The StoryGraph
The StoryGraph is a UK-based consumer book-tracking and discovery platform serving 5M+ readers with machine learning–powered recommendations, mood-based filtering, and social reading features, monetizing through a Plus subscription and a paid Giveaways programme for authors and publishers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersWatford, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What The StoryGraph does
The StoryGraph is a consumer book-tracking and discovery platform headquartered in the United Kingdom, operating as The StoryGraph Ltd. since 2019. The product enables readers to log books they are reading, have read, or did not finish; produce charts and statistics on reading habits; join buddy reads, book clubs, and reading challenges; and discover new titles filtered by mood, pace, and genre. The platform's core technical differentiator is an in-house machine learning system that powers personalized book recommendations and reading-buddy matching, with data signals derived from over 5 million user signups accumulated by January 2026. Additional features include half- and quarter-star ratings, content warnings, custom tags, and a reading journal.
The company monetizes through a freemium consumer model and a B2B marketing tool. Most functionality is free; a Plus subscription unlocks an enhanced, more personalized experience for paying users. Authors and publishers can pay $69-$379 per listing to run print, digital, and audio book giveaways with placement, stats dashboards, and (at the Premium tier) homepage features and push notifications to non-winning entrants. Distribution is product-led and organic: iOS and Android app stores, a direct web app, and an organic social presence on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok, supported by earned media in Bustle, Buzzfeed, New Statesman, and the Washington Post. A flagship partnership with Rakuten Kobo, launching June 2026, embeds StoryGraph natively in Kobo eReaders — making it the first and only book-tracking platform with native device-level integration and positioning the company as the leading Amazon-free alternative to Goodreads in the Kobo hardware ecosystem.
The company is founder-led and bootstrapped, with no disclosed institutional funding, M&A, or external shareholders. Operations are run by three core team members: Founder & CEO Nadia Odunayo, Co-founder & Chief AI Officer Rob Frelow, and Abbie Walker (Admin, Support, & Product). There are no public financials, no disclosed revenue, and no headcount growth signals beyond the named team.
The StoryGraph firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The StoryGraph
- Legal name
- The StoryGraph Ltd.
- Website
- https://thestorygraph.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The StoryGraph is a UK-based consumer book-tracking and discovery platform serving 5M+ readers with machine learning–powered recommendations, mood-based filtering, and social reading features, monetizing through a Plus subscription and a paid Giveaways programme for authors and publishers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The StoryGraph industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Reading Tracking and Recommendations
- NAICS
- Book Publishers (513130), Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services (5192)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- E-book Retail & Reading Platforms (Stores, Apps, Devices) (MPAJAMAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Content Curation & Bookmarking/Read-Later Platforms (MPACAKAH), Digital Reading Content & eBooks (Leveled Readers, Libraries) (EDAFACAH)
Keywords
Where The StoryGraph is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Watford
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
The StoryGraph business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Plus Subscription: Paid subscription plan offering enhanced, personalized experience beyond the free core features.
- Giveaways Program: Authors and publishers pay to list book giveaways. Standard tier from $69-99, Premium tier from $349-379. Revenue generated as a take rate on author/publisher promotional spending.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free Core Plan |
| Subscription | Others | Plus Plan |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Giveaway |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Premium Giveaway |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
The StoryGraph product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The StoryGraph is a book tracking and discovery platform that lets users log books they have read, are reading, or want to read, and surfaces personalized book recommendations using machine learning AI based on mood, pace, and content preferences. It adds social reading features such as buddy reads with spoiler-protected live reactions, reading challenges, and book clubs, and positions itself as an Amazon-free alternative to Goodreads. It also offers a self-serve Giveaways programme for authors and publishers to promote print, digital, and audio editions to the platform's reader community.
Product overview
The StoryGraph is a single unified platform for book tracking and discovery, consisting of the core StoryGraph app (which includes reading tracking, stats, personalized recommendations, buddy reads, book clubs, reading challenges, and content warnings) plus two optional paid/standalone offerings: StoryGraph Plus (a premium subscription for enhanced personalization) and the StoryGraph Giveaways Programme (a separate marketing tool for authors and publishers to reach readers). The platform positions itself as an Amazon-free alternative to Goodreads.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- The StoryGraph Core book tracking and reading discovery platform available on iOS, Android, and the web. Lets individual readers log and track books, view reading habit analytics, receive machine learning-powered personalized recommendations, filter by mood, pace, and content warnings, and participate in social features like buddy reads, reading challenges, and book clubs.
- StoryGraph Giveaways Programme Self-serve promotional tool that lets authors and publishers run book giveaways (print, digital, and audio formats) in front of The StoryGraph's engaged reader community, with stats dashboards, in-app prize downloads, and 'For You' section placement, offered at Standard and Premium tiers.
Companies that use The StoryGraph
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The StoryGraph technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
AI capability2 records
Feature6 records
The StoryGraph partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Rakuten KoboflagshipRakuten Kobo and StoryGraph announced a partnership making Kobo the first eReader to offer native progress syncing with StoryGraph. Starting June 2026, the integration automatically syncs users' reading progress, marks completed books as 'Read,' and supports both eBooks and audiobooks. Kobo users gain access to StoryGraph's analytics, personalized recommendations, and community features including reading streaks and book clubs.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
The StoryGraph competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Goodreads: Amazon-owned social book cataloging and recommendation platform and StoryGraph's primary direct competitor. Both offer reading tracking, shelves, recommendations, and book clubs, but Goodreads is bundled into the Kindle ecosystem while StoryGraph positions as the 'Amazon-free alternative'.
- LibraryThing: Long-running social book cataloging service for readers who want to track and tag their libraries. Comparable to StoryGraph in cataloging, tagging, and community features, though with a more power-user/library focus rather than ML-driven discovery.
- Bookly: Mobile reading tracker with reading stats, goals, and reading-session tracking. Closely comparable to StoryGraph in tracking and stats features for consumer readers, though with less emphasis on social/mood-based discovery.
- Bookmory: Mobile reading tracker with reading sessions, stats, and book logging. Directly comparable to StoryGraph's tracking and habit-visualization features for individual readers on mobile.
Emerging players
- Hardcover: Newer book social platform emphasizing book tracking, lists, and community discussion. Competes with StoryGraph in the Goodreads-alternative niche with a more social/lists-oriented product, appealing to migrating readers.
- Fable: Social reading app built around book clubs, reading challenges, and reader community. Overlaps with StoryGraph's book club and social features and targets the same Goodreads-disenchanted reader demographic.
- Litsy: Instagram-style micro-reviewing app for books, acquired by Amazon. Comparable to StoryGraph's short-form social reading features and competes for the same casual reader/social cataloging audience.
- Literal: Bookish social platform emphasizing honest reviews, mood-based discovery, and book clubs. Competes with StoryGraph for the Goodreads-alternative reader who wants community-driven discovery and richer categorization.
Broad incumbents
- Scribd: Large subscription e-book and audiobook platform that also includes social and recommendation features. A broad incumbent in the digital reading space with overlapping recommendation and discovery functionality, but its core offering is paid content access rather than a tracking/community layer.
- Apple Books: Apple's first-party e-book and audiobook reader embedded in iOS/macOS with reading goals, stats, and recommendations. A broad incumbent with device-level distribution that overlaps with StoryGraph's tracking and recommendation features.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The StoryGraph social profiles
Digital presenceThe StoryGraph financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The StoryGraph leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
The StoryGraph funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The StoryGraph M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The StoryGraph
What does The StoryGraph do?
The StoryGraph is a book tracking and discovery platform that lets users log books they have read, are reading, or want to read, and surfaces personalized book recommendations using machine learning AI based on mood, pace, and content preferences. It adds social reading features such as buddy reads with spoiler-protected live reactions, reading challenges, and book clubs, and positions itself as an Amazon-free alternative to Goodreads. It also offers a self-serve Giveaways programme for authors and publishers to promote print, digital, and audio editions to the platform's reader community.
Is The StoryGraph a public or private company?
The StoryGraph is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The StoryGraph founded?
The StoryGraph was founded in 2019. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The StoryGraph based?
The StoryGraph is headquartered in Watford, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does The StoryGraph make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Plus Subscription is the primary driver. The others are giveaways Program.
Who are The StoryGraph's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Goodreads, LibraryThing, Bookly and Bookmory. Emerging players are Hardcover, Fable, Litsy and Literal. Broad incumbents are Scribd and Apple Books.
Does The StoryGraph have an API?
No public API is recorded for The StoryGraph.
What industry is The StoryGraph in?
The StoryGraph's product category is Reading Tracking and Recommendations. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAMAA, E-book Retail & Reading Platforms (Stores, Apps, Devices), with a secondary code of MPACAKAH, Content Curation & Bookmarking/Read-Later Platforms. Its NAICS code is 513130 and its SIC code is 2731.