Goodbye Goodreads — I found the reading app that's better in every way

I've always been the kind of person who forgets everything about a book just minutes after reading it. Sure, I'll remember the feeling I got during a particular moment, the personality of my favorite character, and perhaps a quote that made me sit and think. But ask me anything else about the book, even "hey, have you read it?" and I'll stare at you like you asked for one of my kidneys.

That's one reason why I've always tracked my reading. For the longest time, I used Goodreads for all my tracking, which is what practically every other reader used. A few months ago though, I made the switch to another app that's better in almost every way, and I can't imagine switching back: Fable.

Note: I used a placeholder account for the screenshots in this article rather than my actual one. I'd rather my reading habits remain between me and Fable, thanks.

Fable's UI beats Goodreads any day

One was designed this decade

While an app having an "aesthetically appealing" UI that's easy to navigate might not seem like a big enough reason to abandon a platform you've used for years, trust that I thought the same until I installed Fable. Goodreads' interface feels like it's been stuck in the year it was built in. The interface has a very "vintage-y" look, and while I'm all for things vintage, a book-tracking app I open multiple times a day isn't really where I want it. All they've really done in years is update the logo, and that's it. The rest of the app feels a bit frozen.

And sure, Goodreads has an uncluttered interface and you sort of know where everything is, but that's it. You can find your books, rate them, and leave a review with just a few taps. Fable technically lets you do all the same things. You can find books, rate them, review them, shelf them. But the way it feels doing all of that is just... different. Goodreads also seems to overcomplicate a few steps. For instance, if you want to add a book to your library, you tap the plus icon on the My Books page, and then select one of five options: Search for books, Scan book covers, Add your Amazon books, Recommendations, or Create new tag or shelf.

With Fable, tapping the Add Book button brings up a single, clean screen: a search bar already focused and ready for you to type, with your recent books sitting right underneath and a row of new releases below that. This is a very minor thing on its own, but it's a perfect example of how the two apps think differently. This extends to the rest of the app too, and you'll notice it the moment you start poking around. Fable's UI just feels a lot more clean, intentional, and enjoyable to use.

Fable does what a reading app actually should

Duolingo, but for novels

Beyond tracking the number of books you read, an app you've installed to help you read more should, well... actually help you read more. Goodreads has exactly one tool to help you build a reading habit: the annual reading challenge. You set a goal at the start of the year, and Goodreads tells you how far along you are. That's really it.

Fable, on the other hand, treats reading the way Duolingo treats language learning. You can set an annual reading goal, but the daily streaks are what push you to read even more. Every day you log some reading by either page count or percentage, and your streak ticks up by one. If you miss a day, the streak resets. There's also a home screen widget so you can update your progress in a single tap without even opening the app.

I've always been a fan of apps that help gamify these tasks. I used an app called Finch extensively that turned self-care into taking care of a little digital pet. Every time you completed a task like drinking water or going for a walk, your pet grew and went on adventures. Fable is another app that taps into the same psychology, which is why I've grown so used to it.

Fable lets you rate books the way you actually think about them

No more rounding up out of guilt

If you're a reader, you're likely familiar with the feeling of really, really enjoying a book, but still feeling like there was something... off about it. It wasn't a five-star read, but it also was too good to be a four. So, what do you do? On Goodreads, you sit there for an embarrassing amount of time deciding whether to round up or down, knowing full well that either choice betrays how you actually feel about the book.

Fable solves this problem in the most obvious way possible: half-stars. You can rate a book 3.5. Or 4.5. Or 2.5. It sounds ridiculous to make a big deal out of this, but half-star ratings have been one of the most-requested Goodreads features for years, and Amazon has never bothered. Fable also has other little touches that make reviewing a book more enjoyable. You can add expressive tags that capture how a book made you feel and emoji reactions for when words are too much effort. And, in a feature that BookTok readers will lose their minds over, you can also add a "spice level rating" to your reviews.

Everything else about Fable is great too

I've been using Fable for months, and I still find a new feature every other week. The app also has book clubs, TV tracking, a built-in ebook reader, monthly reading wraps, a stats page, and more. It's an app I'd recommend over Goodreads any day, and if you haven't tried it out, you're genuinely missing out.