Every review, highest score first
Nineteen apps scored against the same rubric. Each review prints what you own, what you lose if you leave, and what a book actually costs you per month.
19 scored
All reviews
01
Libby
Your library card as an app: audiobooks and ebooks for the price of nothing.
$0 with a library card
84/100
- Reading and listening experience: 15 out of 20
- Library and catalog fit: 12 out of 15
- Ownership and lock-in: 15 out of 15
- Sync and cross-platform: 8 out of 10
- Discovery and tracking: 7 out of 10
- Price honesty: 10 out of 10
- Accessibility: 8 out of 10
- Staying power: 9 out of 10
02
Libro.fm
Audible's credit price, DRM-free files forever, and a bookstore gets a cut.
$16.99/mo (1 credit) — desk-checked, unverified
80/100
- Reading and listening experience: 15 out of 20
- Library and catalog fit: 12 out of 15
- Ownership and lock-in: 15 out of 15
- Sync and cross-platform: 8 out of 10
- Discovery and tracking: 6 out of 10
- Price honesty: 9 out of 10
- Accessibility: 7 out of 10
- Staying power: 8 out of 10
03
Kindle app
The default ebook app: everything in the store, sync that works, store noise included.
Free app; store prices vary
78/100
- Reading and listening experience: 16 out of 20
- Library and catalog fit: 14 out of 15
- Ownership and lock-in: 5 out of 15
- Sync and cross-platform: 10 out of 10
- Discovery and tracking: 7 out of 10
- Price honesty: 8 out of 10
- Accessibility: 8 out of 10
- Staying power: 10 out of 10
04
Kobo app
The ebook ecosystem built for people who read terms: formats, library borrowing, a cheaper subscription.
Free app; Kobo Plus from $9.99/mo — desk-checked, unverified
78/100
- Reading and listening experience: 15 out of 20
- Library and catalog fit: 12 out of 15
- Ownership and lock-in: 12 out of 15
- Sync and cross-platform: 8 out of 10
- Discovery and tracking: 7 out of 10
- Price honesty: 9 out of 10
- Accessibility: 7 out of 10
- Staying power: 8 out of 10
05
Hoopla
The other library app: instant borrows, no holds, monthly caps.
$0 with a participating library card
77/100
- Reading and listening experience: 13 out of 20
- Library and catalog fit: 10 out of 15
- Ownership and lock-in: 15 out of 15
- Sync and cross-platform: 8 out of 10
- Discovery and tracking: 6 out of 10
- Price honesty: 10 out of 10
- Accessibility: 7 out of 10
- Staying power: 8 out of 10
06
StoryGraph
Stats, moods, and recommendations without the feed or the shame challenge.
Free; Plus $4.99/mo — desk-checked, unverified
77/100
- Reading and listening experience: 14 out of 20
- Library and catalog fit: 11 out of 15
- Ownership and lock-in: 12 out of 15
- Sync and cross-platform: 8 out of 10
- Discovery and tracking: 9 out of 10
- Price honesty: 9 out of 10
- Accessibility: 7 out of 10
- Staying power: 7 out of 10
07
Audible
The audiobook mall: biggest catalog, exclusives, credits, an included listening tier.
$14.95/mo (1 credit) — desk-checked, unverified
75/100
- Reading and listening experience: 16 out of 20
- Library and catalog fit: 14 out of 15
- Ownership and lock-in: 6 out of 15
- Sync and cross-platform: 9 out of 10
- Discovery and tracking: 7 out of 10
- Price honesty: 6 out of 10
- Accessibility: 8 out of 10
- Staying power: 9 out of 10
08
Chirp
No subscription: rotating audiobook deals at real discounts, yours to keep.
$0.99-$5.99 per deal, no subscription — desk-checked
74/100
- Reading and listening experience: 13 out of 20
- Library and catalog fit: 10 out of 15
- Ownership and lock-in: 12 out of 15
- Sync and cross-platform: 7 out of 10
- Discovery and tracking: 8 out of 10
- Price honesty: 9 out of 10
- Accessibility: 7 out of 10
- Staying power: 8 out of 10
09
Apple Books
The polished default on Apple hardware: gorgeous reading, quiet store, family sharing that works.
Free app; store prices vary
74/100
- Reading and listening experience: 17 out of 20
- Library and catalog fit: 12 out of 15
- Ownership and lock-in: 6 out of 15
- Sync and cross-platform: 8 out of 10
- Discovery and tracking: 6 out of 10
- Price honesty: 8 out of 10
- Accessibility: 8 out of 10
- Staying power: 9 out of 10
10
Serial Reader
Classics in daily ten-minute installments; the gentlest reading habit app alive.
Free; Select upgrade $8.99/yr — desk-checked, unverified
72/100
- Reading and listening experience: 14 out of 20
- Library and catalog fit: 8 out of 15
- Ownership and lock-in: 13 out of 15
- Sync and cross-platform: 7 out of 10
- Discovery and tracking: 6 out of 10
- Price honesty: 10 out of 10
- Accessibility: 7 out of 10
- Staying power: 7 out of 10
11
Fable
Book clubs in app form: scheduled discussions, in-line comments, curated picks.
Free to join clubs; premium picks priced per title — desk-checked
71/100
- Reading and listening experience: 14 out of 20
- Library and catalog fit: 10 out of 15
- Ownership and lock-in: 10 out of 15
- Sync and cross-platform: 8 out of 10
- Discovery and tracking: 8 out of 10
- Price honesty: 8 out of 10
- Accessibility: 7 out of 10
- Staying power: 6 out of 10
12
Hardcover
The modern, open Goodreads alternative, improving monthly.
Free; supporter tiers from $5/mo — desk-checked, unverified
70/100
- Reading and listening experience: 13 out of 20
- Library and catalog fit: 10 out of 15
- Ownership and lock-in: 12 out of 15
- Sync and cross-platform: 7 out of 10
- Discovery and tracking: 8 out of 10
- Price honesty: 8 out of 10
- Accessibility: 7 out of 10
- Staying power: 5 out of 10
13
Kindle Unlimited
A giant borrowing catalog with a genre shape; cheap only if you finish books.
$11.99/mo — desk-checked, unverified
68/100
- Reading and listening experience: 15 out of 20
- Library and catalog fit: 9 out of 15
- Ownership and lock-in: 6 out of 15
- Sync and cross-platform: 9 out of 10
- Discovery and tracking: 6 out of 10
- Price honesty: 7 out of 10
- Accessibility: 8 out of 10
- Staying power: 8 out of 10
14
Goodreads
The network everyone is on, running on a decade of neglect.
Free, ad-supported
68/100
- Reading and listening experience: 9 out of 20
- Library and catalog fit: 13 out of 15
- Ownership and lock-in: 8 out of 15
- Sync and cross-platform: 8 out of 10
- Discovery and tracking: 6 out of 10
- Price honesty: 9 out of 10
- Accessibility: 6 out of 10
- Staying power: 9 out of 10
15
Spotify Audiobooks
Audiobook hours bundled into the subscription you already pay.
Included with Premium, $11.99/mo, ~15 listening hours — desk-checked, unverified
67/100
- Reading and listening experience: 13 out of 20
- Library and catalog fit: 11 out of 15
- Ownership and lock-in: 4 out of 15
- Sync and cross-platform: 9 out of 10
- Discovery and tracking: 7 out of 10
- Price honesty: 7 out of 10
- Accessibility: 7 out of 10
- Staying power: 9 out of 10
16
Everand
Audiobooks and ebooks on one buffet fee; strongest at two-plus books a month.
$11.99/mo — desk-checked, unverified
67/100
- Reading and listening experience: 14 out of 20
- Library and catalog fit: 12 out of 15
- Ownership and lock-in: 4 out of 15
- Sync and cross-platform: 8 out of 10
- Discovery and tracking: 8 out of 10
- Price honesty: 6 out of 10
- Accessibility: 7 out of 10
- Staying power: 8 out of 10
17
Bookly
Reading sessions with a timer: streaks, stats, and ambient goals.
Free tier; Pro $4.99/mo — desk-checked, unverified
67/100
- Reading and listening experience: 13 out of 20
- Library and catalog fit: 8 out of 15
- Ownership and lock-in: 10 out of 15
- Sync and cross-platform: 7 out of 10
- Discovery and tracking: 8 out of 10
- Price honesty: 7 out of 10
- Accessibility: 7 out of 10
- Staying power: 7 out of 10
18
Blinkist
Nonfiction compressed to 15 minutes: triage for what deserves your full attention.
$15.99/mo, $99.99/yr — desk-checked, unverified
66/100
- Reading and listening experience: 13 out of 20
- Library and catalog fit: 10 out of 15
- Ownership and lock-in: 5 out of 15
- Sync and cross-platform: 8 out of 10
- Discovery and tracking: 8 out of 10
- Price honesty: 6 out of 10
- Accessibility: 8 out of 10
- Staying power: 8 out of 10
19
Shortform
The deeper summary service: guides with analysis and connections, not just compression.
$16.99/mo billed annually — desk-checked, unverified
63/100
- Reading and listening experience: 14 out of 20
- Library and catalog fit: 9 out of 15
- Ownership and lock-in: 5 out of 15
- Sync and cross-platform: 8 out of 10
- Discovery and tracking: 7 out of 10
- Price honesty: 6 out of 10
- Accessibility: 7 out of 10
- Staying power: 7 out of 10