It seems like every year, a new reading platform to rival the most popular reading platform, Goodreads, emerges. And well, being a big book lover as I am, as soon as I come to know about it, I have to try it.
This year it’s Pagebound, which has been showing up on my Instagram quite profoundly, and I finally set up a profile to try the app on my phone. After trying it for weeks, here are the pros and cons I believe the Pagebound platform offers currently!
The Most Unique Pagebound Features
1. The Difference Between Forum and Review
On Goodreads, you only have the Review option. Sure, there are Communities for Groups and Discussions you can join to chat about books, but those are time-sensitive based on whether a particular group is reading at the moment or not. (Based on my experience, if the book is not that popular, you won’t find an active community.) And thus, you won’t be able to discuss your feelings many times whilst reading the book.
That’s why the forum is a great addition. I’ve seen and interacted with people using the app (who I must say have been very considerate in using the spoiler tag), so you can discuss even the smallest of details in a book. It’s what makes the Pagebound app statement true for me.
“If Goodreads and Reddit had a baby.”
2. The Half Ratings
Ask anyone who has been on Goodreads for years, and you’ll find the inability to rate ½ stars as one of its biggest challenges. That’s why every Goodreads alternative I’ve tried, including Fable and Storybound until now, includes book tracking and reviewing with the ability to provide half stars.
Pagebound is not behind in that and goes an extra mile by providing us with the tools of reading tracking with sub-ratings, half-stars, and even the choice of adding three emojis (which I found particularly cute!)
3. The Special Badge
For every special Readalong, you earn a special badge. As of February 15, it’s a Mardi Gras Special, and that’s just a cute little reward, which I think will encourage users to read more!
4. Cute Icons
Signing up, you’ll find the following illustrated icons to go with your profiles. Since they are an anti-AI company, it will definitely appeal to those looking for those little human creative aspects!
5. Yearly and Monthly Planner
What I loved about the Pagebound platform is the ability to curate your reading list month by month or even year to year. This is a step forward from the popular “Reading Goal” most users set at the start of the year on the Pagebound app or other Goodreads alternatives.
6. The Color-Coded Shelves
Even though I know Storygraph is still the favorite among Goodreads alternatives for many because of its in-depth insights, I love Pagebound’s aspect, through which it color-codes every level of the reading journey. For example:
- Yellow for Interested
- Blue for TBR
- Orange for Finished
- Pink for DNF
- And as such…
7. The Shop
While this point doesn’t relate to the Pagebound books reading platform as such, I have to give them credit for their marketing. The two-person, women-owned team states they are an anti-AI company, cleared by their shop items, and I love the idea of selling the merchandise that states it.
Pagebound Platform Challenges
Not a single platform is without its challenges, and here are some of the areas Pagebound App can improve as well (as of the version: Das)
1. Need Similar Books List
In Goodreads, you have the feature of “Readers Also Enjoyed,” and Fable has “Books Similar”. Currently, only Popular books have Rec Lists. And even though the Pagebound book platform has added the option of ‘Community Recs’, where readers can add similar books to the individual book, you need a curated list of similar books as well.
I personally love this feature and have added books to it as well. But the creators will need a team to check if the recommended reads are even right or not. And I believe it is not the first thing they will have an allotted budget/time for.
2. Can’t Add Video/Images
On one hand, I fully support the idea of not adding a way to add images or videos, as they may distract you from the words. But, on the other hand, I really do want to add an image or two to my reviews sometimes, since I’m not promoting any books under a Review but instead using a meme or expression to convey what I thought at a particular scene in a book.
Now, this may be only me because I’ve been on Goodreads for a long time, and they do allow you to add images through HTML tags…
Here’s what the creator, Lucy Zhao, comments on the decision to intentionally not include this ability on the Pagebound book platform:
“We are text-based (no images or video) intentionally to prioritize talking about books, and people get followers based on their thoughts, not how they look or how well they can speak in front of a camera.”
3. Lack of Review Editing Option
Apart from the spoiler tag, Pagebound reviews need to be able to get all the classic editing tools, including Italics and Bold for a more coherent review.
4. Feature To Add Shelves
You can’t make a shelf right next to the book you are reviewing. No, you have to make it on your profile, which I think is a big factor since many users like to sort their reads based on each book.
Since this is not a big ask, I am hoping this ability will be amongst their roadmaps to update in the future!
5. Quests
Quests and Lists are recommended features for similar books related to a genre. While you can make a list and share it with others, only top contributors/readers can make a ‘Quest,’ and as of January 2026, they are quite limited. For example, only SciFi Starter Pack or Popular Romantasys.
Final Conclusion
After Fable last year, another new reading platform known for more diverse reading insights, can Pagebound become the next Goodreads? Well, after jumping on the bandwagon and trying the new app, I have to say it sort of does for some but not for others.
I mean, I love the pink and purple theme, so on trend with the current craze of everything Zara Larsson with her Y2K nostalgia and forum aspect. But…
If you don’t like your apps too bright and colorful (which I’ve seen readers asking for in the comments of Pagebound’s socials) or want more of your reading stats, then I believe there are still other better reading platform options for you to choose from.
Still, I’m liking my time spent on the app because the vibe matches mine, and I’m glad there are no big glitches as such on a new book platform managed by just a team of two!
Disclaimer: This is not a paid promotion. All the images have been sourced from the app platform, which I have used of my own free will; the Pagbound version being Android version 1.0.9.