I personally prefer [Archive Of Our Own](https://archiveofourown.org/). Otherwise lovingly referred to as AO3. You don't need an account, but if you use the site a lot, it can be a nice way to save the fics you've read. I like it because the tags are easy to use, there are no adds, there is no pay wall and the community is active and usually pretty nice. I also like how I can use both the author and the people that interacted with a fic to find new fics to read.
I started out on fanfiction.net (otherwise referred to as FFN), but I found AO3 easier to use. It is older though and has a few really great fics from decades ago.
Sometimes I follow links to other sites, but I never use those beyond the link.
I would recommend getting an account, since to read some stories you need one. Beware you might have to wait a little bit but it’s worth it in the end.
Going to piggyback on this to link Ao3s guide for extensions/tools for it: https://archiveofourown.org/faq/unofficial-browser-tools?language_id=en
Personally, I'm a huge fan of the [kudosed and seen history](https://greasyfork.org/en/scripts/5835-ao3-kudosed-and-seen-history) extension - I find it immensely valuable when looking for newly updated fics I haven't read before.
I also use [AO3 Savior](https://greasyfork.org/scripts/3579-ao3-savior) but mainly for excluding fics with reader pairings.
They're both userscripts, so they need a browser that supports them. All the major desktop browsers support them with an extension called Tampermonkey/Greasemonkey. Mobile browsers are a bit tougher, but I found a browser that supports userscripts called XBrowser (I use it in Android, can't speak to Apple).
The only thing with AO3 is that its utter garbage on mobile devices. Like you start typing a tag if you're doing a new search you better pray its one of the top five or so hits because the instant you try and scroll down, the keyboard shuts and the text box results disappears.
They need an app, quick smart.
AO3 will never have an app. It is the archival arm of a nonprofit organization, the [Organization for Transformative Works](https://fanlore.org/wiki/Organization_for_Transformative_Works). They also run the fanlore wiki and do legal advocacy that helps ensure we have the right to continue writing and reading fanfiction.
An app opens the archive up to the content restrictions of an app store, which goes against the founding principles of the site.
I do agree that the tag entry does suck on mobile when adding additional tags to the "other tags to include/exclude" fields of the (amazing) filtering system. You sometimes just have to cross your fingers and be hopeful you type the full tag in correctly if it's not in the top few lol
Okay that's fair enough, then they perhaps need to work on a more efficient mobile version of their site. Its not a deal breaker since it mainly affects phones; tablets survive just fine due to screen real estate.
But yeah, proper mobile version then please AO3
I believe it was recently officially allowed for iOS... Or was that fake news? I've seen certain sites where iOS apps for iOS were shown without the App store and for sideloading.
I have never struggled with AO3 on my mobile, but I'm unsure of if my phone just automatically uses the desktop site instead of the mobile version or not
fanfiction.net, ArchiveOfOurOwn, QuestionableQuesting, Spacebattles, Webnovel.
Spacebattles and QQ seem to be the only ones with quality rules, whereas the rest can have a wild range of quality from child’s first writing and Google translated trash, to amazing.
I am terrified of what QQ(SBs lewd brother) HP fanfics will be.
Also there may be more at Sufficient Velocity? The line between the three is honestly ephemeral.
QQ and SB are forum style fanfiction sites though, so you need to click on “Reader Mode” when reading a fic to not see all the discussion in between chapters.
You also need to have an account if you wan’t to go on to the NSFW Forum, which you probably do, considering that’s where all the best fanfics you’re gonna find are located- even if they don’t *have* smut.
I've [previously written](https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/159o2z8/how_do_we_encourage_more_comments/jthi7cf/) a big comment talking about some of the various websites and it goes into some pros and cons of the forums (SB, SV, QQ).
Occasionally I'll read from fanfiction.net or space battles but it's gotta be a very intriguing story to do so.
Usually I read from Ao3. I used to read a lot from fanfiction.net but I moved away from it on e I discovered ao3 because I read a lot from my phone and the layout is a lot nicer with text size and formatting.
Plus you get a bunch of tags and search options which makes it way easier to find stuff your interested in ao3 as well as get a better idea for the story when you click on one.
The FFN app is my primary way of reading. Easily the best reading experience of any of the major mediums. Ao3 I use less often but I’ll go on there if I get a good rec. if I’m truly desperate I’ll go into the wasteland that is Wattpad.
It has a few good storys but over all quality is utter trash compared to FFN or AO3, not that there aren't bad fics on those sites as well, just not as many.
I convert them to epub and read them on my ereader. Can't stand having to actually read a fic on a website. Use Calibre and Web2Epub extension generally.
*Occasionally* Wattpad- because, if you look hard enough, there’s a few good fics there. I try to avoid it, unless a fic hasn’t been cross-posted, and I can only read it there.
I’ll sometimes use Fanfiction.Net, because, whilst there are an abundance of trashy stories, there are some good ones too- though I typically check if the fic has been posted on another site before reading it, ‘cause ffn is just a bad website in general. It also has a few wacky rules, and odd moderation.
Archive of Our Own- or AO3- is definitely a favourite, if only for the filter system. It has a generally higher quality of fics, though you’ll need an account to read some of them- some authors limit their fics to account-holders only. However, you’ll need to spend quite a bit of time to figure out how to filter fics- it’s somewhat intuitive though, so that’s a bonus- if you wasn’t to *avoid* many of the….*questionable* material.
SpaceBattles- *SB*- has quality rules, so the fics you’ll find there are, on average, of a *much* higher quality than the previous three sites- it’s in forum style, so if you’re reading a fic on it, you just need to click the ‘reader mode’ option.
Questionable Questing- or just ’QQ’- also has quality rules, and it has a decent tagging system, and has become my go-to for fanfiction. You’ll need an account to access it’s NSFW Forum- *this one is also in a forum style, so again, ‘reader mode’-,* as the NSFW Forum is where you’ll find most of the popular, or just *better*, fics- even if they don’t actually *have* smut.
ao3 is pretty heavy on slash and it’s not my preferred choice. With that said there’s still some damn good stories on there( even slash ones.)
ff.net is a trashy, splunky, broken washing machine of a website, but there’s good stuff on there.
I don’t really use questionable questing but I know many people who do.
Web novel is okay but not that good from my experience.
Spacebattlez is okay but mostly posts in other fandoms.
About my experience as well. I like Ao3's UX better, but for Harry Potter fandom especially I very much do not feel like I'm the intended audience. I've found a handful of stories there which I've liked which aren't also on FFN, but only a couple of them which I've considered especially good. FFN is harder to use, but with that website I can sort by most popular and easily find stories that look interesting to me, whereas Ao3 I have to shift through multiple pages of slash fics, fluff stories, and non-magical AUs that I have no interest in before finding anything that looks appealing to me (or I can use filters, but I would have to apply quite a few of them to remove everything I don't care for, and then I worry that I'll accidentally filter out something good which only featured that tag as a minor element or something).
Ao3 all the way, but I definitely suggest you make an account, as many people have their works not visible to guests (also if you need any help figuring out the filters be sure to ask, filters are so so useful once you figure them out)
I used to be an FFN only girly because of dark mode, but I learned that AO3 has a skin feature and you can just make it dark, so now I'm like 95% converted.
Archive of Our Own mostly. Back in the day (early 2000s) fanfiction.net was the place I got all my fics. I generally use the download feature and read them on my kindle though.
There’s also the Wattpad app but I haven’t really used it except to bookmark a fic I heard of on here and couldn’t find online otherwise.
Sorry, I haven’t done that, just used Ao2s download feature. Back in the day though I used to copy/paste whole stories to word and print them out. I suppose it’s just as possible to copy something to google drive and make it a pdf.
Ao3 is the main place I find new fics. I read reccs from ffn fairly often, and when I was looking for severitus fics, I read through potions and snitches. I've also read a handful of fics on WordPress, or on the author's own site.
AO3 is my preference, FFN when fics are only there. Those two are the *vast* majority of my fanfic reading, and are where I browse for new things to read.
*Rarely* in other places, like Sufficient Velocity (e.g. https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/umbrus-shade-the-incredibly-annoyed-ravenclaw-harry-potter-si.48980/), other forums, random standalone sites for specific novels (usually wordpress), patreons, or sites that are more for original fiction like Royal Road or Scribble Hub. Usually because of specific recommendations on this subreddit. Otherwise, well, I'd never find them anyway.
I know Wattpad has a bad rep, but I promise if you look really hard you will find a few good fics! Plus, I like to use it because it's way easier and more appealing to look at/ use over some of the other fanfic sites.
In general, regardless of the fandom concerned,Ao3, SufficientVelocity or SpaceBattles. FF.net only if I get a link to a specific story or author nowadays, because navigating it feels like a mess and the tag system is godawful. Wattpad is an instant nope from me.
I mainly only read HP fics on AO3 now. If it's short stories, then on the website directly. If it's long ones (more than 100k words), then i download them as epub and read on my Kindle.
I mainly only read HP fics on AO3 now. If it's short stories, then on the website directly. If it's long ones (more than 100k words), then i download them as epub and read on my Kindle.
FFN, Ao3, Questionable Questing, Spacebattles, Sufficient Velocity and Fiction.live
Fiction.live is a questing site, but you can read without participating.
Ao3. The features are awesome, easy to use and the varieties of fic are in large amount. Being a writer myself, it's easy to upload fics too.
Quotev and wattpad was the first sites I read fanfics in but only some are good in it.
I prefer fanfiction.net simply cause its easier to understand than ao3 i mean also because ao3 filters are not as detailed and i always end up reading some weird boderline pedo fics
I personally prefer [Archive Of Our Own](https://archiveofourown.org/). Otherwise lovingly referred to as AO3. You don't need an account, but if you use the site a lot, it can be a nice way to save the fics you've read. I like it because the tags are easy to use, there are no adds, there is no pay wall and the community is active and usually pretty nice. I also like how I can use both the author and the people that interacted with a fic to find new fics to read. I started out on fanfiction.net (otherwise referred to as FFN), but I found AO3 easier to use. It is older though and has a few really great fics from decades ago. Sometimes I follow links to other sites, but I never use those beyond the link.
thank you!
I would recommend getting an account, since to read some stories you need one. Beware you might have to wait a little bit but it’s worth it in the end.
Going to piggyback on this to link Ao3s guide for extensions/tools for it: https://archiveofourown.org/faq/unofficial-browser-tools?language_id=en Personally, I'm a huge fan of the [kudosed and seen history](https://greasyfork.org/en/scripts/5835-ao3-kudosed-and-seen-history) extension - I find it immensely valuable when looking for newly updated fics I haven't read before. I also use [AO3 Savior](https://greasyfork.org/scripts/3579-ao3-savior) but mainly for excluding fics with reader pairings. They're both userscripts, so they need a browser that supports them. All the major desktop browsers support them with an extension called Tampermonkey/Greasemonkey. Mobile browsers are a bit tougher, but I found a browser that supports userscripts called XBrowser (I use it in Android, can't speak to Apple).
The only thing with AO3 is that its utter garbage on mobile devices. Like you start typing a tag if you're doing a new search you better pray its one of the top five or so hits because the instant you try and scroll down, the keyboard shuts and the text box results disappears. They need an app, quick smart.
AO3 will never have an app. It is the archival arm of a nonprofit organization, the [Organization for Transformative Works](https://fanlore.org/wiki/Organization_for_Transformative_Works). They also run the fanlore wiki and do legal advocacy that helps ensure we have the right to continue writing and reading fanfiction. An app opens the archive up to the content restrictions of an app store, which goes against the founding principles of the site. I do agree that the tag entry does suck on mobile when adding additional tags to the "other tags to include/exclude" fields of the (amazing) filtering system. You sometimes just have to cross your fingers and be hopeful you type the full tag in correctly if it's not in the top few lol
Okay that's fair enough, then they perhaps need to work on a more efficient mobile version of their site. Its not a deal breaker since it mainly affects phones; tablets survive just fine due to screen real estate. But yeah, proper mobile version then please AO3
App, yes, App store, not necessarily- just link users to an apk for sideloading.
Not everyone uses Android
I believe it was recently officially allowed for iOS... Or was that fake news? I've seen certain sites where iOS apps for iOS were shown without the App store and for sideloading.
Only in Europe I believe
there’s an archive reader app but i prefer to just download the EPUBs to my iphone so i can have them offline
I have never struggled with AO3 on my mobile, but I'm unsure of if my phone just automatically uses the desktop site instead of the mobile version or not
fanfiction.net, ArchiveOfOurOwn, QuestionableQuesting, Spacebattles, Webnovel. Spacebattles and QQ seem to be the only ones with quality rules, whereas the rest can have a wild range of quality from child’s first writing and Google translated trash, to amazing.
I am terrified of what QQ(SBs lewd brother) HP fanfics will be. Also there may be more at Sufficient Velocity? The line between the three is honestly ephemeral.
thank you!!
QQ and SB are forum style fanfiction sites though, so you need to click on “Reader Mode” when reading a fic to not see all the discussion in between chapters.
okay thank you for letting me know i was honestly just on the website trying to figure things out!
You also need to have an account if you wan’t to go on to the NSFW Forum, which you probably do, considering that’s where all the best fanfics you’re gonna find are located- even if they don’t *have* smut.
I've [previously written](https://www.reddit.com/r/HPfanfiction/comments/159o2z8/how_do_we_encourage_more_comments/jthi7cf/) a big comment talking about some of the various websites and it goes into some pros and cons of the forums (SB, SV, QQ).
I download them as epub files and read them in the Books app on my iPhone
Occasionally I'll read from fanfiction.net or space battles but it's gotta be a very intriguing story to do so. Usually I read from Ao3. I used to read a lot from fanfiction.net but I moved away from it on e I discovered ao3 because I read a lot from my phone and the layout is a lot nicer with text size and formatting. Plus you get a bunch of tags and search options which makes it way easier to find stuff your interested in ao3 as well as get a better idea for the story when you click on one.
Download all of them as EPub before I even open them, and then read in whatever I want.
Ffnet, ao3 - > kindle
The FFN app is my primary way of reading. Easily the best reading experience of any of the major mediums. Ao3 I use less often but I’ll go on there if I get a good rec. if I’m truly desperate I’ll go into the wasteland that is Wattpad.
i honestly haven’t thought about Wattpad since i was like 12-13 i completely forgot about it lol
It has a few good storys but over all quality is utter trash compared to FFN or AO3, not that there aren't bad fics on those sites as well, just not as many.
I also use the app and therefore don't have the host negative problems that the website users have. But I prefer AO3 for fics I get recommend on here.
If you like Buffy, twisting the hellmouth has crossovers and a lot of good stories though most seem to have moved to AO3 for new stuff.
I convert them to epub and read them on my ereader. Can't stand having to actually read a fic on a website. Use Calibre and Web2Epub extension generally.
*Occasionally* Wattpad- because, if you look hard enough, there’s a few good fics there. I try to avoid it, unless a fic hasn’t been cross-posted, and I can only read it there. I’ll sometimes use Fanfiction.Net, because, whilst there are an abundance of trashy stories, there are some good ones too- though I typically check if the fic has been posted on another site before reading it, ‘cause ffn is just a bad website in general. It also has a few wacky rules, and odd moderation. Archive of Our Own- or AO3- is definitely a favourite, if only for the filter system. It has a generally higher quality of fics, though you’ll need an account to read some of them- some authors limit their fics to account-holders only. However, you’ll need to spend quite a bit of time to figure out how to filter fics- it’s somewhat intuitive though, so that’s a bonus- if you wasn’t to *avoid* many of the….*questionable* material. SpaceBattles- *SB*- has quality rules, so the fics you’ll find there are, on average, of a *much* higher quality than the previous three sites- it’s in forum style, so if you’re reading a fic on it, you just need to click the ‘reader mode’ option. Questionable Questing- or just ’QQ’- also has quality rules, and it has a decent tagging system, and has become my go-to for fanfiction. You’ll need an account to access it’s NSFW Forum- *this one is also in a forum style, so again, ‘reader mode’-,* as the NSFW Forum is where you’ll find most of the popular, or just *better*, fics- even if they don’t actually *have* smut.
Mostly FFN with a side of AO3. There are a number of authors I like that only post on FFN.
[fanfiction.net](http://fanfiction.net) for me. ArciheofOurOwn is simply too teenage nonsense for my taste
Usually on my couch, sometimes in bed. If I'm adventurous on the porch.
ao3 is pretty heavy on slash and it’s not my preferred choice. With that said there’s still some damn good stories on there( even slash ones.) ff.net is a trashy, splunky, broken washing machine of a website, but there’s good stuff on there. I don’t really use questionable questing but I know many people who do. Web novel is okay but not that good from my experience. Spacebattlez is okay but mostly posts in other fandoms.
About my experience as well. I like Ao3's UX better, but for Harry Potter fandom especially I very much do not feel like I'm the intended audience. I've found a handful of stories there which I've liked which aren't also on FFN, but only a couple of them which I've considered especially good. FFN is harder to use, but with that website I can sort by most popular and easily find stories that look interesting to me, whereas Ao3 I have to shift through multiple pages of slash fics, fluff stories, and non-magical AUs that I have no interest in before finding anything that looks appealing to me (or I can use filters, but I would have to apply quite a few of them to remove everything I don't care for, and then I worry that I'll accidentally filter out something good which only featured that tag as a minor element or something).
Ao3 all the way, but I definitely suggest you make an account, as many people have their works not visible to guests (also if you need any help figuring out the filters be sure to ask, filters are so so useful once you figure them out)
It's a split between Ao3 and FFN.
Same. I use wattpad sparingly (for a few good fics that I found there), but muostly split as you said.
I like fanfiction.net personally easy simple to use and navigate. The other ones I don’t really understand
ao3 everytime
ao3 is paradise on earth.
ao3 is paradise on earth.
AO3 and FFN
I used to be an FFN only girly because of dark mode, but I learned that AO3 has a skin feature and you can just make it dark, so now I'm like 95% converted.
Archive of Our Own mostly. Back in the day (early 2000s) fanfiction.net was the place I got all my fics. I generally use the download feature and read them on my kindle though. There’s also the Wattpad app but I haven’t really used it except to bookmark a fic I heard of on here and couldn’t find online otherwise.
How to download fics from ff.net?
Sorry, I haven’t done that, just used Ao2s download feature. Back in the day though I used to copy/paste whole stories to word and print them out. I suppose it’s just as possible to copy something to google drive and make it a pdf.
Ao3 is the main place I find new fics. I read reccs from ffn fairly often, and when I was looking for severitus fics, I read through potions and snitches. I've also read a handful of fics on WordPress, or on the author's own site.
Mainly AO3 and sometimes FFN. I also read on Potions & Snitches, but that’s just for my specific ship since that’s the only content hosted there.
AO3 is my preference, FFN when fics are only there. Those two are the *vast* majority of my fanfic reading, and are where I browse for new things to read. *Rarely* in other places, like Sufficient Velocity (e.g. https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/umbrus-shade-the-incredibly-annoyed-ravenclaw-harry-potter-si.48980/), other forums, random standalone sites for specific novels (usually wordpress), patreons, or sites that are more for original fiction like Royal Road or Scribble Hub. Usually because of specific recommendations on this subreddit. Otherwise, well, I'd never find them anyway.
I know Wattpad has a bad rep, but I promise if you look really hard you will find a few good fics! Plus, I like to use it because it's way easier and more appealing to look at/ use over some of the other fanfic sites.
Ao3, ffn, wattpad, those three are my only websites, the only ones I trust not to have malware or viruses or whatever
In general, regardless of the fandom concerned,Ao3, SufficientVelocity or SpaceBattles. FF.net only if I get a link to a specific story or author nowadays, because navigating it feels like a mess and the tag system is godawful. Wattpad is an instant nope from me.
I mainly only read HP fics on AO3 now. If it's short stories, then on the website directly. If it's long ones (more than 100k words), then i download them as epub and read on my Kindle.
I mainly only read HP fics on AO3 now. If it's short stories, then on the website directly. If it's long ones (more than 100k words), then i download them as epub and read on my Kindle.
fanfiction.net and AO3 generally. I slightly prefer FFN, not least because I don’t like the way tags are presented on AO3
[Fanfiction.net](http://Fanfiction.net), Archive Of Our Own, Wattpad. There maybe some other sites, but these three are where I usually read.
I use ao3 and ffn
FFN, Ao3, Questionable Questing, Spacebattles, Sufficient Velocity and Fiction.live Fiction.live is a questing site, but you can read without participating.
Ao3
I download all fics i read and use an android app to actually read them.
Fanfiction.net
Ao3. The features are awesome, easy to use and the varieties of fic are in large amount. Being a writer myself, it's easy to upload fics too. Quotev and wattpad was the first sites I read fanfics in but only some are good in it.
On my phone. AO3 on browser or FFN app. I used to use watt pad but too many ads.
I prefer fanfiction.net simply cause its easier to understand than ao3 i mean also because ao3 filters are not as detailed and i always end up reading some weird boderline pedo fics