Which reading tracker apps are free, and what does free actually cover?

What does "free" mean for a reading tracker?

Four different things, depending on the app:

• Free with nothing to buy: the whole app costs nothing.
• Free core, optional subscription: logging, shelves and the basics are free; a paid tier adds extra stats, goal types or perks.
• Free up to a limit: everything works until you reach a cap, then you pay once or subscribe.
• Free download, paid use: the app installs for free but the main feature costs money per use.

None of these is better in itself. A free app with ads can cost you more attention than a paid one, and a one-time price can be cheaper over three years than any subscription.

What does each app's free version cover?

On the pages we read:

• Goodreads: free, with no paid tier for tracking. The Google Play listing says the app contains ads.
• The StoryGraph: free core app with charts, goals, buddy reads and recommendations; StoryGraph Plus is $4.99 a month or $49.99 a year.
• Hardcover: free core app; the Supporter tier is $4.99 a month or $49.99 a year.
• Fable: free core app, including clubs, goals and streaks; Fable Plus is $5.99 a month or $49.99 a year and adds more goal types and deeper insights.
• Literal: free, with no in-app purchases listed on the App Store; optional memberships are Plus at $40 a year and Supporter at $80 a year. Literal states that everything social and everything for discovery is, and will stay, free.
• BookBuddy: free with every Pro feature up to 50 books; BookBuddy Pro is a one-time $9.99. Online Sharing is an optional add-on from $1.99 a month.
• Basmo: free with in-app purchases; PRO is $4.99 a month or $39.99 a year after a free 7-day trial.
• Bookly: free with in-app purchases; the US App Store lists several Pro options, including Monthly Pro at $4.99 and Yearly Pro at $29.99. The Google Play listing says it contains ads.
• Magic Bookmark: free to download with the first Bookmark Credit free. Each further book uses one credit: 1 for $4.99, 5 for $19.99, 10 for $34.99 or 50 for $69.99. Credits never expire and there is no subscription.

The side-by-side table shows every price line with the date its source was read.

Which free tracker suits which reader?

• If your friends are on Goodreads, free Goodreads is hard to beat for the social side.
• If you want charts, The StoryGraph's free tier already has them.
• If you want no ads and free clubs, Literal, keeping in mind its May 2026 note about sunsetting the current version of Clubs.
• If you want a light privacy label, Hardcover's free tier.
• If you catalogue a small home library, BookBuddy is free up to 50 books.

When is paying worth it?

Pay when the paid feature is the reason you use the app. A reader who lives in StoryGraph's stats may want Plus; a reader who logs ten books a year will not notice it. For a home library past 50 books, BookBuddy's one-time price costs less than a year of most subscriptions. A good test: use the free version for a month, then list the paid features you actually wanted during that month.

What does a free tracker cost you in ads and data?

Free does not always mean nothing in exchange. On the listings we read:

• The Google Play listings for Goodreads and Bookly say the apps contain ads.
• The App Store privacy labels for Basmo, Bookly, Fable and Magic Bookmark list data used to track you.
• Literal's listing says "No ads, no selling your data", and its privacy label lists no data used to track you.
• Hardcover's label lists only data not linked to you.

None of this makes an app good or bad on its own. It is part of the price, and it is worth reading before you log years of books. The privacy-minded readers guide goes further.

How do you avoid paying twice?

Check whether you already have a subscription that covers part of the job. Fable's audiobook listening comes through a linked Everand account, which is its own subscription. Kindle's Recaps and Story So Far come with Kindle ebooks for US customers. Recap tools and trackers do different jobs, so a free tracker plus a pay-per-book recap tool for the one series you are catching up on can cost less than any subscription.

For a wider look at prices across ebook, audiobook and library apps, our sister site bestbookapps.com covers the whole market.