yourself dreading updating your tracker or feeling guilty because you’re behind on your reading goal, it might be time to reevaluate. Maybe you’re reading less because you’re spending more time tracking than enjoying. Or maybe you feel pressure to read what’s trending instead of what you’re genuinely interested in. That’s the kind of energy that can slowly chip away at your love for reading, and it’s completely okay to step back.
You also don’t have to share everything you read. Private reading is just as meaningful as public reading. The idea that every book needs a rating or a review can take away from the simple act of letting a story sit with you, uninterrupted by algorithms or likes. If you love writing reviews, keep doing it! But if you don’t, it’s okay to read quietly and just move on.
In short, your reading life is yours. If tracking enhances your experience—if it makes you feel more connected, more inspired, or more organized—then lean into it. But if it starts to feel performative or overwhelming, it’s okay to let go. Give yourself permission to read in a way that suits your life, your schedule, and your joy. Trends come and go, but your love of stories is what lasts. So choose the tools that enhance that love, and leave the rest behind.
Do you have any other bookish apps you use in your daily life that can be added to this list?!