A Bookly alternative that makes the next page come first

If you are looking for a Bookly alternative, you probably like the idea of timed reading sessions and a streak. ReadFirst has those too, so the real question is a different one: do you need help tracking your reading, or help getting to it? ReadFirst is a reading tracker plus an app lock, so the apps that eat your evening stay closed until you have read a page of your book.

We make ReadFirst, so we are not neutral. We checked every fact about Bookly on its App Store page on 20 October 2026.

What is Bookly?

Bookly is a reading timer and habit tracker with detailed stats. On the US App Store it is listed as "Bookly: Book Tracker" by TwoDoor Games, and it runs on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Vision Pro.

You start a real-time reading timer, with ambient sounds if you like, and Bookly tracks read time, pages, reading speed, estimated finish and daily time. You can set monthly or yearly goals in hours, pages or books, plus finish-by goals for a single book. There are streaks, readathons, achievements, infographic reports and sharing. Bookshelf and Lock Screen quote widgets, ISBN scan, adding books from photos or TikTok videos, Goodreads sync and iCloud sync round it out.

Bookly is free with in-app purchases. Its description offers a 7-day trial of Bookly Pro, then from $4.99 a month, $19.99 for six months or $29.99 a year, as listed on the US App Store on 20 October 2026. The store lists several other plans as well.

Bookly vs ReadFirst at a glance

Where Bookly is a great choice

Bookly is a polished tracker with a long feature list, and for some readers it is simply the better tool.

• Session detail. Reading speed and estimated finish times go deeper than ReadFirst's stats.
• Any format. You can time any reading session, not only printed pages.
• More devices. Bookly runs on Mac and Apple Watch. ReadFirst is iPhone and iPad only.
• Goodreads sync and fun extras. Ambient sounds, readathons and adding books from TikTok videos are things ReadFirst does not have.
• A free start. You can try the basics without paying.

Why readers pick ReadFirst

ReadFirst covers the same daily tracking, then adds the one thing a tracker cannot do on its own: it makes the book come first.

The lock is the reminder. A timer only helps once you open the app. ReadFirst keeps the apps and websites you choose locked with Apple Screen Time, and the shield says "This page can wait." To open them, you read a printed page and take a live photo of the last page you read. The page is checked on your iPhone and the photo is never saved. Only your chosen apps are locked, never the phone. More on read to unlock.

A reading clock that knows you are reading. Tap Read now and the reading timer starts, with a Live Activity on the Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island. It rests while you use another app on your phone, and the camera opens once your reading time has passed.

Pages become minutes. Your rule sets the trade, for example one page for 15 minutes in your apps. Minutes only run while you use the locked apps, and extra pages go into a bank for later that day, up to 5 hours, emptied at midnight.

Widgets and shortcuts. The Today and Your book reading widgets sit on your Home Screen and Lock Screen. A Read now control works from Control Center and the Action button, and Siri can start a session.

Medals with weight. 60 reading medals for pages, books, days in a row, goal days and special moments, including three secret medals in black gold.

Want the tracker without the lock for now? Set the minutes in your rule to 0 and ReadFirst runs in Track only: every page counts for your book, goal and medals.

Switching from Bookly

ReadFirst does not import from Bookly or Goodreads, so you start with the printed books you are reading right now. Scan the barcode, photograph the cover, search the title or type it in. Your streak starts the first day you read a page.

If you read e-books or audiobooks too, you may want to keep Bookly for those and use ReadFirst for paper.

Which one should you choose?

Both apps help you build a reading habit. The question is whether you need a better log or a better start.

Choose Bookly if:

• you want detailed session stats like reading speed and estimated finish
• you read on several formats or want it on your Mac and Apple Watch
• you want a free starting point

Choose ReadFirst if:

• you open your phone to read and end up somewhere else
• you read printed books and want pages to earn your screen time
• you want a timer, goal, streak, stats and medals in one quiet app with no account

For more options, see Bookmory vs Bookly vs StoryGraph or the best reading tracker apps.