Frequently asked questions
Everything readers ask about PlotShelf, grouped so you can find your answer quickly.
Getting started
What is PlotShelf?
PlotShelf is a book tracker and reading journal for people who want to remember what they read. You keep a personal library, log reading sessions, write notes and reviews, and see the statistics that come out of it.
Do I need an account to use it?
No. The app opens straight into your library. There is no sign-up, no email, no password, and nothing to verify.
Is PlotShelf free?
The core of PlotShelf — your library, sessions, notes and statistics — is free. Some advanced features may be offered as a paid upgrade later; anything you have already logged always stays yours.
Which devices does it run on?
PlotShelf is a mobile app for Android and iOS. This site is the place to find the current store links.
Tracking your reading
How do I add a book?
Search by title or author and pick your edition, or add the details by hand — title, author, page count and cover — when a book is not listed.
What is a reading session?
A session is one sitting with a book. Start it when you open the book and close it when you stop, and PlotShelf records how long you read and which pages you covered.
Can I add a session I forgot to time?
Yes. Any session can be added or edited afterwards — set the date, the time you spent and the pages, and your progress updates accordingly.
How is reading progress calculated?
From the page you are on against the book's page count, so progress moves as you log sessions. You can also set the page directly whenever that is quicker.
Can I track audiobooks or e-books?
Yes. Set the format when you add the book and log sessions in time rather than pages when that fits better — an audiobook session records duration just as a paper one does.
Notes and reviews
Where do my notes live?
Each note belongs to a book, is stamped with the date, and can be tied to the page you were on — so a year later you still know where the thought came from.
Can I save quotes?
Quotes have their own shelf inside each book, separate from your notes, so the lines you wanted to keep are easy to find again.
Are my reviews public?
No. PlotShelf has no profiles, no followers and no feed. A review is a page in your own journal — nobody else sees it.
Can I rate a book without writing a review?
Yes. A rating on its own is fine, and so is a review with no rating. Neither is required to finish a book.
Goals and statistics
What can I set a goal for?
A yearly goal in books, tracked live against what you have finished, so you always know whether you are ahead or behind.
Which statistics does PlotShelf show?
Books finished, pages read, sessions logged and total reading time, broken down by month and by year, plus a calendar map of the days you actually read.
Will missing a day break anything?
No. PlotShelf has no streaks to lose and sends no guilt-trip reminders. Reading is not a chore to keep up with, and the statistics are there to inform you, not to grade you.
Privacy and your data
Where is my data stored?
On your device. PlotShelf does not create accounts, does not upload your library, and does not synchronise it to a server.
Does PlotShelf track me?
No. There are no analytics tools, no advertising SDKs and no cross-app tracking inside the app. See the Privacy Policy for the full detail.
Can I get my data out?
Yes. Your library, sessions and notes can be exported so that they remain readable outside the app and can be imported back.
What happens if I change phone?
Because everything is stored locally, move your data with an export from the old device and an import on the new one, or restore it from your usual device backup.
Ask us directly
If your question is not here, send it over — every message is read by the person who builds PlotShelf.
Fewer questions, more chapters.
Install PlotShelf and start your library with the book you are reading right now.
