The StoryGraph is a good app, and if its mood tags and deep stats are what you want, stay. If you want something lighter — no account, works offline, in your language — that is what Niovela is for.
Free · No sign-up to start · Works offline · 7 languages
The StoryGraph earned its reputation honestly. It is independent, it is not Amazon, its stats are the best in the category, and the mood and pace tags are a genuinely original way to decide what to read next. If that is what you came for, this page is not trying to talk you out of it.
The two differences that make people look for an alternative are practical rather than philosophical. The first is that StoryGraph needs an account before it does anything — reasonable for a service built around a shared database, but a real barrier if you only wanted to write down what you are reading. The second is language: StoryGraph is English-only, which is a hard stop for a lot of readers.
Niovela is the lighter option on both counts. It opens straight into a usable library with no sign-up, it works offline because everything is on your device, and the whole interface exists in seven languages. The trade is honest: you get simpler stats and no mood tagging. Different tool, different job.
Four concrete differences, not a marketing list.
Open it and start logging. Your library is saved on your device; an account is optional and only needed to sync between devices.
Installable as an app (PWA) and fully usable with no connection, because your library does not live on a server by default.
English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian and Polish — interface and content, with a separate filter for the language you read in.
Nothing is public until you say so. Reviews, quotes and who you follow each have their own switch.
Side by side, including where StoryGraph wins.
| Niovela | The StoryGraph | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free + paid plan |
| Account to start | Not required | Required |
| Ads | None | None |
| Works offline | Yes | No |
| Stats | Yes | Advanced |
| Mood & pace tags | No | Yes |
| Quotes & notes | Yes | Yes |
| Export your data | JSON + CSV | CSV |
| Languages | 7 (EN/ES/FR/DE/PT/IT/PL) | English |
| Made by | Independent maker | Independent |
A complete reading life, without the setup.
Reading, finished, to read or abandoned — with page progress, ratings, dates and rereads.
Pages, genres, top authors, rating distribution, an activity heatmap and a yearly goal.
Save the lines you love, write reviews, build your own lists.
Export the whole library as JSON or CSV whenever you want. Leaving is as easy as arriving.
No — it is very good, and if you like its mood tags and deep statistics you should keep using it. This page exists for people who want something lighter, in their own language, or without an account.
Yes. Upload the CSV you export from StoryGraph and Niovela recognises the format on its own — books, your star ratings (halves rounded), dates, tags and reviews. Your Goodreads export works too.
Yes, and there is no paid tier at all — nothing is held back behind a plan.
No. That is StoryGraph's idea and it is a good one; Niovela sorts by genre, author, rating and reading status instead.
No. You can use it fully without one — the account only exists to sync between devices.
Yes. It is an installable web app (PWA) and your library lives on your device, so it keeps working with no connection.
Try it in thirty seconds — free, no account, nothing to install.
Open Niovela