How to Import Your Goodreads Library (Without Losing a Single Book)

If you've been tracking books on Goodreads for years, the thought of starting over somewhere new can feel overwhelming. The good news: you don't have to start over. Modern reading trackers like Spine and StoryGraph let you import your entire Goodreads library in minutes, preserving your ratings, reading dates, reviews, and shelves.

Here's exactly how to do it.

Step 1: Export Your Goodreads Data

First, you need to get your data out of Goodreads. Goodreads lets you export everything as a CSV file.

1. Go to goodreads.com and log in
2. Click on My Books in the navigation
3. On the left sidebar, find and click Import and Export
4. Click the Export Library button
5. Wait for the export to complete (this can take a minute if you have lots of books)
6. Download the CSV file when the link appears

The exported file contains everything: book titles, authors, ISBNs, your ratings, date read, date added, shelves, and any reviews you've written.

Step 2: Import into Your New Tracker

Importing into Spine

1. Open Spine and go to Settings
2. Tap Import
3. Select Goodreads
4. Upload the CSV file you downloaded
5. Spine will show you a preview of what it found: total books, how many have ratings, reading dates, and reviews
6. Confirm the import

Spine typically processes imports in under a minute, even for libraries with hundreds of books. Your books will appear in your library with their original ratings, reading dates, and shelf assignments.

Importing into StoryGraph

1. Go to StoryGraph and log in
2. Navigate to Settings > Import
3. Upload your Goodreads CSV file
4. StoryGraph will process the import and show you a summary
5. Confirm to complete the import

StoryGraph imports can take a bit longer for very large libraries, but the results are thorough.

What Gets Preserved?

What About Books That Don't Match?

Occasionally, a book in your Goodreads export won't match perfectly in the new platform's database. This usually happens with obscure editions, self-published books, or books with unusual ISBNs.

Both Spine and StoryGraph handle unmatched books gracefully. They'll flag any books that couldn't be automatically matched and give you the option to search for and match them manually.

In our testing, import match rates are typically above 95% for libraries with mainstream titles.

Tips for a Smooth Import

1. Export right before importing. Your Goodreads export is a snapshot in time. If you've been adding books recently, make sure to export fresh.

2. Check your shelves first. If you have custom shelves on Goodreads, note how you've used them. Different trackers handle custom shelves differently.

3. Don't delete your Goodreads account immediately. Give yourself a week or two with the new platform to make sure everything imported correctly. You can always go back if something's missing.

4. Try the free tier first. Both Spine and StoryGraph offer free tiers that include full import support. You don't need to pay anything to bring your library over.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I import from StoryGraph to Spine? Yes. Spine supports imports from both Goodreads and StoryGraph.

Will importing overwrite books I've already added? No. If you've already added some books manually, the import will skip duplicates and only add new ones.

How long does the import take? Usually under a minute. Larger libraries (500+ books) might take a couple of minutes.

Can I import multiple times? Yes. You can re-import if you need to, and duplicates will be handled automatically.

There's genuinely no reason to stay on a platform you don't enjoy just because your reading history is there. Your data is yours, and moving it is easier than you think.