Head-to-head · Facts only
Bookly vs Hardcover: which reading tracker fits how you read?
Short answer
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.
Bookly
TwoDoor Games (TWODOOR GAMES SRL)
iOS · MAC · ANDROID
- Print booksOn record
- EbooksOn record
- AudiobooksOn record
- Goals and statsOn record
- Clubs and shared readsNot offered
- Privacy labelNot offered
- Ways to payNot in our sources
- Picking a book back upNot in our sources
Facts read Sep 2026 · updated 11 Oct 2026 · On record: 4 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 Bookly and Hardcover compare row by row?
| Card row | Bookly | Hardcover |
|---|---|---|
| Print books | On record Scans ISBN barcodes. SourceSource: Bookly on Google Play (October 2026) · Read 11 Oct 2026 | Not in our sources Barcode scanning is not published on the pages we read. SourceSource: Hardcover on the US App Store (October 2026) · Read 11 Oct 2026 |
| Ebooks | On record Tracks e-books. SourceSource: Bookly on Google Play (October 2026) · Read 11 Oct 2026 | Not in our sources Ebook features are not on the pages we read. SourceSource: hardcover.app · Read 27 Sep 2026 |
| Audiobooks | On record Tracks audiobooks. SourceSource: Bookly on Google Play (October 2026) · Read 11 Oct 2026 | Not in our sources Audiobooks are not mentioned on the pages we read. SourceSource: hardcover.app · Read 27 Sep 2026 |
| Goals and stats | On record Reading speed, session stats and daily to yearly goals. SourceSource: getbookly.com · Read 27 Sep 2026 | On record Reading stats and goals. SourceSource: Hardcover on the US App Store · Read 27 Sep 2026 |
| Clubs and shared reads | Not offered No in-app clubs; readathons instead. SourceSource: getbookly.com · Read 27 Sep 2026 | Not in our sources Book clubs are not published. SourceSource: Hardcover on the US App Store (October 2026) · Read 11 Oct 2026 |
| Privacy label | Not offered Label lists identifiers and usage data used to track you. SourceSource: Bookly on the US App Store (October 2026) · Read 11 Oct 2026 | On record Data Not Linked to You: usage data and diagnostics. SourceSource: Hardcover on the US App Store · Read 27 Sep 2026 |
| Ways to pay | Not in our sources In-app purchases are mostly subscriptions; the $79.99 Bookly Pro item has no term stated. SourceSource: Bookly on the US App Store (October 2026) · Read 11 Oct 2026 | On record Free core app; Supporter is optional. SourceSource: Hardcover on the US App Store · Read 27 Sep 2026 |
| Picking a book back up | Not in our sources Timer and page log; no place-finding feature published. SourceSource: getbookly.com · Read 27 Sep 2026 | Not in our sources No place-finding feature published. SourceSource: hardcover.app · Read 27 Sep 2026 |
| Any social features | Not in our sources Readathons. SourceSource: getbookly.com · Read 27 Sep 2026 | On record Follow other readers. SourceSource: hardcover.app · Read 27 Sep 2026 |
| Core features free | Not in our sources Free download; free-tier limits are not published. SourceSource: Bookly on Google Play (October 2026) · Read 11 Oct 2026 | On record Free core app. SourceSource: Hardcover on the US App Store · Read 27 Sep 2026 |
| Android app | On record On Android. SourceSource: Bookly on Google Play · Read 27 Sep 2026 | On record On Android. SourceSource: hardcover.app · Read 27 Sep 2026 |
| Web version | Not in our sources A web version is not published. SourceSource: Bookly on the US App Store (October 2026) · Read 11 Oct 2026 | On record Full website at hardcover.app. SourceSource: hardcover.app (October 2026) · Read 11 Oct 2026 |
What do Bookly and Hardcover cost?
Bookly
Price (US App Store or the app's own page, read September and October 2026)
- Free with in-app purchases
Source: Bookly on the US App Store (October 2026) · Read 11 Oct 2026
- US App Store in-app purchases include Monthly Pro $4.99, Yearly Pro $29.99, Six Months of Pro $19.99, Monthly Pro Family Plan $9.99 and a $79.99 Bookly Pro item whose term is not stated; discounted yearly offers are also listed
Source: Bookly on the US App Store (October 2026) · Read 11 Oct 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?
Bookly
Goodreads import, listed on Google Play.
Source: Bookly on Google Play · Read 27 Sep 2026
Export: not in our sources.
Source: Bookly on the US App Store · Read 27 Sep 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?
Bookly
The App Store privacy label lists identifiers and usage data used to track you, with third-party advertising among the uses.
Source: Bookly on the US App Store (October 2026) · Read 11 Oct 2026
Many overlapping Pro options on the App Store.
Source: Bookly on the US App Store · Read 27 Sep 2026
No in-app book clubs; community is through readathons.
Source: getbookly.com · Read 27 Sep 2026
The Google Play listing says it contains ads.
Source: Bookly on Google Play (October 2026) · 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 Bookly if
- you read print books and want to scan or photograph them
- you read ebooks and want them in your log
- you listen to audiobooks
- Readers who like to time their reading and see their speed and streaks.
Choose Hardcover if
- you want an App Store label that lists no data used to track you
- you do not want a subscription
- you want to use it in a browser too
- Readers who want their data to stay theirs and light on tracking.
Common questions
Is Bookly better than Hardcover?
Neither is better for every reader. Only Bookly has print book support, ebook support and audiobook support; only Hardcover has a privacy label without tracking data, a way to use it without a subscription and a web version. The tracker finder shows which one matches your own answers.
Which is cheaper, Bookly or Hardcover?
Bookly: Free with in-app purchases; US App Store in-app purchases include Monthly Pro $4.99, Yearly Pro $29.99, Six Months of Pro $19.99, Monthly Pro Family Plan $9.99 and a $79.99 Bookly Pro item whose term is not stated; discounted yearly offers are also listed. 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 Bookly 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.
Bookly profileHardcover profileTry the tracker finderSee both in the full table