This is where book recommendation apps come in handy. Have you ever been to the bookstore and received a print out with your receipt of three or five books you might like based on the ones you just purchased? Well, this is exactly like that, just in app form. Check out the best book recommendation apps you can download today!
1. Likewise
Every day, Likewise presents you with a few books that you can either mark as read or save to read later. Then, you can view your saved books on the Saves tab and even create new lists if you already have a few books on your to-read list.
Likewise also has a Community tab where you can view or join discussions, ask for recommendations from others, or join groups in your favorite genres. Then, there’s a Discover tab where you can spend hours reading through trending books and lists like “Lana Del Rey’s Favorite Reads” or “19 Page-Turners That Read Like an Action Movie.”
And what’s awesome about Likewise is that you can find more than just book recommendations. If you’re looking for new TV shows, movies, or podcasts, the app can help you connect to similar communities and find your next favorites.
Download: Likewise for Android | iOS (Free)
2. Goodreads
With the Goodreads app, you can view personalized recommendations based on your favorite genres and previously read books. When looking at a recommendation, you can rate it if you’ve already read it or add it to your “Want to Read” list.
The app also has a cover scanner, which is nifty if you’re in a physical bookstore. If you see a book you like, you can scan the cover and if there are reviews on Goodreads for the book, they’ll pop up instantly.
Goodreads also has quite a few lists to scroll through on the Discover tab, to help you find books. The app also has reading challenges and giveaways, and you can invite friends or join groups to connect with the reading community.
Download: Goodreads for Android | iOS (Free)
3. Inkitt
Inkitt is a fantastic app to help support upcoming authors who have either just published a book or are currently working on one and want feedback. You can find pretty much every genre imaginable, so there’s something for everyone on this app.
You tell the app what your favorite genres are and it’ll automatically recommend you one or two books it thinks you’ll like. Once you’ve read a story, you can comment on it, like it, or leave a full review for it. And you can download available books for free to read them offline while you’re out of the house.
Overall, this app is really awesome for finding niche picks from smaller authors that you may not have ever heard of otherwise.
Download: Inkitt for Android | iOS (Free)
4. Bookshelf
Bookshelf won’t give you personalized recommendations, but there’s plenty to look through on its Explore tab. You can filter books by category to see a plethora of options, including Crime & Thriller, Food & Drink, Romance, Sport, and more. Then, once you select a category, you can even niche down your options further by selecting a subcategory.
At any given time, each category will have 60 of the bestsellers in that genre. And although you can’t read reviews for each book, you can see the number of reviews and the star rating for each of the 60 books in a category.
One of the neat things about this app is your virtual bookshelf. You can add all the books you’ve read and use a five star rating system, tags, and notes to keep track of how much you liked it.
Download: Bookshelf for Android | iOS (Free)
5. BookSloth
BookSloth gives you personalized recommendations based on your interests and lets you browse through curated lists. Then, you can keep track of all the books you’ve read or want to put on your future reading list, review books when you’re done reading them, and even work toward fun in-app achievements.
The app also lets you create a profile and connect with people who enjoy the same genres and authors as you. And if you don’t want to actually friend anyone, you can just interact with the community by exploring discussions about books or joining book clubs.
Download: BookSloth for Android | iOS (Free)
6. ThriftBooks
If you love to buy physical books, but hate spending your entire paycheck on them, you need to check out ThriftBooks. On top of browsing a ton of curated lists and current bestsellers, ThriftBooks also gives you personalized recommendations. Each book in the app has a five star rating and most have written reviews to go alongside the rating.
Plus, if you shop through the app and join the ReadingRewards program, you can get a free book sent to you for every 500 points you earn. And who doesn’t love free books?
Download: ThriftBooks for Android | iOS (Free)
Always Have Your Next Book Lined Up
With excellent recommendations at your fingertips, you’ll never run out of great books to read. And although the recommendations from app algorithms are usually pretty spot on, the communities within these apps are awesome for finding even more recommendations or just connecting with like-minded people.
If you love the smell, feel, and just enchanting world of physical books, make sure you check out your local libraries, bookstores, or even invest in a book subscription box that’ll keep your life fun and interesting.
