The more avid book lovers among us know that reading is not just an activity; it’s a lifestyle, affecting what you wear, how you interact on social media, what podcasts you listen to, and what you talk about with your friends. But what platforms allow you to track your reading and reviews, divorced from certain big-box retailers?
Whether you’re building your bookshelves, finding your next audiobook, or curating your book recommendations list, there are plenty of bookish websites and apps that can enhance your reading life. Here at Libro.fm, we’re recommending 10 of the best apps and websites to help you live an amazing bookish life, all while supporting small businesses!.
The StoryGraph
Looking for personalized book recommendations? The StoryGraph is a tool to help readers find their next—well, story. Users can take a brief survey about their reading preferences based on genres, themes, mood, and more. From there, The StoryGraph recommend the books in their database most suited to those preferences. Their site also offers reading challenges to get you started and a community board where you can see what other users are reading in real-time. Download the app here.
Cost: Ranges from free to $4.99/month
Libro.fm
Hi! That’s us. Libro.fm is your alternative to Audible. We offer a membership at the same price, but with us, your purchases help support independent bookshops. With over 500,000+ audiobooks in our catalog, there’s something for every reader, whether you enjoy fantasy, non-fiction, or young adult titles. We make it easy to download or stream your favorite audiobooks, with features like Bookseller Recommendations, sleep timers, narration speeds, and plenty more.
Want to learn more? Learn how it works, start a membership in support of an independent bookstore, or read our story!
Cost: Free apps, membership prices vary based on monthly plan
Libby
With Libby, you can borrow audiobooks, ebooks, and more from your local library. It’s a great way to minimize costs on new releases and favorite books.
Cost: Free
Libib
Libib allows users to catalog not just books, but also movies, music, and video games. With features to add notes, tag content, and keep track of book reviews, it’s perfect for book lovers who want to avoid duplicate purchases and build a well-curated library.
Cost: Free for personal collections.
Bookclubs
If you’ve ever been in a book club, you know all too well the long email chains and group messages that come with it. But Bookclubs makes organizing your next book club meeting easier with tools to send invites, collect RSVPs, and choose books via polls. It’s a seamless platform for dedicated book lovers who want to focus on their reading lists and skip planning headaches.
Cost: $5 to $19/month
BookClub
BookClub is a platform for companies who want to encourage developmental reading amongst employees. They offer discussions based on books and customized group learning programs for companies.
Cost: Ranges from free to custom pricing.
Bookshop.org
When you want a new book, your first stop should be your local bookstore (in-person or online) or library—but in a crunch, Bookshop.org is another great option. A percentage of every purchase goes directly to your local bookshop.
Cost: Dependent on how many books you buy
Bookly
Bookly is a reading companion app for bookworms. It allows readers to track reading habits, review book covers, and set monthly or weekly reading goals. With features like the ability to scan ISBNs, track reading time, and log thoughts, Bookly looks at the data side of your reading. It’s perfect for those who like to set challenges and build reading lists while seeing their progress in a tangible way.
Cost: Free
Book Marks
Founded by Lit Hub, Book Marks is an aggregator of book reviews and critical conversations about contemporary writing.
Cost: Free
Wattpad
Wattpad is a great place to discover writers, read some fanfiction, and interact with authors as they upload their stories in installments. There’s a free version, and there are lots of stories you can read without spending any money. You can browse by genre ; YA, fantasy, and romance are big there (and werewolf lit is its own category), but you’ll also find thrillers, mystery, nonfiction, poetry, and more! Read away, while helping new writers get discovered.
Cost: Ranges from free, $4.99/month and $7.49/month
Know of another bookworm-friendly app or website?
Let us know in the comments!
Overdrive
Added under Libby. Thanks, Beth!
I would add Libib! It helps me keep track of the books/movies I already own, so I don’t duplicate purchases. It will also be enormously helpful if there’s ever a fire or flood (god forbid, knock on wood!).
Added, and quoted you briefly in the post as well. Thanks, Amber!
The only one I would add to the list is Libib. It’s a great tool if your personal library needs a little organizing.
Added! Thanks, Gabrielle!
I use StoryGraph for statistics, they’re are awesome! But I would also add to the list the Uncover app 😊. I use it to look for books if I want some specific topic- it has tagged books in search. And you can scroll other readers shelves to find new books.
Take a look at BingeBooks A website, not an app, but loads of cool features including list building/sharing and ½ star reviews! And lots of book excerpts too
[disclosure, I’m part of the start up team]
https://bingebooks.com/welcome
I know you already mentioned Litsy, but you’ve forgotten LibraryThing? I love using LibraryThing as a way to self-track what I’m reading as well as find a place to keep track of how many series I’m reading as well as curating a personal space of where I know what books I own, etc. It also has movies and audiobooks in the catalogue. I wasn’t sure if this was a site you were looking for or if Litsy which is part of LibraryThing is more of what you were seeking instead. I always tell people I joined LibraryThing as an alternative to GoodReads which is why I’m sharing it here.
Hi Jorie! Thanks for sharing—we’re glad you find LibraryThing useful. We’re trying to keep this blog post limited to companies that aren’t affiliated with Amazon. Unfortunately AbeBooks, a subsidiary of Amazon, owns 40% of LibraryThing.
It’s been around forever and isn’t glamorous, but LibraryThing is a great place to keep track of what you read. I really like the book cover view where you can see your specific collections. It lets me post composite views of, for instance, books read in 2022, favorite books of the year, or books reviewed for …
Hi Didi! Thanks for sharing that things you like about LibraryThing! We’re trying to keep this blog post limited to companies that aren’t affiliated with Amazon—unfortunately AbeBooks, a subsidiary of Amazon, owns 40% of LibraryThing.
I’m so excited to read this one. It’s wonderful!!