Readwise Books launches to challenge Amazon Kindle and Goodreads

Readwise has launched Readwise Books, a beta app that combines e-book purchasing, reading, and tracking features. Designed to compete with Amazon’s Kindle and Goodreads, the app offers detailed reading statistics, AI-powered tools, and an open ecosystem. It is currently invite-only unless users are existing Readwise subscribers.

Tarun Mottlia

Editor, Lazyfounder

Published Nov 3, 20262 min read

Readwise Books launches to challenge Amazon Kindle and Goodreads — Image: Readwise via source

What Readwise Books offers

Readwise Books integrates e-book purchasing, reading, and tracking into a single app, positioning itself as an alternative to Amazon’s Kindle and Goodreads. According to TechCrunch, the app provides detailed reading statistics, including words read, pace, immersion, and session tracking—features aimed at users who want more insight into their reading habits than Goodreads currently offers.

The app offers millions of e-books from the big five publishers and others, initially available only in the U.S. It also supports print books fulfilled by Bookshop.org’s distributor, as well as some audiobooks. Users can upload DRM-free EPUBs, a flexibility not commonly available in mainstream e-book platforms.

AI and open technology features

Readwise Books includes AI-powered tools such as session recaps, definitions, translations, and location-aware Q&A, provided publishers opt in. Harper Collins is the first major publisher to support these features. The app also embraces open technology, including a public API and an MCP server for AI agents, which could allow developers to build integrations or extensions.

The app is currently free, though Readwise has indicated that some AI features may eventually move behind a paywall. Existing Readwise apps for reading and tracking highlights are priced at $7.99 per month each, or $9.99 per month for both.

Availability and competition

Readwise Books is in beta and requires an invite, though existing Readwise subscribers can access it without one. The app enters a market dominated by Amazon, which holds an 83% share of the e-book market when Kindle and its ecosystem are included. Indie alternatives to Kindle’s store have been rare, making Readwise’s entry notable for users seeking alternatives.

What this means

Lazyfounder analysis — our interpretation, not reported fact.

Readwise Books signals a rare challenge to Amazon’s dominance in the e-book market, particularly for users who want more control over their reading data and integrations. For founders and operators, the app’s focus on open technology—such as its public API and MCP server—could create opportunities to build complementary tools or services. The beta launch also highlights a potential shift in how readers engage with e-books, combining purchasing, reading, and tracking in one place without relying on Amazon’s ecosystem. If successful, this model could inspire similar approaches in other markets where a single player dominates.

Sources

TechCrunch · 2026-11-02
Readwise takes on Amazon’s Kindle and Goodreads with its new app for book lovers

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