Color is the buzziest characteristic in ereaders proper now, however is it needed? It makes the covers extra enjoyable, and readers of comics and graphic novels will admire the added hues (although they might be happier with an E Ink pill for higher picture element). Color is only one issue to think about when selecting out the best ereader. The lights, display high quality, housing and buttons make a distinction too. Then there’s the software program: Do you wish to keep within the Kindle ecosystem or get a tool that may deal with plenty of apps? We examined greater than a dozen ereaders to provide you with our suggestions. This information additionally factors out methods to get essentially the most out of your new e-book companion when you decide your favourite.
Best book readers for 2026
Photo by Amy Skorheim / Engadget
Screen dimension: 6” | Display sort: Black/white and coloration E Ink | Resolution: 300 dpi black & white, 150 dpi coloration | Capacity: 16GB| Battery life: Up to 42 days (30 min. every day, 30% brightness, Wi-Fi/BT off) | Waterproof ranking: IPX8 (submergible to six toes for 60 minutes) | Warm mild: Yes | Lock display adverts: No | Text codecs: EPUB, EPUB3, FlePub, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR
Read our full Kobo Clara Colour overview
Our earlier decide for this class, the Kobo Clara 2E was a superb ereader with a crisp show, a heat glow and responsive, intuitive contact controls all housed in a water-proof design that felt premium. When Rakuten introduced the Clara can be up to date, I fearful we’d see Kobo system with superfluous revamping to justify an inflated value. Thankfully, that’s not the case. The Kobo Clara Colour not solely provides coloration and a quicker processor, it’s simply $10 greater than the earlier technology.
As the title suggests, this ereader provides coloration to the web page, lending a bit vibrance to ebook covers, tables and graphs, and even the panels of graphic novels. The expertise comes from E Ink, within the type of the Kaleido 3 module that comes with a coloration filter layer on high of the usual black and white microcapsule layer. That ends in two totally different resolutions on one display: 150 dpi for coloration and 300 dpi for textual content.
Full-color pages remind me of comedian ebook artwork from the ‘60s, muted but saturated. Color makes book covers more enticing and adds a little variety to headings, and tables in some non-fiction books. It’s definitely not a needed characteristic, but it surely provides vibrance and it’s enjoyable.
There is a slight distinction in readability between the colour and non-color model of the Clara. If you look intently, you may see a little bit of noise on the white components of the web page. That’s as a result of added coloration filter layer. It’s not distracting and solely one thing I observed when evaluating the 2 generations side-by-side. but when absolute readability is your main aim, it’s possible you’ll be higher off with a non-color ereader.
Probably the extra helpful improve right here is the twin 2GHz processor, a bump from the Clara 2E’s 1GHz CPU. There’s a noticeable enchancment within the velocity of the web page turns and navigating from the menu to the web page and again once more is almost instantaneous. As with the 2E, the Colour not often errors a swipe for a faucet or a web page flip gesture for a menu request.
The adjustable heat entrance mild remains to be right here (it’s really a bit hotter on the Colour) and makes studying at night time simple on the eyes. The working system is similar, with intuitive entry to the Kobo retailer, your private books and titles out of your native library through Overdrive. You can customise your studying expertise with choices for font, font dimension, line spacing, margins and so forth. Kobos don’t have a option to save a gaggle of show settings just like the Kindle does, so I’d like to see that added with future OS upgrades. But for now, the customizations are simply sufficient to get your ebook the way you need it to look.
The Colour is almost an identical in form and dimension, and has the identical premium really feel because the 2E, although the plastic has a grainier end. The bezels are noticeably much less flush with the display now, although that didn’t alter my studying enjoyment.
Now that it prices $150, the Kobo Clara Colour is $40 greater than the bottom mannequin Kindle. But the waterproof construct, heat entrance mild, responsive controls and lack of adverts (which value $20 to eliminate on Amazon’s system) make it price it. And, in nice information for the fitting to restore crowd, it’s even designed to be user-repaired as soon as it falls outdoors of guarantee via a partnership with iFixit.
Rakuten nonetheless makes the Kobo Clara BW, which is almost an identical to our earlier “best overall” decide. It would not undergo from the slight readability loss that the colour overlay presents, but it surely additionally nonetheless has the older processor.
Of course, if you happen to already personal a mountain of Kindle books, it’s possible you’ll wish to stick to Amazon’s system. In that case, the best Kindle is Amazon’s Kindle Paperwhite. It prices $160 and was just lately up to date with a extra highly effective processor and new E Ink tech that makes it exceptionally speedy whereas displaying high-contrast textual content. The heat mild is nice and the flush entrance display feels premium.
One extra consideration, now that Amazon now has its personal coloration mannequin too, is the . The unique prices $280, which is considerably dearer than the Clara Colour and even the . In July, Amazon launched a coloration mannequin for $230. It has much less storage, no wi-fi charging and no auto-adjusting front-lights, however prices $30 lower than the unique.
Pros
- Customizable settings
- Even extra responsive contact controls
- Color is nice and textual content is crisp
Cons
- Kobo’s retailer not as huge as Kindle’s.
Photo by Amy Skorheim / Engadget
Screen dimension: 6” | Display sort: Black/white E Ink | Resolution: 300dpi | Capacity: 16GB | Battery life: 6 weeks | Waterproof ranking: None | Warm mild: No | Lock display adverts: Yes | Text codecs: Kindle Format 8 (AZW3), Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, unprotected MOBI, PRC natively; PDF, DOCX, DOC, HTML, EPUB, TXT, RTF, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP via conversion
If you simply wish to learn books, and haven’t any want for the perks that the fancier ereaders convey (coloration, waterproof ranking, heat mild, and so on), then the bottom mannequin Kindle is for you. The six-inch, non-flush show is housed in a textured plastic that feels much less premium than, say, the Paperwhite and even the 2 Kobos on our record, however nonetheless feels a lot sturdy. And it’s sufficiently small to slot in a coat or again pocket making it very travel-friendly.
It’s unlucky that the 2024 mannequin is $10 greater than the 2022 mannequin when not a lot has modified, but it surely’s nonetheless the most cost effective ereader from any of the key producers. And if we all know one factor about Amazon, it’s that the corporate loves a superb sale, so that you’ll probably discover it on low cost if you happen to can maintain out for Prime Day or Black Friday offers.
The reader is a no-frills gateway to the best of what the Kindle ecosystem has to supply, together with Kindle Exclusive titles, with books by established authors in addition to newer, self-published writers; Kindle Unlimited provides the widest number of any subscription-based studying service on the market; and Audible Originals is made up of narrated titles and podcasts you may solely hear via a Kindle system or Amazon-owned app.
If you want to change between audiobooks and ebooks, Kindle is the way in which to go. When you purchase each iterations of a title, you not solely get a reduction, however the Whispersync characteristic strains up the place you’re within the e-printed model with the narration, too. Say you hear for an hour after which wish to learn – the synchronization helps you to decide up on-screen the place you left off audibly. (Though we must always level out that you could’t hear and skim concurrently on the identical system.) In exams, the characteristic was pretty correct, getting me shut sufficient on the web page or within the audio to determine my spot.
Page turns are faster on the brand new mannequin however I’m upset that there’s nonetheless no option to regulate the zones and responses to touchscreen gestures, like there may be on each Kobo and Boox units. Kindles all have a really slim strip on the left for going again a web page and I’m continuously lacking it and going ahead as an alternative. Though swipes typically work nicely.
Probably essentially the most noticeable lacking characteristic is the 6-inch display’s lack of heat mild. Compared to any ereader with that choice, the display on the usual Kindle seems harsh and bluish, but it surely’s nonetheless far simpler in your eyes than a telephone or pill display. There’s loads of customization for the font, dimension and margins, too. You may even save your settings as a “theme,” one thing not provided by different units. I created one with bigger textual content and wider line spacing referred to as “tired eyes.”
Some folks gained’t be bothered by the lock display adverts that come commonplace on this Kindle (until you pay $20 to take away them). They’re pretty innocuous, principally selling Kindle ebook offers or particular titles (it’s not such as you’ll see promos for TVs or robotic pool cleaners). Personally, I like with the ability to set the sleep display to the ebook cowl of what I’m at the moment studying, but it surely’s simple to recover from that if all you need is a extra handy option to eat books on the lowest value.
Pros
- The most inexpensive ereader
- Compact and sturdy construct is very moveable
- Grants entry to Kindle’s huge book catalog plus library books
- Best integration between audio and textual content
Cons
- No heat mild
- Not waterproof
- Can’t learn third occasion ebooks
Amy Skorheim for Engadget
Screen dimension: 6.13” | Resolution: 300 ppi B&W, 150 ppi coloration | Capacity: 128GB | Water resistant: Yes, splashes and spills | Warm mild: Yes | Lock display adverts: No | Text codecs: PDF, CAJ, DJVU, CBR, CBZ, EPUB, EPUB3, AZW3, MOBI, TXT, DOC, DOCX, FB2, CHM, RTF, HTML, ZIP, PRC, PPT, PPTX
Boox doesn’t name its an ereader. Instead, the palmable rectangle is marketed as a cellular e-paper system. In use, I discover it splits the distinction between an excellent moveable E Ink pill and a . This is the third system from Boox to undertake a cell phone design and it’s essentially the most superior but.
To begin, it makes use of a Kaleido 3 E Ink show (the identical tech you’ll discover within the Kindle Colorsoft and different coloration ereaders). And the brand new integration with the model’s InkSense stylus turns the display right into a responsive pocket book for handwritten notes. But the extra thrilling characteristic is the addition of 5G information capabilities. The Palma 2 Pro has a SIM tray that may help twin data-only SIM playing cards or one subscriber ID module and one microSD card to broaden the storage as much as 2TB.
Data-only connectivity helps you to use the Palma if you’re away out of your Wi-Fi alerts, however you gained’t be capable of textual content or name. Of course, messaging via Signal, Telegram or no matter different app you like is completely attainable, because of the underlying Android 15 working system and built-in Google Play Store. You can obtain any app accessible there, however you shouldn’t anticipate to play high-speed video games or stream reveals. I used the brand new Palma to do easy issues like play the Wordle, hearken to an audiobook with Libby and take a look at opinions of a brand new espresso store on Google Maps.
There’s a subtler, quieter really feel to shopping on an E Ink display than on the neon blare of my iPhone. Everything nonetheless works, however the refresh charge is gradual, so you may’t comfortably watch Reels or velocity scroll via Bluesky posts. Pages take a second to load and that small pause is typically sufficient to interrupt the spell most smartphones have over us.
Of course, it additionally works nice as an ereader. You can learn on any book reader app, like Kindle, Kobo, Libby, Google Play Books, Moon+ and so forth. The touchscreen response is correct, making web page turns fast and the backlight is heat for comfy studying. If you’re making an attempt out a scrolling weight loss program, you could possibly pair the Palma with a data-only plan — a few of which go for as little as $10 a month — and nonetheless keep considerably (however not overly) related when you’re out and about.
Pros
- Easy to hold and skim
- 5G data-only connectivity
- Android OS for huge app entry
- Lovely minimalist telephone substitute
Cons
- Expensive
- Not a whole telephone replacer with no textual content or discuss
Photo by Amy Skorheim / Engadget
Screen dimension: 6” | Display sort: Black/white E Ink | Resolution: 300dpi | Capacity: 32GB | Battery life: 12 weeks | Waterproof ranking: IPX8 | Warm mild: Yes, auto adjustable | Lock display adverts: No| Text codecs: Kindle Format 8 (AZW3), Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, unprotected MOBI, PRC natively; PDF, DOCX, DOC, HTML, EPUB, TXT, RTF, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP via conversion
Read our full Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition overview
When I reviewed the brand new Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, I used to be struck by the elevated studying expertise it offered. It’s remarkably quick, the textual content is splendidly crisp and it has a premium design that feels nice to carry. Amazon was capable of enhance web page flip and scrolling speeds for each the usual Paperwhite and the Signature Edition by giving them new processors and utilizing an oxide thin-film transistor layer to allow quicker modifications on the web page. The layer additionally permits for higher show readability than different transistor layers.
Both the usual and Signature fashions have heat entrance lights that forged a beautiful glow throughout a display that’s a bit bigger now at 7-inches (up from 6.8 final time). The battery life is longer, promising as much as 12 weeks (as an alternative of 10), which means you’ll not often have to cost your ereader. Despite that, the Paperwhite fashions are literally three millimeters thinner than the earlier technology (and only a contact heavier).
With the Signature Edition, you additionally get auto-adjusting entrance lights that dim or brighten as daylight fades otherwise you transfer from room to room. The storage capability goes up from 16GB to 32GB, so even if you happen to obtain an entire bunch of audiobooks, you aren’t more likely to run out of house too rapidly. And lastly, you get a wi-fi charging choice for the periodic events when it’s time for a refill. All of these options are good to have, although not needed — however for anybody who desires to learn ebooks in essentially the most luxe means attainable, the Signature mannequin is the one to go for.
If you need an expertise that’s practically as deluxe, however don’t want the wi-fi charging, auto-adjusting lights and additional capability specs, the non-Signature Paperwhite remains to be noticeably extra premium than the usual Kindle, with a bigger display, ultra-crisp textual content and an expensive construct. Plus you continue to get entry to all of the perks that solely Kindles provide, like Goodreads integration, Kindle Exclusive titles, Kindle Unlimited subscription books and Whispersync tech that strains up your audio and book reads so you may swap between the 2 codecs.
There’s additionally the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Kids, which is similar gadget, however comes with a canopy, an extended guarantee and a six-month subscription to Amazon Kids+.
Pros
- Screen shows crisp textual content with a beautiful heat mild
- Flush-front display and soft-touch again really feel premium
- Noticeably quicker web page turns and scrolling
- Auto-adjusting heat entrance mild is useful
Cons
- Power button on the underside edge is simple to by accident set off
- Can’t regulate contact display controls
- Fewer web page and font changes than the competitors
- The options unique to the Signature aren’t important
Photo by Amy Skorheim / Engadget
Screen dimension: 7” | Display sort: Black/white and coloration E Ink | Resolution: 300 dpi black & white, 150 dpi coloration | Capacity: 32GB | Battery life: Weeks | Waterproof ranking: IPX8 (submergible to six toes for 60 minutes) | Warm mild: Yes | Lock display adverts: No | Text codecs: EPUB, EPUB3, FlePub, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR
When Kobo got here out with the brand new Clara Colour, it additionally debuted the brand new Libra Colour, which is perhaps the extra thrilling of the 2 units. In addition to paint expertise from the E Ink Kaleido panel and an upgraded processor, the Libra now has stylus help. It’s the one ereader on this record with that characteristic, making it rather a lot like a small E Ink pill — however all of its new options really make it a greater ereader.
When I wrote concerning the earlier technology ereader, the Libra 2, I used to be impressed by how comfy it was for studying. None of that has modified; the buttons and auto-rotating display adapt the system to simply about any studying place you selected and the skinny design, textured again and soft-touch plastic give it a premium really feel.
Kobo’s interface is almost the identical right here as with different fashions, properly organized to allow you to simply discover your present reads or browse and search new titles from Kobo’s retailer or your native library within the Overdrive tab. The customizations for mild and textual content allow you to get the web page trying simply the way you prefer it, however there aren’t so many choices that it feels such as you’re writing code.
The new options add to the expertise. In coloration, ebook covers all look extra attractive — although, in case your TBR record is already three toes lengthy, this gained’t not assist issues. The new processor makes waking from sleep, turning pages, navigating the menu and altering orientation zippy quick.
Then there’s the standing compatibility. Try as they may, some new applied sciences don’t but beat their real-world counterparts. That’s principally how I really feel about styluses — I’m only a huge fan of pen on paper. But Kobo’s stylus makes it so enjoyable to spotlight textual content and scribble notes within the margins of a ebook that I’m beginning to come round. Plus, it neatly and magnetically attaches to the aspect so it doesn’t get misplaced.
Pressing and holding the button on the aspect of the stylus highlights textual content whereas flipping it round erases. I by accident pressed the button just a few instances after I was making an attempt to jot down, however I obtained used to the position after a couple of minutes of utilizing it. You can decide from 4 totally different highlighter colours and consider your written notes and spotlighted textual content within the notes part of any title — which I may see being fairly helpful for ebook membership reads, faculty assignments or simply refreshing your self on a previous learn earlier than you dive into the sequel.
Note-taking within the margins or instantly on the textual content labored on each ebook I attempted. Though I ought to level out that if you happen to change the font dimension in a ebook, your handwritten notes will probably be transformed to a sticky note-type field. Going again to the unique font restores your unique annotations.
The Kobo Libra Colour is $30 dearer than the Libra 2, however you get rather a lot for $220. If it have been simply an ereader, the beautiful colours, responsive studying expertise, quick web page turns and simple highlights would make it well worth the value. But you additionally get options that make it extra than simply an ereader, like Dropbox and Google Drive integration, a beta internet browser and free-writing and text-converting notebooks.
Of course, the stylus prices additional and also you gained’t get options like notebooks and writing within the margins with out it. Together, the set prices $290, which is a substantial $110 cheaper than the just lately up to date (and hottest) stylus-enabled ereader the Amazon Kindle Scribe. It’s additionally cheaper than Kobo’s personal 10-inch mannequin, the Elipsa 2E. The Scribe has a, 10.2-inch display and the Elipsa 2E has a ten.3-inch display. That’s a pleasant dimension for writing however, for me, is a bit huge for an ereader. The Libra Colour then again has simply the fitting options on the proper dimension, plus some extras that stretch its usefulness. Amazon used to have an ereader with buttons within the Kindle Oasis, however that mannequin has been discontinued.
Pros
- Premium construct that is comfy to carry
- Crisp textual content and wonderful colours
- Responsive and intuitive contact controls and buttons
- Adding the stylus permits for margin notes
Cons
- Kobo’s retailer is much less huge than Kindle’s
Photo by Amy Skorheim / Engadget
Screen dimension: 7” | Display sort: Black/white and coloration E Ink | Resolution: 300 dpi black & white, 150 dpi coloration | Capacity: 64GB | Battery life: Weeks | Waterproof ranking: splash-resistant | Warm mild: Yes | Lock display adverts: No | Text codecs: PDF, CAJ, DJVU, CBR, CBZ, EPUB, EPUB3, AZW3, MOBI, TXT, DOC, DOCX, FB2, CHM, RTF, HTML, ZIP, PRC, PPT, PPTX, PNG, JPG, BMP, TIFF
Color E Ink screens are the “new” factor in ereaders — despite the fact that the tech has been commercially accessible since round 2010. E Ink introduced its Kaleido 3 show in 2022, and with the fitting mixture of coloration saturation and readability, it’s now interesting sufficient for basic consumption. Now Boox, Kobo and, ultimately, Amazon all have fashions with coloration screens.
The Boox Go Color 7 (accessible from Amazon and Boox) is a pure option to supplant our earlier winner on this class, the Boox Page. The Go Color 7 not solely provides coloration, it additionally comes with double the storage capability, an additional gig of RAM and ships with Android 12. The again is now textured as an alternative of slick, an improve my accident-prone fingers are grateful for, and the processor is quicker too, going from a 2.0Ghz octa core CPU to a 2.4Ghz chip. This all comes on the similar $250 record value because the Page. The battery has the identical 2,300mAh capability, however ereader batteries final the order of some weeks, so an improve in that division wasn’t actually needed.
Since the Go Color 7 runs on a fork of Android 12, it acts extra like a pill than a standard ereader. Like all Boox units, this method is best suited for the tech-savvy. Unlike a Kindle or Kobo, which come preconfigured with a retailer to purchase books, in addition to simple borrowing out of your native library system, Boox ereaders provide little hand-holding in setup and utilization. While there’s a retailer, it’s made up of public area titles — most individuals will learn books by importing ePubs manually. Or, extra probably, you’ll learn on a third-party ereader app like Kobo, Kindle, Libby and others, which you’ll obtain from the built-in Google Play retailer.
Boox’s built-in ereader app, NeoReader, is properly featured with a superb quantity of management over the look of the textual content. But it solely handles DRM-free ePub recordsdata from websites like Project Gutenberg or publishers like Tor. If you wish to learn ePubs with digital rights administration, which make up the overwhelming majority of present ebooks, you’ll want to make use of a distinct app. Ironically, I’ve been utilizing the ereader app from PocketBook (a rival firm) to learn the DRM ePubs I buy from third events.
The Go Series readers are impressively customizable, with programmable buttons and fine-tunable settings. Boox customers have created APK recordsdata to tweak and enhance the expertise additional. The system even has a microphone and audio system, and may run apps like Spotify. In quick, the Go Color 7 can do way over a typical ereader can, if you happen to’re keen to experiment.
The expertise is enhanced with a smooth, adjustable entrance mild with temperature management that makes for nice low-light studying and the flush, glare-free, display is lush and detailed. Like all coloration ereaders, you do surrender a modicum of readability to accommodate the colour array, and the heat is noticeably extra yellow. I solely observed the distinction after I set comparable ereaders side-by-side and, actually, it’s the distinction between a tremendous duper crisp display and solely an excellent crisp display.
The smooth and muted colours have a saturated appear like watercolors or previous comedian ebook illustrations. Comparing the identical ebook cowl on the Kobo Clara Colour and this, the Boox hues do look a contact grainier and fewer wealthy. But that’s a small sacrifice if you happen to want an ereader that may do way over simply carry your books round.
Pros
- Capable, customizable pill
- Supports a number of ereader apps
- Solid construct with a muted coloration display
Cons
- Not simple for newcomers
- Native ereader app would not help DRM recordsdata
- Built-in retailer is just public area titles
What to look for in an ereader
Plenty of apps, together with the Kindle app, will allow you to obtain and skim digital books on an iPhone, Android Phone or pill. But what makes book readers totally different is the display: practically all of them use expertise from an organization referred to as E Ink. It manufactures digital paper shows (EPD) composed of three sheets: one containing tens of millions of microcapsules full of black and white ink particles sandwiched between clear electrode layers. When a cost is utilized, both the black or white particles shift to the highest, forming letters and the whitespace round them.
Color ereaders add a coloration filter array on high of the usual black and white microcapsule layer. The result’s two totally different resolutions on one display — the colour readability is 150 dpi whereas black and white pictures and textual content are nonetheless 300 dpi.
Because these shows are so totally different from commonplace backlight LED panels, you may anticipate most good ereaders to do various issues nicely. They’ll be simpler to stare at for lengthy durations of time and simpler to learn in direct daylight. Also, since E Ink shows solely require energy to rearrange the ink, these units have for much longer battery lives than even the best tablets: we’re speaking weeks on a single cost, not days.
The ereader market isn’t as saturated as, say, the smartphone market, however there are nonetheless loads of choices on the market and so they do have small however necessary variations amongst them. They are inclined to vary from round $100 to greater than $400, although often the upper finish choices are stylus-enabled learn/write E Ink tablets just like the Kindle Scribe. Beyond value, it is best to take into account bodily properties like buttons, lights, storage and determination, in addition to how the software program helps you to discover and entry books.
Reading options
With any ereader, you’ll navigate the OS through faucets and swipes, and a few add bodily page-turn buttons. Most with built-in buttons have an auto-rotating display so you may press along with your proper or left hand.
As E Ink expertise has superior, decision has drastically improved – even the finances Kindle ereader has a 300 ppi show. You can nonetheless discover fashions with decrease decision, however we don’t advocate them.
Some ereaders have entrance LEDs that help mild temperature adjustment. That means you may swap to a hotter mild after the solar goes down, which can really feel simpler on the eyes. If you’re involved about blue mild, it is best to go for a reader with that characteristic. Finally, darkish mode is obtainable on most later mannequin ereaders, permitting you to invert the black and white textual content and background, which some folks discover simpler to learn in low-light settings.
Other options
The capabilities of those pocket libraries have superior significantly for the reason that early days. In addition to storing books, some allow you to browse the net, run apps and play music. The display’s body charge can’t deal with gaming, but it surely’s ok to point out you the Wikipedia entry for Striver’s Row when you learn Crook Manifesto.
If you hearken to audiobooks, it’s your decision a Bluetooth-enabled ereader able to enjoying them. Most of the fashions we examined have that potential, with the notable exception of the Nook ereader we tried. Keep in thoughts that audiobook recordsdata can take up more room than print recordsdata so you will most likely desire a system with a better storage capability if you happen to plan on doing lots of listening.
Above all, it is best to take into account the place and the way you plan to search out books to learn. Most ereaders make it best to buy via their very own digital bookstores, however all of them (even Kindles) will now allow you to obtain titles from different sources, like libraries, unaffiliated book sellers and free public area websites.
Photo by Amy Skorheim / Engadget
How to get books for your ereader
Kindle, Nook and Kobo all have their very own shops that you just entry instantly from every model’s units. Prices are the identical amongst all sellers, too. Publishers set the worth of an book, not the retailer, so a title will value the identical at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, eBooks.com and the Kobo retailer.
Amazon provides Kindle Unlimited for $12 per thirty days, and it contains 4 million titles from which you’ll be able to decide your subsequent learn. It contains audio and ebooks, however you gained’t discover many huge, new releases or older bestsellers. Kobo has a subscription referred to as Kobo Plus with about 1.3 million titles: it goes for $8 per thirty days for ebooks solely, $8 for audiobooks solely or $10 for each.
Buying a ebook from a proprietary retailer immediately delivers it to your system, offered you’re related to WiFi. It additionally syncs your studying throughout units and apps, so you may decide up the place you left off in your telephone if you happen to forgot your ereader at residence. It actually is essentially the most handy option to go, however if you happen to don’t wish to be locked into one model’s retailer, or if you happen to choose for an ereader with out its personal market, you do have choices.
How to add ePubs onto an ereader
Stores like ebooks.com and Google Play have tens of millions of ebooks for sale as digital rights-managed (DRM) ePub recordsdata, which Kobo, Nook and PocketBook readers can learn of their native ereader apps. Kindles don’t help DRM ePub recordsdata in any respect and Boox units require third occasion studying apps (of which there are a lot of) to learn these recordsdata. Titles from Apple Books are solely readable in iOS units.
Titles from some publishers like Tor and public area classics from websites like Project Gutenberg are additionally offered as ePubs, however with out the added DRM. Consequently, Kindles and the Boox Neoreader do help these recordsdata. Books you get from third-party sources will look similar to ones you obtain from a proprietary retailer, because of the flowable, formatted nature of ePub recordsdata. While these device-agnostic book collections offer you additional choices for discovering your subsequent learn, they require just a few extra steps to get the recordsdata onto your ereader.
To achieve this, you’ll usually want a pc working a free program referred to as Adobe Digital Editions (ADE). After shopping for and downloading the ePub file, open ADE and plug your ereader into your laptop (all readers right here have a USB-C port for charging and information transfers). Your system ought to pop up within the left panel. Drag and drop the ePub file out of your downloads folder into the principle panel in ADE. The file will show as a picture of the ebook cowl. Drag that picture onto your system on the left panel. If the file contains digital rights administration (which protects in opposition to unauthorized copying) you’ll have to authorize your ereader, which requires utilizing or making a free Adobe ID. Once you’ve completed including recordsdata to add, eject the reader out of your laptop to finish the switch course of.
Kindles use a web-based uploader as an alternative of the ADE technique. But since Kindle makes use of its personal proprietary DRM expertise as an alternative of Adobe’s, the one recordsdata it will probably settle for from third events are non-DRM recordsdata, corresponding to from Tor Publishing or Project Gutenberg. After downloading a appropriate ePub file, drag and drop it into your browser with the Send to Kindle web page open. As lengthy as you’re signed into Amazon, this wirelessly transfers the recordsdata to your related system.
Boox additionally makes use of a browser uploader referred to as BooxDrop (together with many different strategies) to ship ePubs to the system. Open it from the Boox App menu and also you’ll see a device-specific url. Type that into your browser to entry a file supply portal that uploads to your library. Boox’s built-in ereader app, NeoReader, additionally doesn’t help recordsdata with DRM, so that you gained’t be capable of learn present titles from most publishers utilizing that app. Fortunately, Boox units run practically each ereader app on the market, Kobo and Kindle included, letting you entry ePubs any variety of methods.
Recently, Bookshop.org, the web vendor of bodily books that helps indie bookstores, began promoting ebooks and as much as 100% of the earnings will go to native booksellers. The firm makes use of a distinct rights administration system than ADE so, proper now, you may solely learn titles you purchase from them on the Bookshop.org app, however the firm is working with the makers of each Kindle and Kobo to increase compatibility to these ereaders.
How to learn library books on an ereader
Your native library card helps you to borrow audio and ebooks via a program referred to as Overdrive and its companion app Libby. On a Kobo, you might have have built-in entry to Overdrive in a separate tab. Once you’ve linked your public library card, the search perform will embody outcomes for titles accessible out of your native library system; just a few faucets will add your picks to your system for the size of the mortgage. I personally discover it best to borrow the title I would like via the Libby app on my telephone. After that, the ebook pops up on my Kobo’s residence display as soon as the system syncs.
To learn library books on a Kindle, you may both undergo the Libby app or the Overdrive part of your library’s web site. Once you click on Borrow, you’ll see the choice to “Read now with Kindle,” which takes you to Amazon’s web site to register. After that, the ebook will probably be delivered to your system the subsequent time it connects to WiFi.
For different ereaders, you’ll undergo your library’s Overdrive portal and obtain the ePub after clicking the Borrow button. You can then use the ADE course of we described above. Devices that run exterior apps, like Boox’s Page, Go Color 7 or Palma, help you learn library books through the Libby app, simply as you’ll on a smartphone or iPad.
You also can use the Libby app to borrow audiobooks, however you gained’t be capable of entry them via your ereader. (The exception is an ereader, like a Boox system, that enables exterior apps). I discovered it was simpler to hearken to an audiobook on my telephone anyway, no matter whether or not I borrowed it via Libby or purchased it from Kindle or Kobo.
Photo by Amy Skorheim / Engadget
How we take a look at ereaders
When placing collectively any information, the very first thing we do is spend hours researching the sector. We take a look at what’s accessible, what’s new, and what buyers {and professional} reviewers need to say. Then we slim a listing to the best candidates for hands-on testing.
Over the course of the previous three years, I’ve examined simply over a dozen ereaders, representing 5 totally different manufacturers: Amazon, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Boox and PocketBook. I purchased, borrowed and uploaded books for every system utilizing the strategies above. I used every one for between just a few days to a couple months. I evaluated every one within the areas of ebook entry, ease of studying, additional options and general worth. Here’s every little thing we examined up to now:
Other ereaders we examined
Amazon Kindle Colorsoft
Amazon’s first coloration Kindle impressed with its fast page-turns and cargo instances, auto-adjusting entrance mild and, in fact, a decently putting coloration E Ink show. But at $280, it’s dearer than all the different coloration ereaders in its dimension vary, together with the Kobo Libra Colour and the Boox Go Color 7.
Also, some Colorsoft homeowners reported seeing a yellow band on the backside of their ereader’s show. This difficulty didn’t have an effect on our first overview unit throughout the unique testing interval, however it will definitely appeared. An Amazon spokesperson informed Engadget: “A small number of customers have reported a yellow band along the bottom of the display. We take the quality of our products seriously—customers who notice this can reach out to our customer service team for a replacement or refund, and we’re making the appropriate adjustments to ensure that new devices will not experience this issue moving forward.”
Amazon despatched us a brand new Colorsoft ereader on the finish of 2024 and it does seem that the fixes the corporate made resolved the yellow-band difficulty. The display on our second overview unit seems hotter general, however not overly so. It’s extra akin to the display on the Kobo Libra Colour, and that’s a superb factor.
Boox Go 7 stylus-enabled ereader
Boox just lately launched two new stylus-enabled generations of their seven-inch reader: The monochrome Go 7 and a color-screen Go Color 7 (Gen II). After making an attempt out the stylus-enabled Go 7, I nonetheless like the usual, non-stylus enabled model higher. True, I appreciated the Notebook app with its array of handwriting templates and I appreciated the low-to-no latency with the stylus. It additionally provides a superb assortment of brush, pen and magnificence choices. But outdoors of the Notebook app, I didn’t discover a lot use for the stylus.
I used to be capable of doodle within the margins of DRM-free books in Boox’s native NeoReader, but it surely doesn’t work in different apps or on any rights-managed books. There’s a FreeMark choice that permits you to draw or write atop any app, but it surely saves your doodles as separate pictures, versus permitting you to mark up the web page itself. I additionally discovered enabling the stylus to be a bit glitchy. If you propose to do lots of writing, you’ll most likely be higher served by an E Ink pill, however if you would like an ereader that may mark up your books, I counsel going with the Kobo Libra Color, detailed above.
Ereader FAQs
What’s the distinction between an ereader and an e-ink reader?
Really, they’re the identical factor. E Ink is an organization that designs and manufactures the paper-like screens present in most ereader units. Technically, something you learn ebooks on can act as an ereader, so your telephone, iPad or Android pill may all serve that function, however they’re not thought-about devoted ereaders. While there are some units marketed as ereaders which have LCD or OLED screens as an alternative of E Ink, they aren’t as widespread. One of the advantages of ereaders is the E Ink display’s paper-like high quality, which causes much less eye pressure for many individuals.
But there’s a distinction between ereaders and E Ink tablets. These bigger e-ink units additionally make use of E Ink screens, however they’ve stylus enter and are sometimes used for be aware taking and different duties along with studying ebooks. We have a complete information dedicated to serving to you select an E Ink pill.
Are there adverts on my ereader?
The base mannequin Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite include adverts by default, however you may choose to pay $20 to take away them, both on the time of buy or after you begin utilizing the system. The adverts are restricted to the lockscreen and are usually for different books or Kindle providers. Kobo and Boox ereaders don’t include adverts.
Which ereader has the longest battery life?
Of the units we examined, the Boox Go Color 7 has the most important listed battery capability at 2,300mAh (Amazon doesn’t record the capability of its Kindle units). But because of the character of E Ink screens and the comparatively restricted processing energy required to show e-books, practically all ereaders can go for weeks earlier than they want a recharge. That means battery life most likely isn’t as a lot of a deciding think about shopping for an ereader as it will be with a pill or smartphone.
Which ereaders can learn Kindle books?
Amazon’s Kindle ereaders are the apparent reply, however different units able to working apps also can learn titles from the Kindle retailer. For instance, you may obtain the Kindle app on a Boox ereader via Google Play (the shop comes commonplace within the Boox app menu). You can then signal into your Kindle account and entry all of the books in your library — the identical means you’d learn Kindle books in your telephone or pill.
Can you purchase Kindle books with no Kindle?
Yes. You should buy Kindle books via the Kindle app or via Amazon’s web site through a browser. You can learn these titles on a Kindle or any system that may run the Kindle app, corresponding to a smartphone, pill or laptop. Just remember that Kindle titles can solely be learn via considered one of Amazon’s ereaders or the Kindle app. The firm makes use of proprietary digital rights administration on all ebooks it sells that may’t be learn by different ereader apps like Kobo or Adobe ADE.
What’s the distinction between Kindle and Kobo?
Both Kindle and Kobo are manufacturers of devoted ereaders that help looking out, shopping for, downloading and studying ebooks from their very own shops. Both additionally help borrowing books out of your native library through Overdrive and Libby.
The distinction is that Kindle is owned by Amazon and makes use of the Kindle retailer, whereas Kobo is owned by Rakuten and its books come from the Kobo retailer. Both shops come pre-loaded as a tab on their respective ereader and each carry most in-print books. Each retailer additionally carries their very own unique ebooks as nicely, however Amazon’s library of Kindle-only books is far bigger than Kobo’s. Amazon additionally provides Amazon Original tales to learn on the Kindle, that are free quick fiction and nonfiction reads which are free to Prime members.
Which ereader is best for library books?
Both Kobos and Kindles have easy programs for borrowing library books. Other ereaders, like Boox, allow you to borrow books after downloading the Libby App. Only Kobo ereaders allow you to search for and borrow books instantly on the ereader, with a devoted Overdrive tab. Kindles, then again, make the most of a handy “read on Kindle” perform from the Libby app or web site. You can ship a borrowed ebook to your Kindle simply by signing into your account. Both strategies are fairly simple, so which is the best for you most likely depends upon different components than simply the library-book characteristic.
Recent updates
January 2026: Added the Boox Palma 2 Pro because the best smartphone ereader.
August 2025: Included new regularly requested questions masking battery life, E Ink screens and adverts on ereaders. Mentioned Amazon’s launch of a less expensive Colorsoft Kindle.
July 2025: Added our impressions of the brand new stylus-enabled Boox Go 7 sequence. Updated our Boox Palma advice to account for the upgrades to the Boox Palma 2. Included textual content codecs to our specs and the battery lifetime of the Kobo Clara Colour.
March 2025: Added information about Bookshop.org moving into the book market. Updated details about price-setting by publishers.
January 2025: Updated the “Others we tested” part to incorporate impressions of the second Kindle Colorsoft overview unit we obtained.
August 2024: Replaced our Android pill decide with the brand new Go Color 7 ereader from Boox. Updated ebook titles to present examples. Added an FAQ part to elucidate the distinction between Kobo and Kindle ereaders and additional element library-book help on totally different fashions.
November 2024: Following the discharge of Amazon’s new Kindle ereaders, we examined and reviewed the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, the base-model Kindle and Amazon’s new coloration ereader, the Kindle Colorsoft. Accordingly, we up to date our finances decide, added a premium decide and famous our expertise with the Colorsoft.
