A Minimalist, Zero-Pressure Reading Tracker for Readers of Every Age.
Mark your place. Find your way. Lanternway keeps track of your reading, cheers you on with badges and levels, and never makes you feel behind.
Lanternway is in a small private beta now. The public beta opens in early 2027.
How It Works
Whether you’re a third-grader tracking your first chapter book or an adult building a daily reading habit free from distraction, Lanternway helps to transform reading from a required task into an engaging adventure.
Standard Features
- Log your reading in seconds. Tap 15, 30 or 45 minutes, run the timer, or type in how long you read. Scan a book’s barcode to add it to your shelves.
- Your years, saved. See every book you finished, year by year.
- Every format counts. Print, e-books, audiobooks, graphic novels, manga, and poetry all earn the same credit.
- Nine levels at your own pace. From Initiate to Paragon. Reading half an hour a day reaches the top in about two years, and the journey keeps going after that.
- Quests, never chores. Badges, optional weekly quests and activities earn Bounty Tokens to spend on avatars and backgrounds in the Armory. Group and family quests are coming soon.
- Activities to try. Little extras like reading outside or reading a book with a red cover, from us and from your library, school (after the 2027 library pilots), or church. Check one off when you’ve done it.
- Storybook rewards. Finish a classic like Dracula, Treasure Island or Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland to unlock a matching avatar and background, then get them with Bounty Tokens.
- Badges for real reading habits. 121 badges to earn, from your first session to a thousand hours, including secret ones to discover.
- Inclusive by design. We want everyone to be able to use our website and services, including people with disabilities, people with dyslexia or other reading differences, and people learning English.
Made for every kind of reader
In addition to its standard features, Lanternway uses:
- Lexend, a font designed to make reading easier, at every size.
- Calm colors with strong contrast (the main text meets WCAG’s strictest level, AAA), a dark mode, and adjustable text size and spacing.
- A short, friendly “Ready for the journey?” check that can point readers to free phonics and English courses. There’s no score, and answers stay on the device.
- Course credit to encourage learning. Finish a phonics or English course from our community resources and earn a badge and Bounty Tokens.
What Lanternway will never do
- No streaks. Missing a day doesn’t reset anything or take anything away.
- No leaderboards or rankings. Your reading is compared only with your own.
- No messages, friends lists, comments, or public profiles. Nobody can see or contact anyone else.
- No ads, no selling data, and nothing to buy. Bounty Tokens can’t be bought. They’re earned only by reading, earning badges, and completing quests, activities, and courses.
Designed for Every Partner in Literacy
Meaningful reading habits don’t happen in a vacuum; they are built through the support of a whole community. Lanternway was created to serve the entire literacy ecosystem, bridging the gap between individual goals, family encouragement, and community resources.
For Individuals
Lanternway replaces dry, clinical reading logs with a clean, low-pressure tracking system that builds confidence and celebrates personal progress.
For Parents & Families
A supportive, privacy-first tool that encourages consistent home reading habits.
A parent or guardian can add a profile for each child to their own account, so the whole family can read on one tablet or on their own devices. Children under 13 join only this way, after the parent reads a short notice and agrees. Parents can see, change or delete a child’s profile at any time.
For Organizations
A flexible, high-engagement companion for public libraries, summer reading programs, workplace wellness programs and faith-based or community youth programs (schools after our 2027 library pilots).
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Lanternway designed for?
Everyone. Lanternway is a neuro-inclusive platform built for young and adult readers alike, including those who experience engagement friction, low motivation, or focus challenges.
Teens 13 and older and adults sign up with their email, Apple, or Google account. Children under 13 join through a parent’s or guardian’s account.
What happens if I forget to log my reading for a few days?
Nothing bad. Lanternway has no streaks, so you’ll never lose progress, get penalized or get guilt-inducing notifications for taking a break. You can add reading for today or yesterday; older days can’t be filled in, so just pick up where you left off.
How much does Lanternway cost?
Nothing. Lanternway is completely free for readers, always. Organizations can use a free plan or pay for more campaign tools and reports, and schools can join after the 2027 library pilots.
Adults who wish to support Lanternway or our company mission can do so here. This is completely voluntary and does not change your experience.
Is Lanternway a formal reading curriculum?
No. Lanternway is a habit-building platform, not an instructional teaching tool. It is designed to complement personal reading choices, classroom programs, public library initiatives, and community youth groups.
For support beyond our apps, explore our collection of localized literacy tools and personal wellness directories on our Community Resources page.
What does Lanternway know about me?
Only what it needs to run: your email, your age group, and the reading you log. Organizations you join see totals for groups of 10 or more readers, never your name or your books.
View our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service for more information.
Need more information?
Email hello@marstheory.org if you have a question that’s not already on this page. We typically respond within 5 business days.
Prefer to send mail? Drop us a line at:
Mars Theory
2735 Hassert Blvd., Suite 135 #206
Naperville, IL 60564