Head-to-head · Facts only

Fable vs Hardcover: which reading tracker fits how you read?

Short answer

Fable and Hardcover both have goals and stats, a way to use it without a subscription, an Android app and a web version on record. Only Fable has ebook support, audiobook support and clubs or shared reads; only Hardcover has a privacy label without tracking data. Neither is ranked above the other here: choose by the rows that matter to you.

By The Shelf Desk · Published 2026-10-08 · Facts read September 2026, updated 2026-10-11

Desk research from public app store listings, app websites and help pages, read in September 2026 and updated on 2026-10-11. Fact profiles, not scores; we did not test the apps hands-on.

Fable

Fable Group Inc. (App Store seller; Google Play lists Scribd, Inc.)

iOS · ANDROID · WEB

Print booksNot in our sources
EbooksOn record
AudiobooksOn record
Goals and statsOn record
Clubs and shared readsOn record
Privacy labelNot offered
Ways to payOn record
Picking a book back upNot in our sources

Facts read Sep 2026 · updated 11 Oct 2026 · On record: 5 of 8

Hardcover

Hardcover LLC

iOS · ANDROID · WEB

Print booksNot in our sources
EbooksNot in our sources
AudiobooksNot in our sources
Goals and statsOn record
Clubs and shared readsNot in our sources
Privacy labelOn record
Ways to payOn record
Picking a book back upNot in our sources

Facts read Sep 2026 · updated 11 Oct 2026 · On record: 3 of 8

How do Fable and Hardcover compare row by row?

Fable and Hardcover, row by row
Card row	Fable	Hardcover
Print books	Not in our sources Barcode scanning is not published in the App Store listing or help centre. Source Source: Fable help centre search: barcode · Read 11 Oct 2026 Source: Fable help centre search: barcode · Read 11 Oct 2026	Not in our sources Barcode scanning is not published on the pages we read. Source Source: Hardcover on the US App Store (October 2026) · Read 11 Oct 2026 Source: Hardcover on the US App Store (October 2026) · Read 11 Oct 2026
Ebooks	On record Its own ebook reader and a catalogue of over one million interactive ebooks. Source Source: Fable on the US App Store · Read 11 Oct 2026 Source: Fable on the US App Store · Read 11 Oct 2026	Not in our sources Ebook features are not on the pages we read. Source Source: hardcover.app · Read 27 Sep 2026 Source: hardcover.app · Read 27 Sep 2026
Audiobooks	On record Listening activity from a linked Everand account updates in Fable; Everand is a subscription from $11.99 a month. Source Source: Fable help: Everand books and activity sync · Read 11 Oct 2026 Source: Fable help: Everand books and activity sync · Read 11 Oct 2026	Not in our sources Audiobooks are not mentioned on the pages we read. Source Source: hardcover.app · Read 27 Sep 2026 Source: hardcover.app · Read 27 Sep 2026
Goals and stats	On record Goals, streaks and stats free; more goal types in Plus. Source Source: Fable help: Fable Plus features · Read 27 Sep 2026 Source: Fable help: Fable Plus features · Read 27 Sep 2026	On record Reading stats and goals. Source Source: Hardcover on the US App Store · Read 27 Sep 2026 Source: Hardcover on the US App Store · Read 27 Sep 2026
Clubs and shared reads	On record Free book and TV clubs with spoiler-free chapter rooms. Source Source: Fable on the US App Store · Read 11 Oct 2026 Source: Fable on the US App Store · Read 11 Oct 2026	Not in our sources Book clubs are not published. Source Source: Hardcover on the US App Store (October 2026) · Read 11 Oct 2026 Source: Hardcover on the US App Store (October 2026) · Read 11 Oct 2026
Privacy label	Not offered Label lists identifiers used to track you. Source Source: Fable on the US App Store · Read 11 Oct 2026 Source: Fable on the US App Store · Read 11 Oct 2026	On record Data Not Linked to You: usage data and diagnostics. Source Source: Hardcover on the US App Store · Read 27 Sep 2026 Source: Hardcover on the US App Store · Read 27 Sep 2026
Ways to pay	On record Free core app; Fable Plus is optional. Source Source: Fable help: Fable Plus price · Read 27 Sep 2026 Source: Fable help: Fable Plus price · Read 27 Sep 2026	On record Free core app; Supporter is optional. Source Source: Hardcover on the US App Store · Read 27 Sep 2026 Source: Hardcover on the US App Store · Read 27 Sep 2026
Picking a book back up	Not in our sources No place-finding feature published. Source Source: fable.co · Read 27 Sep 2026 Source: fable.co · Read 27 Sep 2026	Not in our sources No place-finding feature published. Source Source: hardcover.app · Read 27 Sep 2026 Source: hardcover.app · Read 27 Sep 2026
Any social features	On record Clubs and discussion. Source Source: Fable help: what is a book club · Read 27 Sep 2026 Source: Fable help: what is a book club · Read 27 Sep 2026	On record Follow other readers. Source Source: hardcover.app · Read 27 Sep 2026 Source: hardcover.app · Read 27 Sep 2026
Core features free	On record Free core app. Source Source: fable.co · Read 27 Sep 2026 Source: fable.co · Read 27 Sep 2026	On record Free core app. Source Source: Hardcover on the US App Store · Read 27 Sep 2026 Source: Hardcover on the US App Store · Read 27 Sep 2026
Android app	On record On Google Play. Source Source: Fable on Google Play · Read 27 Sep 2026 Source: Fable on Google Play · Read 27 Sep 2026	On record On Android. Source Source: hardcover.app · Read 27 Sep 2026 Source: hardcover.app · Read 27 Sep 2026
Web version	On record fable.co. Source Source: fable.co · Read 27 Sep 2026 Source: fable.co · Read 27 Sep 2026	On record Full website at hardcover.app. Source Source: hardcover.app (October 2026) · Read 11 Oct 2026 Source: hardcover.app (October 2026) · Read 11 Oct 2026

What do Fable and Hardcover cost?

Fable

Price (US App Store or the app's own page, read September and October 2026)

Free core app
Source: fable.co · Read 27 Sep 2026
Fable Plus: $5.99 a month or $49.99 a year
Source: Fable help: Fable Plus price · Read 27 Sep 2026

Hardcover

Price (US App Store or the app's own page, read September and October 2026)

Free core app
Source: Hardcover on the US App Store · Read 27 Sep 2026
Supporter: $4.99 a month or $49.99 a year
Source: Hardcover on the US App Store · Read 27 Sep 2026

Can you move your reading history between them?

Fable

Imports from Goodreads by in-app sign-in, or a CSV file (beta).
Source: Fable help: importing from Goodreads · Read 27 Sep 2026
Export: not published.
Source: Fable help centre search: export · Read 11 Oct 2026

Hardcover

Goodreads import.
Source: Hardcover on the US App Store · Read 27 Sep 2026
Public GraphQL API with OAuth.
Source: Hardcover API documentation · Read 27 Sep 2026

What are the limits of each?

Fable

Fable Plus is the highest monthly price among the subscriptions here, at $5.99.
Source: Fable help: Fable Plus price · Read 27 Sep 2026
Google Play's data safety section says data may be shared with third parties.
Source: Fable on Google Play · Read 27 Sep 2026
Barcode scanning and data export are not published in the App Store listing or help centre.
Source: Fable help centre search: export · Read 11 Oct 2026
The App Store privacy label lists identifiers used to track you.
Source: Fable on the US App Store · Read 11 Oct 2026

Hardcover

No book clubs on the pages we read; social is following readers.
Source: hardcover.app · Read 27 Sep 2026
No print, ebook or audiobook features on the pages we read.
Source: hardcover.app · Read 27 Sep 2026

Which one fits you?

Choose Fable if

you read ebooks and want them in your log
you listen to audiobooks
you read with a club or a buddy
Readers whose reading life runs through a club.

Choose Hardcover if

you want an App Store label that lists no data used to track you
Readers who want their data to stay theirs and light on tracking.

Common questions

Is Fable better than Hardcover?

Neither is better for every reader. Only Fable has ebook support, audiobook support and clubs or shared reads; only Hardcover has a privacy label without tracking data. The tracker finder shows which one matches your own answers.

Which is cheaper, Fable or Hardcover?

Fable: Free core app; Fable Plus: $5.99 a month or $49.99 a year. Hardcover: Free core app; Supporter: $4.99 a month or $49.99 a year. These are US prices read in September 2026 and updated on 2026-10-11.

Can I use Fable and Hardcover together?

You can, but most readers keep one reading log. If you plan to switch, compare the import and export facts above first.

Fable profile Hardcover profile Try the tracker finder See both in the full table