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Readwise takes on Amazon’s Kindle and Goodreads with its new app for book lovers

SoftwareNovember 3, 20262 min read

Readwise, a company known for its reading apps, has launched Readwise Books. It is a new e-book store and reading tracker that aims to compete with Amazon's Kindle and Goodreads.

What happened

Readwise launched a new app called Readwise Books. It works as an e-book store and also helps people track what they read. The company calls it a mix of the Kindle and Goodreads apps. Users can buy, read, and track books in one place. The store has millions of e-books from the big five publishers and others. It is starting in the U.S. and will add more countries later. Print books and some audiobooks are also sold.

Key numbers and facts

Readwise Books offers millions of e-books, starting in the U.S.
Amazon's Kindle has an 83% share of the market when Kindle+ (formerly Kindle Unlimited) is counted.
The app tracks more than dates and finishing. It shows words read, pace, depth, immersion, and reading sessions.
The new app is free. Some AI features will later cost money.
Only HarperCollins has agreed so far to let its books use the AI features.

Some background

Goodreads is Amazon's book-tracking site and app, where readers log books and share reviews. Many new apps have tried to challenge it with features like book clubs and goal-setting. Few have tried to compete with Kindle's e-book store, which leads the market. Kindle is strong because it covers everything, from its own e-readers to book tracking. Readwise does not sell e-readers. Instead, it builds a community around reading and lets people track books from many sources.

Why it matters

This launch is a rare try to take on Amazon's big reading system from a small, independent company. Readwise says its detailed stats could help people read more without feeling guilty or using tricks like streaks. It also uses open tools, such as a public API, which lets other developers build on its data. This is different from Goodreads, which is more closed.

What to watch

Whether Readwise adds more countries to its store.
How many publishers allow their books to use the AI features.
Whether the AI features move behind a paywall, as the company plans.
Whether readers switch from Kindle or Goodreads to Readwise Books.

Glossary

Readwise: A company that makes reading apps, including a tool that tracks your highlights and a read-it-later app.
Goodreads: Amazon's website and app where readers track books, write reviews, and join book clubs.
Kindle: Amazon's e-book store and e-reader devices for reading digital books.
API: A set of tools that lets other software connect to a service and use its data.

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