I’ve used Goodreads consistently for probably a year now, though I have it tracking back to 2021 thanks to my journaling and book keeping (get it?), so I have several hundred books on my shelves, either having been read, or sitting on my TBR.

I mostly enjoy Goodreads, and like the tools that it has. I like being able to sort my shelves, I’ve gotten some good recommendations from there, and I think it does an okay job. I have my gripes (which I will get into), but I’ve been content enough with how it works for me.

Lately, I’ve been seeing a lot of people migrating away from Goodreads, or recommending other sites to use. My curiosity has been piqued. I wouldn’t call myself loyal to Goodreads in any sense of the word, so I feel no shame whatsoever in deciding to try out a few alternatives to see if there is another tracker out there that I prefer.

I settled on two to try out: Fable and StoryGraph. These are the two that I’ve seen mentioned the most, and they conveniently allow you to directly transfer data from Goodreads, which is the only reason I’m doing this (if I had to manually transfer my data I’d be outttttt).

So for the past month or so, I’ve been using three book tracking sites. Here are my pros and cons of all three, and my official consensus at the end.

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Goodreads

Pros:

• What I’ve been using, so it’s comforting and familiar to me
• Has given me some really great recommendations and it’s easy to track them
• I have several friends on there and it’s fun to get all their updates
• Has monthly challenges and helps me stay on track with my yearly goal
• I don’t have a Kindle, but I know people like that Kindle Unlimited is connected to it

Cons:

• Owned by Amazon, a big stinky corporation, who doesn’t give the site much attention so it feels very outdated
• Doesn’t allow half stars on ratings
• Kinda lacking in the book tracking and statistics department

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Fable

Pros:

• Has a way to mark books as DNF
• Daily reading tracker, which is fun, as well as some GREAT charts and statistics that are readily available
• Does allow half and even quarter stars (which is great but did require me to update my imported reviews)

Cons:

• Mostly an app, when I prefer browser versions for tracking statistics (app is very well optimized though!)
• Does have a premium version, but works perfectly fine without upgrading
• Feels a little too much like a social media site, when I’m not really looking for a Twitter or Threads just for books

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StoryGraph

Pros:

• Has a website and app, both of which are well optimized
• Really great tracking and statistics tools, lots of charts which I like
• Independent platform
• Half and quarter star options like Fable

Cons:

• Did take several days for my Goodreads data to be uploaded, so be prepared for that
• A little hard to edit the Goodreads imports that didn’t fully transfer, like books that I reread not counting multiple times
• Also has a pro option, but like Fable, isn’t required to have a good experience
• Feels a little clunky at times? But I feel like it will improve rapidly knowing the activeness of the producers

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So, after comparing all three, what’s my consensus?

I think I still like Goodreads the most. I know, I know. But it’s the standard, is familiar, works for what I need it to, and has all my stuff on it. I’ll likely continue to use this as my primary site, as things stand now.

Between StoryGraph and Fable, I think I like StoryGraph more. I prefer browser versions when it comes to book tracking, since I write my reviews and articles on my computer, too, so Fable being primarily mobile was a deal breaker for me. If you do like mobile versions, I do think it’s worth it. Just not for me.

I’m going to continue trying out StoryGraph. I really like the stats it tracks and the great graphs it provides. It’s visually pleasing and tickles the part of me that likes charts too much. I do think it has some ways to improve, which I hope will get added in the future, but it works well as it is now and can only go up. I look forward to seeing where it goes from here!

Clearly, there are pros and cons for all three, and everyone is going to have their thoughts. That’s part of the reason why there are so many options! What works for me may not for another person. Deal breakers for me may be just fine for someone else. What I do think it important is giving different programs a chance, just like it’s important to give new books a chance. There’s a book out there for everyone, just like there’s a book keeping system for everyone.

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