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VERDICT

Should I use The StoryGraph?

Track your reading and discover books with ML-based recommendations. - thestorygraph.com

Worth it. Avid readers who want detailed stats, content warnings, and mood-based recommendations should use it — the free tier is genuinely usable. Skip it if your reading life is social (your friends are on Goodreads) or you only read a few books a year.

Confidence

Medium. Based on 20+ public sources: official site and pricing pages, app-store ratings, and Reddit user threads.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depth
  • Support quality
  • Security posture

Pricing

$0

Free

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes
Plus$49.99/year

Best for

  • Avid readers logging many books
  • Stats and mood-based recommendation fans
  • Privacy-minded Goodreads escapees
  • Book-club organizers

Not for

  • Companies or teams — this is a solo consumer app
  • Casual readers of a few books a year — a spreadsheet is plenty
  • Readers whose friends are all on Goodreads
  • Anyone wanting a dead-simple list, not a stats engine

Gotchas - check before you buy

medium

Plus costs $49.99/year; some users request a cheaper option

medium

Book data isn't yours elsewhere — exporting your library later is the real lock-in risk

medium

Data disappearance bugs have hit logged reads and streaks

low

Free tier has limits; Plus benefits aren't obvious to everyone

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Generous free tier; paid Plus is optional
  • 4.5/5 rating on the Apple App Store
  • ML recommendations built on mood, pace, and themes
  • Content warnings attached to reviews and books
  • Independent, ad-free alternative to Amazon's Goodreads

Cons

  • Smaller user base; some users went back to Goodreads
  • Goodreads imports can drop ISBNs, needing manual fixes
  • Users report sudden missing data breaking reading streaks
  • Active public bug board shows unresolved issues

Sources & method

Analyzed 9/29/2026 - 11 sources - No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

official x3review x7news x1

Key stats

  • Value for money: 4/5

    Rating

  • $0

    Starting price

  • 11

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 4/5. Free core; Plus is cheap yearly
  • Ease of use: 3/5. Import and data-loss complaints recur
  • Feature depth: 4/5. ML recs, stats, content warnings, book clubs
  • Support quality: 3/5. Promises responses; active public bug tracker
  • Security posture: 4/5. No known issues; publishes privacy policy
  • 4.5/5 App Store rating Apple App Store
  • $49.99/year Starting price StoryGraph Plus
  • Yes Free tier Core tracking is free

Pricing

Free

$0

  • Book tracking and reviews
  • Basic recommendations

Plus

$49.99/year

  • Extended stats and features
  • Supports the site's development

Security

No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

What users say

Redditors generally praise the stats and recommendations but cite a smaller social graph, occasional import pain, and rare data bugs.

Full analysis

Based on 20+ public sources: official site and pricing pages, app-store ratings, and Reddit user threads.

Solid free Goodreads alternative for avid readers who love stats; skip if you want friends' feeds or barely track books.

Methodology

Based on 20+ public sources: official site and pricing pages, app-store ratings, and Reddit user threads.

Sources

  1. The StoryGraph homepagethestorygraph.com
    official
  2. The StoryGraph Plus pricingapp.thestorygraph.com
    official
  3. review
  4. review
  5. review
  6. review
  7. review
  8. review
  9. Lower price option requestroadmap.thestorygraph.com
    official
  10. news
  11. review

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