LitRes and RuStore: Interest in Tarot and Astrology Books Declines While AI Apps Gain Popularity
According to data from the Russian book service LitRes and the app store RuStore, sales of Tarot and astrology books in Russia have been declining for three consecutive years, with a notable acceleration in 2026. Meanwhile, installations of esoteric apps have almost doubled year-on-year, partly due to the rise of AI services that provide personalized interpretations.
LitRes analyzed book sales on astrology and Tarot from January to July 2026 compared to the same periods in 2023–2025. Interest in such books has been falling for the third year straight, and in 2026 the decline accelerated: revenue from Tarot books dropped by 30% year-on-year and by 12% for astrology books. Over three years, revenue from astrology books decreased by 20%, and from Tarot books by 42%. The sales leader of previous years, 'Tarot. The Complete Guide to Card Reading and Divinatory Practice' by Nina Frolova and Konstantino Lavo, fell out of the top 10, replaced by 'Oracle “Eclipse”. From Zero to Pro' by Alla Nera. The second place went to 'Tarot. Forecasting Practices' by Angela Perl, and the third to 'Waite Tarot. Deep Symbolism of Cards. The Most Detailed Description' by Martin Vels. At the same time, installations of esoteric apps (astrology, divination, Tarot) on RuStore nearly doubled (up 96% year-on-year), with leaders including VK's 'Goroskopy', 'Moy Goroskop', 'AxioNika: AI Horoscope, Numerology', 'Matritsa Sudby: Astrologia', and 'Goroskop na kazhdy den: Astrologia i Goroskopy'. A possible reason for this shift is the development of AI services that offer personalized answers and interpretations without the need for books.
Source: CNews —
original