Hardcover → Literal
Move your library from Hardcover to Literal
A direct Hardcover importer isn't built yet — but most Hardcover users also have a Goodreads profile, and Literal pulls Goodreads libraries cleanly. Here's the honest path.
The honest version
Hardcover is a small, independent book tracker that\'s built a thoughtful product over the last few years. We respect what they\'re doing — and lots of readers use both Hardcover and Literal in parallel.
We don\'t have a one-click Hardcover importer yet. The volume of users moving across hasn\'t justified the engineering work, and Hardcover\'s API isn\'t structured for third-party syncs the way Goodreads\' RSS feed is. So the path below is the real path, not a marketing path.
The cleanest path
Most Hardcover users came from Goodreads originally and still have a Goodreads profile. The Goodreads importer is your bridge.
- 1
Check whether you still have a Goodreads profile
If you have one, sign in and confirm it\'s up to date. Many Hardcover users kept Goodreads as a backup when they switched. If your Goodreads is current, you\'re done — go straight to the Goodreads importer. - 2
If your Goodreads is out of date, refresh it from Hardcover
Hardcover supports CSV export. Export your library, then import it back into Goodreads via Goodreads\' import tool. Once your Goodreads reflects your real library, run Literal\'s Goodreads importer. - 3
No Goodreads at all? Add books manually for now
Literal's search is fast — adding 50–100 books takes about an hour. Or sign up for the Hardcover importer waitlist below; we ship it when there's enough demand.
Why Hardcover users move to Literal
Bigger, more active community
Literal's community of active readers is larger, which means more reviews and recommendations per book.
Native iOS and Android apps
Both platforms ship monthly updates with real-time sync, dark mode, and fast search.
Real book clubs
Public and private clubs with reading schedules and discussion threads — used daily by thousands of readers.
First-class moments
Save quotes and highlights with page numbers, alongside reviews. A core feature, not an afterthought.
Goodreads importer
If you've been using both Hardcover and Goodreads, your full library lands on Literal in five minutes.
Year in books
Shareable annual reading wrap-up with stats, top books, and reading patterns.
Frequently asked questions
- Will you build a direct Hardcover importer?
- When there's enough demand and Hardcover provides a public way to read library data we'd build one. Today the Goodreads bridge covers most users without us needing custom integration.
- How long does the bridge approach take?
- If your Goodreads is current: about five minutes. If you need to bring your Hardcover library through Goodreads first: about 15 minutes total.
- Will I lose my Hardcover ratings or reviews?
- Anything that survives the Hardcover → Goodreads CSV import will land in Literal. Goodreads accepts ratings, reviews, shelves and dates from CSV imports, so most data comes through.
- Can I keep using Hardcover at the same time?
- Yes. Nothing is written back to Hardcover. Many readers run multiple trackers in parallel.
