Head-to-head · Facts only

Hardcover vs The StoryGraph: which reading tracker fits how you read?

Short answer

Hardcover and The StoryGraph both have goals and stats, a privacy label without tracking data, a way to use it without a subscription, an Android app and a web version on record. Hardcover has nothing on record that The StoryGraph lacks, while The StoryGraph has print book support, ebook support, audiobook support and clubs or shared reads. 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.

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

The StoryGraph

The StoryGraph Limited

iOS · ANDROID · WEB

Print booksOn record
EbooksOn record
AudiobooksOn record
Goals and statsOn record
Clubs and shared readsOn record
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: 7 of 8

How do Hardcover and The StoryGraph compare row by row?

Hardcover and The StoryGraph, row by row
Card row	Hardcover	The StoryGraph
Print books	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	On record Barcode scanner. Source Source: The StoryGraph on the US App Store · Read 27 Sep 2026 Source: The StoryGraph on the US App Store · Read 27 Sep 2026
Ebooks	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	On record Kobo progress sync, live since June 29, 2026. Source Source: Rakuten Kobo: Kobo to StoryGraph sync now live · Read 27 Sep 2026 Source: Rakuten Kobo: Kobo to StoryGraph sync now live · Read 27 Sep 2026
Audiobooks	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	On record Annual listening goals alongside reading and page goals. Source Source: The StoryGraph on the US App Store (October 2026) · Read 11 Oct 2026 Source: The StoryGraph on the US App Store (October 2026) · Read 11 Oct 2026
Goals and stats	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	On record Charts of moods, pace and genres, plus reading challenges. Source Source: The StoryGraph on the US App Store · Read 27 Sep 2026 Source: The StoryGraph on the US App Store · Read 27 Sep 2026
Clubs and shared reads	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	On record Book clubs, buddy reads and readalongs with comments locked until you reach that point. Source Source: The StoryGraph on the US App Store (October 2026) · Read 11 Oct 2026 Source: The StoryGraph on the US App Store (October 2026) · Read 11 Oct 2026
Privacy label	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	On record Label lists contact info, user content, identifiers, usage data and diagnostics linked to you; no data used to track you. Source Source: The StoryGraph on the US App Store (October 2026) · Read 11 Oct 2026 Source: The StoryGraph on the US App Store (October 2026) · Read 11 Oct 2026
Ways to pay	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	On record Free core app; Plus is optional. Source Source: The StoryGraph on the US App Store · Read 27 Sep 2026 Source: The StoryGraph 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: hardcover.app · Read 27 Sep 2026 Source: hardcover.app · Read 27 Sep 2026	Not in our sources No place-finding feature published. Source Source: thestorygraph.com · Read 27 Sep 2026 Source: thestorygraph.com · Read 27 Sep 2026
Any social features	On record Follow other readers. Source Source: hardcover.app · Read 27 Sep 2026 Source: hardcover.app · Read 27 Sep 2026	On record Buddy reads and book clubs. Source Source: thestorygraph.com · Read 27 Sep 2026 Source: thestorygraph.com · Read 27 Sep 2026
Core features free	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	On record Free core app. Source Source: The StoryGraph on the US App Store · Read 27 Sep 2026 Source: The StoryGraph on the US App Store · Read 27 Sep 2026
Android app	On record On Android. Source Source: hardcover.app · Read 27 Sep 2026 Source: hardcover.app · Read 27 Sep 2026	On record On Android. Source Source: thestorygraph.com · Read 27 Sep 2026 Source: thestorygraph.com · Read 27 Sep 2026
Web version	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	On record Web app at app.thestorygraph.com. Source Source: The StoryGraph on the US App Store (October 2026) · Read 11 Oct 2026 Source: The StoryGraph on the US App Store (October 2026) · Read 11 Oct 2026

What do Hardcover and The StoryGraph cost?

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

The StoryGraph

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

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

Can you move your reading history between them?

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

The StoryGraph

Imports currently-reading, read, to-read and did-not-finish shelves from Goodreads; custom shelves become tags.
Source: thestorygraph.com · Read 27 Sep 2026
CSV export from Settings, sent as an emailed link.
Source: Literal guide: importing from StoryGraph · Read 27 Sep 2026

What are the limits of each?

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

The StoryGraph

The App Store privacy label lists analytics, user content, contact info, identifiers and usage data linked to you.
Source: The StoryGraph on the US App Store · Read 27 Sep 2026
Some features sit in StoryGraph Plus at $4.99 a month.
Source: The StoryGraph on the US App Store · Read 27 Sep 2026

Which one fits you?

Choose Hardcover if

Readers who want their data to stay theirs and light on tracking.

Choose The StoryGraph 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
you read with a club or a buddy
Readers who want to see their reading in charts and still read with friends.

Common questions

Is Hardcover better than The StoryGraph?

Neither is better for every reader. Hardcover has nothing on record that The StoryGraph lacks, while The StoryGraph has print book support, ebook support, audiobook support and clubs or shared reads. The tracker finder shows which one matches your own answers.

Which is cheaper, Hardcover or The StoryGraph?

Hardcover: Free core app; Supporter: $4.99 a month or $49.99 a year. The StoryGraph: Free core app; StoryGraph Plus: $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 Hardcover and The StoryGraph together?

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

Hardcover profile The StoryGraph profile Try the tracker finder See both in the full table