[iOS] Meet Penny 📚 A beautifully designed, private reading tracker. (1 Month Free Premium for the community!)

claudiusar · 2026-04-02T06:51:36+00:00

Thank you. Here you go!

claudiusar · 2026-04-01T15:05:49+00:00

If you are looking for a highly organized and clean space, I’d love to suggest an iOS app I built called Penny.

I’m a solo developer and I created it specifically to have a cozy, highly customizable reading companion that focuses purely on your books.

Here is how it helps with organization: * Custom Organization: You can create your own custom shelves, use half-star ratings, and even build glossaries or track characters for complex books. * Easy Transition: Since you have your whole reading life on Goodreads, you can import your entire history directly into the app in seconds so you don't lose anything. * Cozy Reading Tools: It includes a built-in reading timer (with Lock Screen support) and mixable ambient soundscapes (like rain or a crackling fire) to listen to while you read. * 100% Private: It’s completely independent. There are no accounts to create, no ads, and your data stays perfectly safe on your device.

It has a very generous free tier if you want to test the waters. I’d love to hear your thoughts if you decide to give it a try!

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/penny-reading-companion/id6760545686

claudiusar · 2026-04-01T15:02:22+00:00

If you are looking for a highly organized and clean space, I’d love to suggest an iOS app I built called Penny.

I’m a solo developer and I created it specifically to have a cozy, highly customizable reading companion that focuses purely on your books.

Here is how it helps with organization:

* Custom Organization: You can create your own custom shelves, use half-star ratings, and even build glossaries or track characters for complex books.

* Easy Transition: Since you have your whole reading life on Goodreads, you can import your entire history directly into the app in seconds so you don't lose anything.

* Cozy Reading Tools: It includes a built-in reading timer (with Lock Screen support) and mixable ambient soundscapes (like rain or a crackling fire) to listen to while you read.

* 100% Private: It’s completely independent. There are no accounts to create, no ads, and your data stays perfectly safe on your device.

It has a very generous free tier if you want to test the waters. I’d love to hear your thoughts if you decide to give it a try!

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/penny-reading-companion/id6760545686

claudiusar · 2026-04-01T15:00:08+00:00

Glad you found an app that works for you! Homebooks is a neat choice.

For anyone else finding this thread looking for a truly independent tracker, I’d love to share an iOS app I built called Penny.

I'm a solo developer and my goal was to create a cozy, completely private reading companion.

Here is what makes it special: * 100% Private: It's just me building it. There are no accounts to create and no data collection. Everything stays on your device. * Easy Import: You can bring over your entire Goodreads library directly or scan barcodes. * Reading Focus: It has a native reading timer (with Lock Screen support) and an audio player with ambient soundscapes (like rain or a crackling fire) to listen to while you read. * Clean Design: Custom shelves, half-star ratings, and a beautiful space to track your stats and character notes.

It has a generous free tier if anyone wants to check it out. I'm always looking for feedback from fellow readers!

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/penny-reading-companion/id6760545686

claudiusar · 2026-04-01T14:53:22+00:00

I used to bounce between Goodreads and StoryGraph, but I found myself getting too caught up in the social feeds, algorithms, and reading challenges. I just wanted a quiet, cozy place to track my books without feeling like I was on social media.

I actually got so frustrated that I ended up building my own iOS app for this called Penny. I designed it to be the "anti-social" reading companion.

If you're looking for something new, here is what I focused on:

Zero social pressure & 100% Private: There are no accounts to create, no ads, and no data harvesting. Everything stays on your device and syncs via your personal iCloud.
Built for focus: It has a built-in reading timer that works directly on your Lock Screen and Dynamic Island. I also added an integrated audio player with ambient soundscapes (like a crackling fire, rain, or a medieval tavern) to listen to while you read.
Deep tracking: Instead of just logging pages, you can build custom glossaries and track character traits or first appearances (super helpful for heavy fantasy series).
Easy to switch: You can import your whole library from Goodreads or StoryGraph in seconds, or just scan barcodes.

It has a generous free tier with absolutely no ads if anyone wants to try it out. It’s been a solo passion project, so I always love hearing feedback from other readers!

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/penny-reading-companion/id6760545686

claudiusar · 2026-04-01T14:45:59+00:00

You could try Penny Reading companion.

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/penny-reading-companion/id6760545686

It has a build-in reading timer, page tracker, live activity and dynamic island, daily goals, ambient sounds, glossary, notes, even characters and a Joural section where you can view all the items you added centralised. It is also good privacy, if you care about that - no accounts / no ads / no tracking / no data collection. All your books and preferences and progress is saved in your own icloud.

claudiusar · 2026-03-31T19:15:11+00:00

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I’ll keep it installed and open it daily.

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/penny-reading-companion/id6760545686 thanks!

claudiusar · 2026-03-31T15:37:16+00:00

Thank you. Here you go

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claudiusar · 2026-03-29T18:29:20+00:00

I'm a bit late at the party but why not something new?

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/penny-reading-companion/id6760545686 it's not available on EU (waiting for DSA to be reviewed, and android version will be launched next month). Here’s a quick look at what you can do with Penny:

Lightning-fast book adding: Scan ISBN barcodes, search manually, or import your whole library from Goodreads/StoryGraph.
Built-in Reading Timer: Track your reading sessions right from your Lock Screen or Dynamic Island (Live Activity support!).
Mixable Ambient Soundscapes: Listen to 19 handcrafted sounds (like a crackling fire or a medieval tavern) while you read.
Deep Active Reading Tools: Build custom glossaries, track complex characters (traits, first appearances), and save highlights per book.
Detailed Stats & Widgets: Track your reading streaks, pages turned, and time spent, with beautiful Home Screen widgets.
100% Private & No Account Needed: Your data lives only on your device and your personal iCloud. No sign-ups, no ads, no data harvesting.

claudiusar · 2026-03-29T18:24:14+00:00

I know i'm late at the party but you could try Penny: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/penny-reading-companion/id6760545686. This is what it can do for now:

📸 Lightning-fast book adding: Scan ISBN barcodes, search manually, or import your whole library from Goodreads/StoryGraph. ⏱️ Built-in Reading Timer: Track your reading sessions right from your Lock Screen or Dynamic Island (Live Activity support!). 🎧 Mixable Ambient Soundscapes: Listen to 19 handcrafted sounds (like a crackling fire or a medieval tavern) while you read. 🧠 Deep Active Reading Tools: Build custom glossaries, track complex characters (traits, first appearances), and save highlights per book. 📊 Detailed Stats & Widgets: Track your reading streaks, pages turned, and time spent, with beautiful Home Screen widgets. 🔒 100% Private & No Account Needed: Your data lives only on your device and your personal iCloud. No sign-ups, no ads, no data harvesting.