There are many reasons that readers might want to break up with Goodreads, not simply because of its connection to the retail giant, Amazon but also because of the way it allows negative, 1-star reviews to be left for books, particularly LGBTQ+ authored writing, that has not even published yet. (FRA’s Kath did a deep dive on the homophobic review bombing earlier this year if you want to read more about that).
When looking for an alternative to Goodreads, there were two apps that were mentioned a lot; The Storygraph and Fable. These are by far not the only alternative options but they did seem to be the most popular.
First up, both apps allow you to import your data from Goodreads so you won’t need to start from scratch. Storygraph do make this process slightly easier than Fable, however, Fable was an almost immediate transfer while Storygraph took quite a while to load all the titles in. Both apps were unfortunately missing the start dates of each read when tested, and one title on my list for Fable was incorrect so you might need to go through and check some of the lesser known titles.
Both apps also offer features including: a reading challenge similar to Goodreads, a ‘wrapped’ (similar to Spotify) and stats/ insights about your reading. The Storygraph stats and wrapped, however, are a little less aesthetically pleasing that Fable’s, and information on the format of your reading (eBook, physical book, audiobook) might be wrong when it pulls from Goodreads. The Storygraph does reportedly offer more features and stats with the ‘plus plan’.
Fable stats
The storygraph stats
Features not available on Goodreads but built into both of these apps include: a DNF (did not finish) shelf, and the ability to mark a book with half or even quarter stars, perfect for giving your reads a more accurate score. The Storygraph also has a shelf for books you ‘own’ and this is something you could add to Fable if you wanted to, and had the patience to go through your shelves and/or eReader to catalogue.
Additionally, Fable even has a reading streak that can hold you accountable for making time to read every day, sending you notification reminders and bringing an almost competitive element to the app similar to a Duolingo streak (although unlike Duolingo there isn’t an owl to shout at you for not reading today).
Fable reading streak tracker and home feed
Unlike Goodreads, The Storygraph and Fable don’t limit their giveaways to just U.S. and Canadian readers. Storygraph offers easy to enter giveaways across a wide pool of countries while on Fable giveaways are done through ‘bookclubs’ that readers can join to enter and win a free copy, predominately of eBooks.
With regard to appearance and user interation, Fable leads the way ahead of The Storygraph with a great ‘blog’ style feed which features people you follow as well as readers with similar literary tastes. When sharing your own posts to the blog, you can add images, reviews of the books you’ve finished, and book quotes for your most memorable reading moments.
If you also want to track your watching habits as well as reading, then Fable really is the app for you as you can also add lists of TV show, however films are not currently available to list.
Overall, when it comes to personal preference, Fable won the comparison for me. Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to both the books they read and the apps they use though, so the best solution might be to try different options out for yourself. Hopefully though, this comparison might help you decide which app best fits your needs.
