Readwise Launches Books App to Compete With Kindle and Goodreads

Readwise has built a following among heavy readers with tools that organize Kindle highlights and save web articles. The company now has a new product that targets the core ebook market directly.

Readwise Books entered beta testing on October 28. Users can access the platform through an invite or by subscribing to existing Readwise services. The app allows people to purchase, read, and discuss books in a single environment.

Cofounders Tristan Homsi and Daniel Doyon describe the software as a performance tracker for literature. The system records how long a user reads, how much they read, and their speed. This data is visible to friends within the network. The homepage functions as a social feed displaying what other users are currently reading, along with their comments and recommendations.

The founders have discussed this concept since they first met. Homsi stated that they believed Kindle could be much better. He noted that they did not expect it would take more than nine years to reach this stage of development. Doyon observed that most people do not actively seek a better Kindle. However, many users complain about the current standard for social book tracking, which is Goodreads.

Readwise Books addresses these user frustrations by offering a modern interface. The app tracks books that are on a user's to-read list, currently being read, and already finished. It also integrates with Amazon accounts. Users can photograph the starting and ending pages of physical or digital books to sync their progress with their Kindle library. The platform supports ratings and reviews, allowing users to see opinions from others.

The design combines elements of fitness tracking with social media. It resembles a hybrid of Strava and Letterboxd. The visual layout is cleaner than the interface of Goodreads. The beta version is currently limited to a specific group of early adopters.