Why I broke up with Goodreads (and using The StoryGraph instead)

Why I broke up with Goodreads (and using The StoryGraph instead)
Image created by AI

Every time you log a book on Goodreads, you feed data into Amazon’s vast ecosystem while putting up with a stagnating platform. Your reading habits, interests, and the pace at which you consume books become valuable data points for the world’s largest retailer.

For years, I ignored this uncomfortable truth. I told myself that the convenience of tracking my reading journey outweighed these privacy concerns. But when I discovered an ethical alternative that also offered better features, I couldn’t ignore it anymore.

Enter The Storygraph.

The Storygraph logo

This isn’t just another story about switching apps. It’s about choosing what kind of future we want for our reading lives and what innovation to invest time and money in.

Reasons for breaking up with Goodreads

Goodreads has its benefits:

  • Detailed reviews and ratings for many books to customise your recommendations.
  • More members mean more opportunities to find friends.
  • extensive database of books, reviews, and ratings.
  • the ability to create custom shelves.
  • Engage with other readers and join book clubs.
  • It’s free (but nothing is truly free, is it?).

But it does have its problem that doesn't seem to disappear, even after a decade of using it.

Here are the main reasons why I’ve moved on.

Pile of books on a table

1. Privacy concerns

This website has always intended to respect your privacy. I do this in a few ways, such as using Fathom Analytics instead of Google Analytics, and using ProtonMail instead of Gmail.

I don’t believe it will ever be 100% perfect. I have affiliate links and use social media. But I’d rather you buy your books from your local bookstore than from my Amazon affiliate links (I encourage that in my disclaimers).

I’ve decided to make some changes since Amazon owns Goodreads and they don’t respect your privacy.

I was originally conflicted about this because reviews are crucial for authors. If you write your reviews on Goodreads, it will be used in Amazon, which will help authors deservedly get recognition for their work. On the other hand, it’s not helping independent booksellers to sell books because of the dominance and abuse of power of Amazon.

I’d like to support authors and independent booksellers, and affiliating with Amazon is not the way. The book community deserves better than being locked into a single ecosystem controlled by a company that doesn’t prioritise user privacy or fair competition.

2. Outdated UX

Imagine using Facebook or Instagram with their older interfaces. That’s essentially what Goodreads users are doing today. While other platforms have evolved to offer rich, interactive experiences, Goodreads remains stuck in the past but plastered with some “new” touches. Here are a few frustrating examples:

  • The rating system is bizarrely limited: you can only give whole-star ratings. Want to give a book 4.5 stars? Too bad, you can’t. This seems minor, but for readers who take their ratings seriously, it’s like trying to write a nuanced review with a crayon.
  • At best, the recommendation engine feels random. Despite having years of my reading data, Goodreads suggests books primarily based on broad genres rather than the specific elements I enjoy, like complex character development or atmospheric writing.
  • The mobile app is painful. It has slow loading times, frequent crashes, and a cluttered interface that makes it difficult to update your reading progress or add notes while reading.

These sound like minor inconveniences, but they’re symptoms of a platform that’s stopped trying to understand how modern readers interact with books.

And that won’t work for me.

3. Lack of care, authenticity and personal touches

I often wonder if anyone is working on the app and website. Sure, you see requests to update the app, but it doesn’t seem to be anything significant.

I’m not saying it has to be. Of course, there needs to be regular updates to fix bugs and clean up security loopholes. And you do see promotions like voting for your favourite books and awards.

But there seems to be more focus on maintaining stability rather than innovation. It’s not a bad thing, but it’s not enough to keep users like me engaged and attract new ones.

There is a growing need for personal touches in the online world, especially with the rise of AI. I’m not saying to never use AI. I sometimes use it myself as my “personal librarian” to become a better reader. We all know that it’s getting more difficult to differentiate what is real and what is not real. But being personal is guaranteed to make a brand more authentic and more real.

I don’t get that sense with those working on Goodreads.

Reasons for being “besties” with The Storygraph

When I first discovered StoryGraph in 2020, I expected another Goodreads clone. What I found was a reading platform that understood modern readers’ needs:

  • Instead of genres, books are also tagged with moods and themes (“dark academia,” “atmospheric,” “character-driven”).
  • You can rate books in decimals and track specific elements like pace and plot complexity, instead of basic star ratings.
  • The stats feature doesn’t just count books; it analyses your reading patterns, showing what kinds of stories you prefer.

But what really sets Storygraph apart isn’t just its features. The story behind them is also important. This isn’t another Silicon Valley startup backed by millions in venture capital. It’s the creation of Nadia Odunayo, a black woman developer who saw gaps in the reading experience that major platforms ignored.

Co-founder Rob Frelow, another member of staff, is also involved, as well as Community Managers and volunteering “librarians” (more details to follow).

I knew it was not going to be full of modern techy features with millions in funding. But that’s OK because I could see its potential very quickly.

Initially, I used it side-by-side to make the most out of their respective benefits. But I soon realised I was wasting my time and should focus more effort on The StoryGraph.

There are several key reasons for that.

1. Transparent roadmap and progress

Two very transparent resources provide insight into what is happening behind the scenes:

I love public, updated roadmaps. It tells you that there is a direction, new features will be added and shows ambitions. The StoryGraph’s roadmap is very busy. Currently, there are 1,330 new ideas submitted and feedback requests for 49 features.

Heading of The Storygraph Roadmap. The dropdown box under 'Requet/Ideas' is displaying 49 features, 231 bugs and 1330 requests/ideas.

Because of my background, it’s interesting to learn about Odunayo’s tech challenges. The newsletter provides fascinating insights from the inner workings, like when there was an issue with the server:

What was going on? We knew our servers had the spare capacity… This didn’t make sense. 😩  Rob continued to dig and eventually found the culprit!!  Turns out Cloud 66, the platform we use to deploy the app, was effectively setting a cookie in every user’s browser/device, which was essentially saving which web server was last visited by them, and then sending them there again the next time they tried to access the app.  Looking at our load balancing dashboard, the load was indeed not evenly spread between our new servers, but more concentrated amongst the original three. 😱  Once we got rid of that cookie app-wide and waited for the load to distribute more evenly, we watched as people’s performance issues went away!
A recent screenshot of Odunayo newsletter

You will also find updates on their engaging TikTok page, run by co-founder Rob, and some info about any behind-the-scenes issues.

These are all brilliant. I’m willing to accept bugs and issues if they’re public and transparent about their plans.

2. More community-based feeling for readers and “librarians”

The community aspect is key for The Storygraph. It exists on Goodreads, but feels more authentic, engaging, and personal. The Discord channel helps.

Using the Librarians initiative is a great idea. It helps “keep our book data accurate and tidy, enhancing the StoryGraph experience for all users.” The Discord channel is crucial, with Community Managers involved in making librarians work efficiently.

The platform has a strong community feel.

3. Better personalisation and customisation features

With more community involvement and input in product development, you get a more personalised experience without over-mining our data to create an addictive algorithm.

Again, you only have to look at the public roadmap to see how the community contributed.

I also love the stats feature. It beautifully breaks down your reading journey into many categories.

Pie charts of my personal reading journey on The Storygraph. The top pie chart illustrates the mood of the books I've been, which include reflective, informative, inspiring, emotional, adventurous, sad, hopeful, funny, challenging, tense, mysterious, lighthearted and dark. More than half were reflective and informative. The bottom pie chart is on the pace of the books: slow, medium and fast. Almost 70% were medium-paced.
My reading journey of 2024

4. More love and attention

You get the sense that someone treats it with much more love and attention, because there is a real person running it, supported by a huge community, full of transparency and goals.

And that’s without the support of a multi-billion dollar conglomerate.

A Different Kind of Tech Company that I Love

I have a lot of admiration for Nadia Odunayo. It takes courage to challenge brands like Goodreads. It’s even more impressive that a black woman is doing this, considering the additional barriers and challenges she and other black women face in the tech industry.

Nadia Odunayo, a black woman who is smiling and wearing a white top, standing in front of a brick wall.

Her work not only challenges the status quo but also inspires other underrepresented individuals in tech to pursue their innovative ideas. We need more of that.

Reading her journey highlights the importance of diverse voices and perspectives in technology development, as they identify and address overlooked gaps.

I attempt to do something similar, particularly within the field of accessibility. There are various ways of challenging a status quo, but sometimes, your own perspective can really challenge the industry and contribute significantly. In my case, it’s to make full use of my career, which is heavily digital and tech-based, and lived experience with a disability to address issues in the industry.

But that’s not the only reason why I love using this platform. It’s how Odunayo has done it.

In an industry where major platforms often overlook nuanced user experiences for broad market appeal, Storygraph’s attention to detail stands out. The love and care she and Rob are putting in is evident.

It’s another example of how having a diverse leadership can lead to better products. Just as my work in accessibility has shown me how lived experience can reveal gaps in technology that others miss, Storygraph demonstrates how fresh perspectives can transform an entire category of software.

 

Switching is easier than you think

For those worried about losing their reading history, switching to StoryGraph is painless.

Unlike the messy process of migrating from Twitter to Bluesky or Mastodon, moving your Goodreads data to StoryGraph takes a few clicks. Your ratings, reviews, and reading lists transfer seamlessly, and you can start fresh with better features from day one.

Why this matters beyond books

This isn’t just about choosing between two book-tracking platforms. It’s about the kind of internet we want to build:

  • Do we want tech giants that see books as just another data point instead of a joyful reading experience to control our reading lives?
  • Should we settle for outdated technology when innovative and supportive alternatives exist?
  • Can we support platforms that prove ethical technology can succeed without venture capital?

Supporting platforms like The Storygraph means voting with our data and attention. For me, I believe in a future where tech companies can be both successful, innovative and ethical, with innovation coming from diverse perspectives, and where user privacy isn’t sacrificed for profit.

The Storygraph needs improvements in various areas, but the progress is clear to see. The bookish community deserves better than Goodreads’ stagnant and outdated monopoly. I support a vision of ethical, supportive and user-focused technology that positively impacts the book industry and the diverse landscape.

Will you be making the switch? If you have, how are you finding it? I’d love to hear about your experience. And if you’re still undecided, what’s holding you back? Let me know in the comments.