Reading journals
3 book reading tracker options compared in 2026
By BiblioFiend · Last updated
Choose StoryGraph for charts, Goodreads for friends' shelves, or our Sheets file for custom fields. Check privacy and export limits before moving your history.
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Compare the three reading trackers
| Decision | StoryGraph | Goodreads | Our Sheets tracker |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Reading charts | Friends and shared shelves | Custom fields and a file copy |
| Tracking | Built-in statistics and mood filters | Reading, read and want-to-read shelves | Five states; Finished and DNF totals |
| Privacy | Private notes and private books | Check visibility before sharing notes | You control file-sharing permissions |
| Portability | CSV export; inspect the fields you need | Confirm current export fields in your account | Download the original XLSX workbook |
| Offline use | Do not assume offline access | Do not assume offline access | Set up offline access before relying on it |
| Trade-off | Public group reads require a public book | Social reviews differ from a private journal | You maintain formulas and row ranges |
StoryGraph
- Best for
- Reading charts
- Tracking
- Built-in statistics and mood filters
- Privacy
- Private notes and private books
- Portability
- CSV export; inspect the fields you need
- Offline use
- Do not assume offline access
- Trade-off
- Public group reads require a public book
Goodreads
- Best for
- Friends and shared shelves
- Tracking
- Reading, read and want-to-read shelves
- Privacy
- Check visibility before sharing notes
- Portability
- Confirm current export fields in your account
- Offline use
- Do not assume offline access
- Trade-off
- Social reviews differ from a private journal
Our Sheets tracker
- Best for
- Custom fields and a file copy
- Tracking
- Five states; Finished and DNF totals
- Privacy
- You control file-sharing permissions
- Portability
- Download the original XLSX workbook
- Offline use
- Set up offline access before relying on it
- Trade-off
- You maintain formulas and row ranges
1. StoryGraph: statistics around your reading
StoryGraph
Our verdict:
Best for reading charts
Choose it for ready-made reading charts.
Explore StoryGraph- Core use is free; Plus is optional.
- Web and mobile access are listed.
- DNF and private notes are supported.
Keep in mind: An export route does not prove that every chart or note is included.
StoryGraph's feature page shows reading charts and filters by mood or pace. It names DNF as a reading state. It also describes reading goals and private notes beside progress updates. Those features may save work if you want to see patterns without making your own charts.
The site lists web access and mobile apps. It says core use is free and names an optional Plus plan. Check which tier covers a feature you need. No price is quoted here. You can use BiblioFiend's own paper and CSV files without buying an app plan.
StoryGraph documents User Export under Manage Account. That proves a route exists. It does not prove that every chart or note leaves in the file. Try a small export. Open it and look for the fields you would need if you chose to leave.
Keeping a StoryGraph book private
StoryGraph lets you make a book private. Its feature notice says other people cannot see a private book's title, author or review. Your own reading totals can still include it. That gives a reader a way to keep a book in their history without placing its name on a shelf others can see.
There is a limit. A book cannot stay private while you join a public buddy read or readalong for it. Read that rule before joining a group. This change does not make a whole account private at once.
Leave a public group read before making its book private.
2. Goodreads: friends, shelves and a book catalogue
Goodreads
Our verdict:
Best for shared shelves
Choose it when friends and shared shelves matter most.
Explore Goodreads- Lists cover read, reading and want-to-read books.
- Friends and reviews surround your book record.
- The linked help notice describes import and export.
Keep in mind: Current export steps and full output fields are unconfirmed here. Check visibility before adding private notes.
Goodreads describes books you are reading, have read and want to read. Friends' shelves and reviews sit around that record. That social focus suits a shared reading record. Those features may matter most if your aim is to talk about books with friends who already use the site.
Keep a private note apart from a review you mean to share. Check the account's current settings first. An old help page cannot prove who sees a new entry today. A hidden shelf and a private profile may have different rules. Do not treat either one as a promise about a private journal.
Confirm the current import and export controls in your Goodreads account before moving a reading history. Check them in your own account before relying on an exit route. The sources used here also do not establish offline tracking.
3. Google Sheets: a record you shape yourself
Google Sheets
Our verdict:
Best for custom fields
Choose it to shape a reading table and keep a file copy.
Download our spreadsheet tracker- Our workbook uses five reading states.
- Finished and DNF have separate totals.
- You can download the original XLSX file.
Keep in mind: You maintain formulas and permissions. Set up offline access on your device before relying on it.
A sheet starts with your fields. Our file uses five reading states and known dates. A personal rating can stay blank. Finished and DNF have separate totals.
A book without a finish date stays out of monthly counts. The file's rules and made-up examples let you check what each total means.
Google's file guidance explains how to bring an Excel file into Sheets and download a copy. This is useful if you want a record you can move. Keep whole rows together when sorting. If you add rows beyond a formula's range, extend that range too.
Set up offline access before depending on a Sheets file away from a connection. A file that opened online may not work when the connection drops. Set up access on the device you will use, then check it there. The XLSX download is also a file you can open in a local app that supports its format.
Factors to consider when choosing a book reading tracker
A book reading tracker should fit the record you want to keep. Try StoryGraph if you want reading charts built in. Goodreads may fit if your friends already share shelves there. A Google Sheets file lets you choose the fields and keep a copy you can move. Each route has a cost in setup or control.
- Visibility: decide which details you would be comfortable sharing, then inspect actual settings. A reading title can be private even when a total feels harmless.
- Export: check whether titles and dates leave in a useful file, and whether notes or special fields survive. A documented export button does not prove every screen is included.
- Reading states: make sure stopped attempts remain distinct from completed books. A personal record should not quietly reward changing a label just to increase a total.
- Goals: decide whether a goal adds pleasure or pressure. Keep it optional if the record works better as a history.
- Platform access: check the devices you use, especially if you alternate between a phone and a computer.
- Offline limits: treat unverified offline behavior as unknown. A paper log is a useful choice when connection-free access is the first requirement.
- Setup effort: a service supplies structure; a sheet asks you to maintain it. Neither is automatically simpler for every reader.
Start with a short list of needs. Name the fields you cannot lose. Then check the help pages or a small export for those fields. It is easier to find a missing note column with three sample books than after moving years of reading history. Keep the old copy until you know the new one works.
FAQ: privacy, exports and setup
Which route is best for private reflections?
Use a format whose access rules you understand. StoryGraph documents private journal notes and a private-book feature with public-group limits. A spreadsheet's privacy depends on its file permissions. Goodreads' social description does not establish an equivalent private-journal workflow here. Paper may be simpler if you do not want a service account.
Do I need an app to count finished books?
No. A paper mark or a simple spreadsheet rule can do that task. Our workbook counts titled rows marked Finished and keeps DNF separate. Choose an app when its catalogue or surrounding features add value to your record, rather than because a basic total seems to require one.
Book reading tracker verdict
Choose a book reading tracker around a task you can name. StoryGraph supplies reading statistics, Goodreads supplies a social catalogue, and our spreadsheet supplies an inspectable table. If none of those fits, start with the plain tracker template and add features only when a real need appears.