Help · Frequently asked

Questions, answered.

Everything about how Viraldico works, what it costs, and what we will and won't do with your reading. If your question isn't here, we're easy to reach.

The basics

What is Viraldico?

A calm, club-first book app for real-life book clubs. It runs your meetings, lets the club vote on the next read, and gives every member a beautiful shelf of what they've finished. No streaks, no ads, no Amazon, and no AI.

Who is it for?

Two kinds of reader: people who run or belong to a real-life book club, and people who just want a calmer, more private place to track their reading. And public libraries, who can host their own clubs on it.

What devices does it work on?

Any modern browser, on your phone, tablet, or computer. You sign in with a magic link sent to your email, so there's no password to remember.

How is it different from Goodreads or StoryGraph?

Goodreads and StoryGraph are built around one reader's tracking. Viraldico is built around the club: meetings, a vote, a roster, a queue. For the full picture, see the comparisons with Goodreads and StoryGraph.

Clubs and meetings

How does a book club work on Viraldico?

One person starts a club and shares a join link or QR code. The club schedules a meeting with a date, time, and place; members RSVP and can add it to their own calendar; and everyone votes on the next book by ranked choice. Each meeting can have a discussion guide pinned to it.

How many people can be in a club?

On the free plan, one club of up to about eight members. Plus lifts that to unlimited clubs and members, and everyone you invite reads for free either way.

Do members each have to pay?

No. Pricing is per reader, and only the host's plan matters. Everyone you invite joins for free, on every plan.

Switching and your library

Can I import my Goodreads books?

Yes. Export your Goodreads library as a CSV and import it in four steps; your ratings, shelves, and read dates come across, so your shelf starts full rather than empty.

Can my public library use Viraldico?

Yes. Libraries can host their own book clubs on it, and patrons can take part with no account and no reading history stored. There's a one-click board report for the program numbers libraries have to send up the chain. See For libraries.

Privacy, AI, and values

Why no AI?

Because trust is the point. We never turn your reading into training data or hand it to a model for recommendations. It's a deliberate stance, not a missing feature. Read our stance on AI.

Why no Amazon?

Every buy link goes to Bookshop.org or Libro.fm, which support independent bookshops, or to your local library. Never Amazon. Why indie.

What do you do with my reading data?

As little as possible. Participation is aggregate by default, outcome surveys are anonymous, library patrons can take part with nothing stored, and we never sell anything. You can export your shelves and leave whenever you like. Our privacy promise.

Are there streaks, badges, or daily nudges?

No. The club needs you about once a month, and that's the only pull we want. No streaks to keep, no badges to chase, no feed to scroll.

Pricing and billing

Is it really free?

Yes. Your first club and your shelf are free, with the full club logistics, including ranked-choice voting. Plus, at $50 a year, adds unlimited clubs and private personal stats.

How do you make money with no ads?

Mostly Plus subscriptions. When you buy a book through our Bookshop.org or Libro.fm links, we may earn a small share, which supports independent bookshops too. We show no ads and never sell your data.

How does billing work?

Payment is handled by Paddle, our payment provider, so we never see or store your card. You can switch between monthly and yearly at any time, and if you cancel, Plus simply returns to Free at the end of the period you've paid for. Your shelves and clubs stay yours either way.

Still have a question?

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