A few months ago I compared the classic reader website, Goodreads, to the newer StoryGraph, and a lot of people seemed to find it helpful. Goodreads is a staple for most authors and readers because it’s such a big platform, but not everyone wants to support a website made by Amazon. Additionally, Goodreads is notorious for its ancient interface and absence of regular updates. Readers are ready for alternatives, and I’ve decided to start a new blogging series dedicated to finding Amazon alternatives (or, Goodreads alternatives for now). Today, I want to discuss whether Readerly works as an alternative to Goodreads.
Readerly is a new app that self-identifies as an app designed by readers for readers. Instead of relying on algorithms and starred ratings, Readerly strives to recommend books based on readers’ similarities. Readerly has an exciting premise for book lovers, but is it really a good alternative to Goodreads?
What exactly does readerly do? Let’s dive in.
Gists instead of reviews
“Gists” are basically a 200-character tweet about a book followed by your choice of formatted slides to provide further information. You can include a slide with your favorite quote, a list of things to know, a character description, and more. Gists are perfect for readers who struggle to write reviews without a format and for readers who just want a general impression of a book. They are also more visual and easier to digest, making them a great option for those who struggle to get through lengthy reviews.
However, if you like your long, in-depth reviews Readerly might not work for you. Although there’s an option to provide a link to another site, this requires writing your review as a gist and again as a paragraph formatted review on another site. This takes a lot of extra work which can be hard to keep up with, especially if you’re trying to post on multiple platforms already.
No Starred Ratings
Another major difference between Readerly and other bookish sites is the absence of starred ratings. According to readerly, average star ratings are a reductive way to decide whether a book is worth reading or not. Instead, readers are recommended books by other readers with similar tastes.
I think excluding starred ratings is great for a lot of readers. I definitely find myself biased against books with an average below 4 stars, even if the description of the book matches what I’m looking for perfectly.
However, Readerly isn’t completely free of rating systems. You still have the option of rating a book on a scale from “a favorite” to “not for me” with the additional options of “did not finish” and “neutral/unsure”. The difference is, that there’s no average rating to look at on a book’s page.
In addition to solving average rating-related bias, Readerly’s rating system is a lot easier to interpret for readers. Three stars can mean a lot of things depending on the reader, but the difference between a book you’d recommend and a favorite is a lot more clear.
When it comes to reviews and ratings, Readerly has gone in a completely different direction than Goodreads. With no long reviews and average ratings, readers will have to adjust to a new way of browsing books. Readerly isn’t trying to replace Goodreads in this sense. Instead, it provides an alternative for readers who’re looking for something different.
Social features
- Can like and comment on Gists
- Write “takes” after finishing a book, which other people can like and comment on.
- Create and join private groups to share Gists (Readerly+ feature*)
- Join “Venn Groups” with readers that have similar tastes in books (Readerly+ feature*)
Compared to Goodreads, Readerly doesn’t have as many social options, particularly for non-premium members. Similar to Goodreads, Readerly allows users to like and comment on others’ reviews, or Gists, but unlike Goodreads, Readerly only allows premium members to form groups.
Book recommendations and lists
On readerly, book recommendations are based on how much your reading taste overlaps with other reviewers. So, instead of being recommended books that just have high ratings and marketing privilege, you’re recommended books that similar readers enjoyed.
You can also find books by exploring lists of the most popular books by genre and date published. When you bookmark books you’re interested you can add them to your own lists to keep them organized, similar to the Goodreads shelves feature.
Reading Stats
Another of Readerly’s features that differ from Goodreads is the addition of reading stats, which tracks the number of books read, pages read, length, and ratings you give each book. There are also separate features that track where the books you’ve read are located in the world, what time period they’re set in, and what genre they fall under. All of these features are visible from your profile page in addition to a feature that tracks the number of books you’ve read by your most-read authors.
Reading Challenges
Like Goodreads, Readerly has a yearly reading challenge that allows you to set a goal for the number of books you want to read in a given year. Readerly also provides additional challenges like the AAPI and LGBTQIA+ reading challenges for readers who want to further challenge themselves.
Readerly+
The last major difference between Goodreads and Readerly is the addition of Readerly+, in which users can pay for premium features. Since Readerly is a small business that is not run by a megacorporation, it’s understandable that it would put some of its features behind a paywall. However, most of Readerly’s features are still free to anyone with the app. There are exactly three features that are only available to premium members: private groups, new releases, and book ratings & Venn groups. Private groups allow users to create groups with their friends where they can share Gists and discuss books. New releases, as the name suggests, is a feature that allows users to browse new releases in their favorite genres. Book ratings & Venn groups group readers together based on how much their reading tastes have in common.
Basically, Readerly+ is a great option if you want more access to social features and new releases through Readerly, but everything else is free.
Is Readerly user-friendly?
In my opinion, no. Although I’m probably biased because I’ve used Goodreads for years, but am not as familiar with Readerly. However, it seemed to me that Readerly didn’t have a very logical organization. When I’m using the app, I often find myself clicking around trying to find the feature I’m looking for. I also say this after starting to use The StoryGraph only a couple of years ago. I didn’t have as much trouble navigating The StoryGraph, even though it was also a completely new reading app. Readerly might be fine for regular users, but there’s definitely a learning curve for anyone looking to start using the app.
How does readerly compare to Goodreads?
The biggest difference between the two platforms seems to be how books are reviewed and recommended. Readerly deprioritizes long reviews and star ratings in favor of recommendations based on readers’ tastes.
Goodreads on the other hand allows long, written reviews with the average starred rating immediately visible when you look at a book. Book recommendations are not prioritized by Goodreads, and often do not reflect the reader’s taste in books.
The social side of Readerly is fairly similar to Goodreads, except that only Readerly+ members are allowed to create and join groups. For some readers, Readerly might make up for its loss in social features in the fact that it offers reading stats and challenges not found on Goodreads.
So, does Readerly work as an alternative to Goodreads?
It can, but only if you’re looking for something different.
Readerly has some great features, especially for a new app designed by just a few people. However, it’s really not a good replacement for Goodreads if you’re looking for an app that does the same thing. From the Gists without starred ratings to Venn groups for Readerly+ members, Readerly is vastly different from Goodreads. It’s a great option if you like the shorter review format and want more personalized book recommendations. However, if you’re looking for a similar app to replace Goodreads, I recommend checking out The StoryGraph instead.
Have you tried Readerly? What did you think of the new reading app? Let’s chat in the comments!
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Peyton
I agree. Some of the functions, like the pie chart analysis of your reading tastes, are fun but I think it needs to grow a bit more before it can compete with GR. If you just want to gush about your books and not care if anyone reads it, Readerly works, but for those trying to reach an audience, there’s no contest.
Yeah, that’s definitely true!! I think especially after starting The StoryGraph I’m more aware of Goodreads alternatives that do a better job at being Goodreads But Better.
To me, Rederly doesn’t seem like a book review site. More like social media for book lovers? It’s definitely a good option for something different…. but not if you’re looking for something similar.