What is Actually Read? Is it an app?

A reading app you can download

Actually Read is available on the Apple App Store and is developed by Prism32 LLC. This website, actuallyread.com, is its official website. If you have seen it described as a book club, podcast, or newsletter, that description does not refer to this app.

At the center of the experience is Focus, with a realistic book carousel of your current reads. Move through your books, choose the one you want to spend time with, and start a reading session.

Is Actually Read a book tracker or an ebook reader?

Both. Actually Read is an ebook reader and a book tracker in the same app. Open an ebook and read it directly, or add a physical book and track your progress while you read on paper. You can also track a book you read in a different reading app.

Your ebooks and physical books share one library. Any book can be pinned to Focus, so the same reading routine works for a digital chapter, a paperback, or a book you read elsewhere.

Find and track the books on your nightstand

Search Actually Read’s large catalog of published books for the book you are reading. It finds the cover image, author, and summary for you. Add the book to your library, organize it in a reading list, and update your progress as you read.

Pin the book to Focus and protect a session for the copy in your hands. You can use Actually Read as a physical book tracker without reading an ebook at all.

Read over 70,000 free ebooks

Actually Read offers over 70,000 free public-domain ebooks through Project Gutenberg. Find a book, download it, and read it directly in the app. You can also import your own EPUB or PDF files.

The free ebook collection supplies books to read. The published-book catalog helps you find and track physical books and books you read elsewhere. Adding a catalog record does not give you a free digital copy of that title.

Protect your reading time with Deep Focus

Deep Focus uses Apple’s Screen Time API to temporarily block the apps, categories, and websites you select. Choose a session length or unlimited time, then start reading. During the session, a Live Activity keeps your focus session visible while Deep Focus shields your selected distractions.

It works for ebooks and physical books. The built-in reader tracks your reading time and progress; for a paper book, log your progress afterward. Your reading history brings together the time spent with each book, sessions, progress, highlights, and chat entries.

Ask questions and see the passages behind the answers

Actually Read’s AI companion actively searches the text of your selected digital book. Ask about a difficult passage, a character, or the story so far, and get an answer with citations to actual sources from the book. Tap a citation to return directly to the relevant passage.

Turn on Avoid Spoilers to constrain retrieval to the part you have reached. Book indexing and retrieval happen on-device for every AI model option. EPUBs offer the richest reader and AI experience; PDF support is more limited. A physical book’s catalog record does not supply its full text for AI answers.

Is Actually Read free?

The core reading experience is free, including book tracking, focus sessions, and on-device AI on supported devices. For more capable cloud models, Advanced AI is available through a subscription. Check the app and App Store listing for current prices and allowances.