Whether you prefer reading physical paper books or from a screen, the digital app world has a variety of different options that can enhance your bookish lifestyle. While the choices available can be a bit overwhelming, we have researched and taken notes on some of the best platforms from this last year, so you can move forward into 2025 ready to tackle all of your reading goals.
So whether you need a tool to keep track of what books you have read or if you want to immerse yourself in a book club community, read along to explore your best options!
StoryGraph
Personally, I think StoryGraph is currently the best alternative to Goodreads. After many years keeping track of my reading challenges on Goodreads, I’m planning on switching over to StoryGraph entirely in 2025. StoryGraph has some of the same features as the Amazon-owned company, such as the yearly reading challenge, recommendations, and a community. However, there are a few differences, such as a detailed statistics breakdown that includes fun categories like moods, pace, page number, genres, and a few more. These statistics also translate over to filters, which allow you to use the options to decide your next book. The feature to mark a book as Read or Want to read is available but also includes Did not finish.
I have been using the free version but recently upgraded to premium, which offers extra statistics and filters. Personally, my main reason to upgrade was to support a smaller independent company that is owned and operated by a Black woman. From London, Nadia Odunayo is the owner and sole developer of StoryGraph. Premium starts at $5 a month, or $49.99 a year.
Libby
Libby has also been a game changer for me in 2024. It’s helped me to crush my reading goals for this year, as it allows users to connect to their local libraries. So instead of doomscrolling on TikTok, Libby lets me download ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines that I can take with me anywhere I go throughout the world. The program is completely free, with no late fees since books are automatically returned on due dates.
Libby runs mainly on Kindle but also allows for an in-app reader. The benefits continue as users are able to read from either their phone or computer. Filters by genre allow you to find your next favorite read and you can sort them by multiple different custom wish lists. Libby also allows up to 40 books at a time to be placed on hold when there’s a waitlist for those popular book choices.
Libib
For those of us who sometimes forget which books we actually own, Libib has you covered. To avoid buying the same book, Libib creates a home-library cataloging system that can be accessed straight from your phone. But it’s not just for books. Libib can also track movies, music, video games, and even board games! Also part of the system is an option to rate and track what you have read. Plus, you can create tags, multiple collections, and share with your friends.
The basic edition allows for 5,000 entries. However, the premium increases that number to 100,000. So don’t fret, my home library enthusiasts. The cost of the premium is $9 a month or $99 a year.
Bookclubs
Book clubs are a fun way to connect with like-minded bookish friends while participating in a fun way to meet your reading goals. With the Bookclubs app, users can manage all of their book club coordination in one place, down to whether the meeting is digital or in person. The interface includes interactive features, such as discussion forums, rating systems, and recommendations. There’s also a polling system where you can allow your group to choose what they read next.
There are three different options for upgrading: Premium ($5/month), Pro ($15/month), and Pro Plus ($19/month). Premium includes enhanced polling abilities and direct messaging; Pro is mainly an option available for no ads, while Pro Plus includes integrated video meetings within the app.
Bookly
Like Goodreads and StoryGraph, Bookly is a book-tracking app. One feature they share is the yearly reading challenge. However, it’s set up slightly differently, as Bookly tracks the time you read, down to the second. Think of it as a Fitbit for reading, since one of the goals is to monitor and improve your reading speed! If you have trouble staying on track without a reminder, users can set up notifications to help you remember to set aside time to read.
A super cool feature in Bookly is that it builds a visual calendar with the book covers of what you have read to show your progress throughout each month. It’s a perfect way to show off your reading journey on social media and to all of your friends.
With this list of bookish apps, you are now ready to crush all of your reading goals for the new year! Good luck!
To discover more audiobook apps, read our article 5 Awesome Audiobook Apps For Your Listening Pleasure!
Need some book suggestions to kickstart your reading goals? Check out our bookshelf Bookstr Team Recommendations!
