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Where can you download free eBooks?

While you'll always be able to pay for eBooks, you may want to know where you can download eBooks for free. Well, here are our top picks.

If you're the proud owner of a Kindle or other eReader, you likely want to know where to download free eBooks. Sure, you're probably happy to pay for new releases and premium novels, but what about the short stories, fan novels, and books by authors you've never heard of? Where can you download these for free, and give them a try, risk-free? 

We've searched for the best places to find free eBooks, legally, to help you expand your virtual library. To clarify - we don't condone sites that publish authored work without the express consent of the copyright holder, because that's essentially stealing. And we'd always suggest that, if you enjoy an author's work, you seek ways to pay for or support it in some way because most people using things like eBook creators to publish their work are doing so as a source of income.

Below is a list of the most reputable places to download free eBooks. Most offer formats compatible across all eReaders, but if you're unsure whether the files will work on your device, always check the user manual. And if you'd prefer to listen on your Kindle instead, we have a guide to the best audiobook services , some of which are free.

1. Project Gutenberg

Project Gutenberg is probably the most well recognized website for free eBooks and provides books for the Kindle, Nook, Sony Reader, iPhone, iPod Touch and other cell phone formats as well. These titles are free because their copyrights have expired, which means many of the titles will be fairly old. But a good classic is often hard to beat, so don’t skip this selection in your search for the best read of the year. With over 20,000 works it might be difficult to decide where to begin, but you can view the list of the top 100 to get started.

2. Internet Archive

Internet Archive is another extensive list of great eBook offerings. Browse to the Texts category for a list of over 2.5 million titles. Search by key word, author, title, or within a specific category. These titles are free to read, download and print, with a few restrictions on commercial or bulk usage.

3. Free-eBooks.net

Free-eBooks.net is a great collection of fun, entertaining selections. Categories include a few non-fiction topics such as career and business, but the selection of fiction and easy reading is what is most impressive about this website. Formats include HTML, PDF, ePub and Mobipocket, offering a range of variability for most digital reading devices. You'll be asked to sign-up when you land on the site, and it's important to know the difference between memberships here. VIP, which will cost money, gets you access to unlimited eBooks. Free membership gets you five free eBooks per month, and you'll never be forced to pay.

4. Manybooks.net

ManyBooks.net provides popular titles, recommendations and reviews from visitors. Visitors can browse titles by name, genre, author and even language. New titles are prominently available as well as a convenient visual search option that lets you browse book covers to see if something catches your eye. With over a dozen download format options, there’s bound to be an option that fits the particular needs of every mobile reading device.

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5. GetFreeEbooks.net

GetFreeEbooks has many great titles. The disadvantage of this site compared to some of the others, however, is the highly ad-intensive pages, with only a narrow center column in which visitors can view up to four titles on a page. This inconvenient navigation makes browsing for something new quite a hassle. If you can manage the navigational difficulties, however, the titles are well worth wading through.

6. Baen Free Library

For science fiction fans, Baen Free Library provides a number of free download choices. These titles are available from Baen Books.

Again, you're unlikely to find the brand new releases on here, and you should absolutely pay for work that has been released by creators who need to make money from it. But just dipping into any of the above sites will fill out your library nicely, help you discover classics and new authors, and give you plenty to read as you wait for life to return to normal. And if you need more advice on devices for reading eBooks, we have a guide to the best tablets right now.

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The 10 Best Free Ebook Download Sites

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• Project Gutenberg
• Google Play
• Open Library
• International Children's Digital Library
• Centsless Books
• PDFBooksWorld
• Free-Ebooks.net
• Amazon Prime

Key Takeaways

• Ebooks are perfect for book lovers to store a massive collection on devices like phones and tablets.
• Discover thousands of free ebooks from Project Gutenberg, Google Play, Open Library, BookBub, and more.
• For a variety of genres and formats, check out sites like Centsless Books, ManyBooks, Free-Ebooks.net, and Amazon Prime.

Ebooks are a great way to keep a large library of books on your phone, tablet, or computer. If you love to read and can never have too many books, ebooks are amazing—it's much easier to store ebooks than buy a whole new bookcase!

Better still, there are heaps of ways to download free ebooks, covering almost every genre, style, and author, and we've found ten of the best options.

1 Project Gutenberg

One of the best free ebook download sites is Project Gutenberg. It's a charity endeavor, sustained through volunteers and fundraisers, that aims to collect and provide as many high-quality ebooks as possible. Most of its library consists of public domain titles, but it has other stuff, too, if you're willing to look around.

As of this writing, Gutenberg has more than 70,000 free ebooks on offer. They are available for download in EPUB and MOBI formats (some are only available in one of the two) and can be read online in HTML format.

You can browse the library by category (of which there are hundreds), by most popular (which means total download count), by latest (which means the date of upload), or by random (which is a great way to find new material to read).

2 Google Play

Many people might not realize this, but Google Play has tons of free ebooks available to download. Finding free eBooks on Google Play differs slightly depending on whether you're using a desktop or smartphone.

• Desktop : Head to Google Play , select Books from the top menu, then scroll down. Under Top Charts , select Top Free .
• Android device: Open Google Play and select Books from the bottom menu. Then, select Top Free from the top menu.

You will be able to find thousands of free ebooks. The best part is you can check reviews and see if they're worth the read. The charts system also ranks the best free books, so you can spend your time reading something enjoyable.

While Google Play is native to Android devices, you can also install the app to read from your iPhone or iPad.

3 Open Library

Open Library is one of the best digital libraries where you can download ebooks for free —not just ones in the public domain but even recently released mainstream titles.

Open Library offers an easily searchable directory of all the free ebooks available on The Internet Archive. You might be surprised at the number of books available; at the time of writing, the total library is pushing toward 1.5 million items.

On the Open Library's homepage, you can readily find the books you might be interested in, thanks to the scrollable categories. Some of the most popular categories include Romance, Kids, and History. You can even find some textbooks lurking in the catalog.

The site is open source, and anyone can edit the information available for each book.

BookBub is a service dedicated to making it easy to discover new authors. Because of this, BookBub has a large library of independent authors, all offering free ebooks. With BookBub, you can read reviews, check out the synopsis, and see if this is a book you truly want to read.

BookBub is best for those who've read all the classics and want some new and exciting reads.

5 International Children's Digital Library

If your child is a bookworm, you could spend a lot of cash on new titles. Unless that is, you find a reliable source of free ebooks for kids. The International Children's Digital Library is a godsend for anyone with young readers.

Books are available in a variety of lengths and reading difficulty levels. You can even search by criteria that might stimulate kids, such as the color of the cover. Each book is listed in a specific category for easy searching.

The International Children's Digital Library does appear small, but there are still great titles to be found. The ebooks here are also available in a variety of languages, with most of the titles in English.

7 Centsless Books

Unlike the other sites on this list, Centsless Books is a curator-aggregator of free Kindle books available on Amazon. Its mission is to make it easy for you to stay on top of all the free ebooks available from the online retailer.

Note that some of the "free" ebooks listed on Centsless Books are only free if you're part of Kindle Unlimited. Unfortunately, Kindle Unlimited might not be worth the money . However, if you have it, it could be a great addition.

Note: Since Centsless Books tracks free ebooks available on Amazon, there may be times when nothing is listed. If that happens, try again a few days later.

8 PDFBooksWorld

Between the three major ebook formats—EPUB, MOBI, and PDF—what if you prefer to read in the latter format? While EPUBs and MOBIs have basically taken over, reading PDF ebooks hasn't quite gone out of style yet. And for a good reason: PDFs offer universal support across platforms and devices.

If you want to stick to PDFs only, you'll want to check out PDFBooksWorld. While the collection is small, at only a few thousand titles, they're all free and guaranteed to be PDF-optimized. Most of them are literary classics, like The Great Gatsby, A Tale of Two Cities, Crime and Punishment, and so on.

You can also read these books online, making the platform great for citations or academic projects.

For other formatting issues, we've covered everything you need to convert ebooks for your Amazon Kindle.

9 ManyBooks

ManyBooks is a nifty little site that's been around for over a decade. Its purpose is to curate and provide a library of free and discounted fiction ebooks for people to download and enjoy.

Much of its collection was seeded by Project Gutenberg back in the mid-2000s. However, since then, it has taken on an identity of its own with the addition of thousands of self-published works made available at no charge.

Downloads are available in dozens of formats, including EPUB, MOBI, and PDF, and each story has a rating out of five stars, which is something Project Gutenberg doesn't have.

10 Free-Ebooks.net

As you can probably guess by its name, free-ebooks.net offers thousands of free ebooks. The content is broadly split into six categories: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Romance, Sci-Fi, Self Help, and Business.

To download free ebooks, you will need to sign up for an account, which is free to create. Once you have an account, you can download up to five free titles every month.

In addition to English, books are available in dozens of other languages.

11 Amazon Prime

We've snuck Amazon Prime onto the end of the list because, yes, it is a subscription service. However, Amazon Prime users can download thousands of ebooks for free through Amazon Prime Reading, along with all the other benefits a Prime subscription brings.

Amazon regularly swaps out the available ebooks and adds heaps of new options throughout the year. There is also the handy Discover tab for those moments when you're stuck for what to read and a push in the right direction.

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The 25 best places to find free ebooks in 2024.

In recent years, the ebook format has exploded in popularity. Today, it only takes a few clicks to find the ebook version of almost any title. And while you can always save money on discount ebooks, doesn’t the idea of free ebooks sound pretty sweet?

Luckily, there are tons of different ebook platforms that offer exactly that. Here you'll find 25 places to get free ebooks, from mainstream ebook retailers to digital libraries that fill in the gaps! We’ll start with the former, but if you can’t find that elusive ebook in these first few stores, fear not: you have plenty of other options.

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1. Amazon Kindle Store

If you’re seeking free Kindle books , you’re in luck! The Amazon Kindle Store has two sections dedicated to just that: its Free Popular Classics page and its list of Top 100 Free Best Sellers . For those who enjoy indie books, Kindle Unlimited could also be a good investment — it’s $9.99/month, so not quite free, but you’ll gain access to over a million titles and there’s no cap on how many books you can read per month.

2. Apple Book Store

The Apple Books Store is another big-name ebook retailer with a nice selection of free titles. You’ll find them divided by category under the Free Books tab in the sidebar: Newly Added, First in a Series, Try Something New, and many more. Though its range isn’t as extensive as Amazon’s, the Apple Book Store is a solid choice if you’re looking for free fiction, especially if you like gripping suspense books and/or speculative fiction.

3. Google Play Bookstore

Google Play makes it easy to find free books on its digital store — unlike on other sites, you can simply enter “free ebooks” into the search bar (makes sense for a search engine, right?). You’ll be directed to this page of freebies, and can click “See more” to explore. There aren’t many big-name titles available for free on the Google Play Store, but if you’re interested in nonfiction (especially test prep and self-help books ), it’s definitely worth scoping out.

4. Barnes & Noble Online

Despite originating as a brick-and-mortar bookstore, the Barnes & Noble digital shop is stocked with plenty of free and discount books. It also retains a reassuring element of human curation, with “Staff Picks” at the top of B&N’s Free eBooks page , as well as an eye-catching section of free magazines below. Readers should note that some free titles can only be read on B&N’s NOOK Reading App; it’s free to download, but does add an extra step to the process.

5. Kobo Bookstore

Kobo is the last major player in the literary e-tailer game, with a huge digital store and its own brand of e-readers. To find Kobo’s free ebook section, hover over the “eBooks” tab at the top of the page and click Free eBooks on the right. Even seasoned readers will be impressed by the selection, as Kobo offers a number of free titles you won’t see anywhere else, particularly in the romance and thriller genres — and also features a list of #ownvoices authors for those craving more diverse reads.

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6. Free-Ebooks.net

Needless to say, if you’re looking for free ebooks, Free-Ebooks.net is a fine place to start. With thousands of ebooks available to download, you’ll never run out of reading material… however, you’ll be hard-pressed to find works by well-known authors. Forge ahead if you’re intrigued by a vast landscape of free indie ebooks — or check out Free-Ebooks’ extensive classics package for some more recognizable titles.

7. Project Gutenberg

If you’ve ever Googled any variation of “[iconic classic novel] read online”, you’re probably already familiar with Project Gutenberg . This tremendous digital archive was founded all the way back in 1971, and today hosts over 60,000 documents and books, all of which are free to access. For those in search of plain-text, easily searchable, copy-and-pastable versions of Jane Austen and Charles Dickens books , look no further: Project Gutenberg has you covered.

8. Open Culture

Open Culture is another great place to find classic novels by authors like F. Scott Fitzgerald and Virginia Woolf, and even the massive tomes of Proust and Tolstoy. Take note that Open Culture doesn’t host ebooks, instead serving as a hub for all manner of free online resources. However, you can find its impressive master list of 800 free books right here , with multiple links to download these texts or read them online, depending on which file format you prefer.

9. Freebooksy

Freebooksy, a popular book promotion site , is also a hub rather than a host site, linking out to free books on various retailers. What sets Freebooksy apart as a platform is that it only features ebooks that are free that day, so get ’em while they’re hot! You can browse each day’s selections right there on the homepage , or subscribe to the Freebooksy newsletter to receive them in your inbox.

10. BookBub

BookBub is another excellent promotional tool for authors and a quality source of free and discount books for readers. To access BookBub’s current freebies, just click Free Ebooks under the “Readers” tab at the bottom of the page. Here you’ll find abundant free titles with links to download them on Amazon and more. Also, if you’d like to see deals in a specific genre or for a certain retailer, you can select it on the left — though you’ll have to sort through these, as BookBub’s category pages mix both 100% free and discount promotions.

11. ManyBooks

The ManyBooks premise is simple: “Lots of ebooks. 100% free.” Select a genre, scroll through “Today’s Free Ebooks and Deals”, or check out the “Editor’s Choice” recs to see what’s worth your while. Indeed, ManyBooks offers a great deal in the way of quality control, from the ability to sort books by average rating to its own book review blog . If you’re looking for ebooks endorsed by real people, ManyBooks is the site for you.

12. OverDrive

Used by over 43,000 libraries and schools worldwide, OverDrive allows anyone with a library card to pull ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines from its digital bookshelves. Though there can  be long waiting lists for popular books (just like a real library — quaint, no?), borrowing them on OverDrive is a much better alternative than scouring the Internet in vain. Browse its featured collections, or search by title or author to locate the book you have in mind. And if you’d rather read on your phone, be sure to download OverDrive’s mobile app, Libby .

13. Open Library

Coming in hot with another virtual library, we have Open Library , a division of the long-running Internet Archive. This site is convenient because you don’t have to deal with multiple libraries;  any ebook on Open Library can be borrowed with a single click. Keep in mind that the site has a narrower selection as a result, and most recent releases aren’t available. But if you’re content to read books that came out a few years ago, Open Library won’t let you down.

14. Get Free Ebooks

Pivoting back to non-library sites, you’ll find plenty of ebooks on none other than Get Free Ebooks — though again, this one isn’t an ebook hosting platform, but a site that links out to other sources. However, if you’re seeking helpful literary lists divided by genre and subject, this is the place to be. Check out their top compilations of ebooks for tons of interesting titles, or select a genre under the “Top Categories” list at the bottom of the page.

15. Ebooks.com

A reliable source for all things ebook-related, Ebooks.com offers up a fairly large collection of free books , with a focus on the classics. Its online e-reader runs pretty smoothly and is nice for readers who like to mark up their texts, with options to highlight passages and leave notes. However, those looking to download their ebooks should be aware that Ebooks.com requires you to install Adobe Digital Editions first (it’s a free program, but may still be a drawback for readers hoping to conserve storage space).

16. Reedsy Discovery

For those who like to properly digest their free ebooks and then share your thoughts with an audience, consider becoming a reviewer on Reedsy Discovery! You’ll receive a free ebook copy of every title you pick up for review, plus you’ll gain followers and can even get tipped for your work. If that’s not a great bargain, we don’t know what is.

17. Planet Ebook

If the refreshingly minimalist design of Planet Ebook doesn’t instantly convince you of its merits, its sizable catalogue of public domain books certainly will. And because it’s based in Australia, Planet Ebook pulls from a wider public domain than in the US, so you may be able to find titles on there that you couldn’t find elsewhere. To survey its full list of books, click here .

18. Standard Ebooks

Standard Ebooks is another site that’s easy on the eyes, mainly for the beautiful book covers that accompany each title in its library — perfectly in line with the project’s mission to provide free ebooks that “meet or exceed the quality of commercially produced ebooks.” Indeed, here are 500+ books that aren’t just “standard,” but exceptionally formatted. Readers in constant search of nice-looking classics, make sure to bookmark this site.

19. Feedbooks

On Feedbooks, a site that hosts vast quantities of ebooks to purchase, you can also find free public domain ebooks and free original books . The latter should appeal to readers who have gotten their fill of the public domain, especially as Feedbooks offers some books to download that mainstream retailers do not. However, be prepared to sift carefully through its offerings, as the free offerings can get mixed up with priced ebooks on its featured pages — you may have to search “free” in the upper righthand corner to get what you came for.

20. Book Cave

Book Cave has a pretty compelling headline: “Free ebooks you’ll actually want to read.” You’ll find the aforementioned ebooks right here , with sophisticated filters attached. Not only can you divide these books up by genre, but also by maturity level and even sensitive content, if you wish to exclude violence, profanity, etc. With nearly 2,000 free books available and all these ways to filter them, Book Cave really does help readers find precisely what they want.

21. Smashwords

Since so many authors use Smashwords as an aggregator to distribute their ebooks , the Smashwords store ends up hosting quite a few books itself — and according to its stat counter, a whopping 86,000+ of those books are available for free. You can browse through them all here , though you’ll probably want to select a category in the sidebar to narrow it down.

22. BookRix

Another popular self-publishing platform, BookRix hosts thousands of freebies in its online library , most of which are original stories from brand-new authors. Indeed, BookRix is more Wattpad than Amazon KDP , since ebooks can be of any length and fanfiction is allowed. For readers looking to expand their horizons or just have fun, BookRix is definitely worth a shot.

23. Baen Books

And for readers who adore science fiction and fantasy , Baen Books could be your new favorite corner of the Internet. This publisher, founded by celebrated SFF editor Jim Baen, has grown into a wonderful hub for SFF readers and writers alike — complete with plenty of Baen ebooks in its Free Library . Many are actually the first in a series, so if you’re looking for a new fantastical world in which to immerse yourself, Baen Books should be your first stop.

24. BookBoon

We also can’t leave out BookBoon , a site that provides free e-textbooks, making it an incredibly valuable resource for students and autodidacts alike. If you’re in school or know someone else who is, this site needs to be on your radar: under their free “Student” plan, BookBoon offers 1,000+ full-length textbooks, on subjects ranging from chemistry to communications. Go get your Good Will Hunting on!

25. The Online Books Page

Speaking of academic resources, the University of Pennsylvania’s Online Books Page is a clean, accessible hub for over three million ebooks and digitized papers — some originally published more than two centuries ago. For the historically inclined, this site (which also has a pretty good search engine) is a veritable fountain of knowledge.

Hungry for more? Check out this list of additional places to find free books online , or our post on where to find free audiobooks . Happy freebie’ing!

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Best ebooks apps in 2021

The best ebooks apps for smartphones will help you find something good to read

Forget about dedicated e-readers — the best ebooks apps let you read everything from books to articles to comics directly on your smartphone or tablet. Apple's Books and Google Play Books already do a great job as stock apps, but specialist reading apps bring additional features to the fix — highly configurable settings, support for odd formats and read-all-you-can subscriptions just to name a few.

Check out more than a dozen of the best ebooks apps, from convenient, all-in-one marketplace-reader combinations to feature-packed and customizable standalone readers, as well as subscription-based unlimited reading services.

• Best Kindles : Get a top e-reader
• These are the best audiobook apps
• Where to get free ebooks

The best ebooks apps to download today

1. kindle (android, ios: free).

Amazon's Kindle app is a multi-platform e-book juggernaut, featuring marketplace, reader and library management features. More than 1 million titles are available in the Kindle store, from the latest bestsellers to free classics. 

A customizable display lets you set font size, brightness and other settings. Also, Kindle syncs your last page read, bookmarks, highlights and notes between devices and platforms. 

One of the best things about the Kindle app is Kindle Unlimited program. Through that program, Kindle users are able to access to thousands of audiobooks and e-books for a monthly fee. Overall, Kindle provides an excellent mix of usability, legibility, value and variety to feed your reading habits.

Download Kindle: Android , iOS

2. Realm (Android, iOS: Free)

It used to be known as Serial Box, but a name change to Realm hasn't changed the app's approach to getting a good story. You don't have to shell out for a complete audiobook, with Realm instead offering shorter, episodic content in bite-sized chunks of novels. If you've resumed commuting, Realm's installments are just about the perfect length.

You can pick from a range of genres — drama, fantasy, sci-fi and more. The first episode is usually free, with subsequent installments costing $1.99. You get both text and audio versions of a story, and discounts on the full version are available with a season pass. 

With offerings such as “The Witch Who Came In From The Cold”, “Bookburners” and “Tremontaine” and a highly configurable reader and audiobook player mode, Realm is an interesting take on digital books.

Download Realm: Android , iOS

3. Scribd (Android, iOS: $8.99/month)

While Amazon boasts of its Unlimited program, it wasn't first off the bat in providing an unlimited access program for books. Scribd offers an unlimited access program for ebooks, which was compared to a "Netflix for books." 

Scribd features a library of more than 500,000 books from 900-plus publishers across a variety of genres. The app features a customizable display as well as curated editorial collections, personalized recommendations based on your reading history and the ability to download books for offline reading.

Download Scribd: Android , iOS

4. tiReader (iOS: Free)

Think of tiReader as an all-in-one iOS ebook reader option for consuming your DRM-free ebooks, audiobooks, and digital comics. The app supports a broad selection of formats, such as epubs, PDFs, cbrs and cbzs, as well as photos, archives, and more. 

A customizable reader includes bookmarks, annotation tools, day and night modes, library management and search filters, as well as cross-device syncing. tiReader also includes cloud support for ebooks that you store online, as well as OPDS support for publicly available ebook libraries and public domain content. 

The free version of this top ebooks app lets you try things out with a five-document maximum in the library (you can keep deleting files if you want to add new books). The $4.99 in-app purchase upgrades you to the unlimited version of tiReader.

Download tiReader: iOS

5. Libby by Overdrive (Android, iOS: Free)

Why spend a ton of money on ebooks if your local library already has a digital media lending system? Libby takes Overdrive's popular digital media management system and lets users to borrow ebooks and audiobooks from participating libraries. 

Simply sign in with your library card and then you can browse your library's digital media collection, allowing you to search for titles, set holds, borrow ebooks and audiobooks with a tap, and return or extend a lend just as easily. 

You can preview books from the app, downloading borrowed titles or streaming them to your phone or tablet if you prefer to save space.

Download Libby: Android , iOS

6. FullReader (Android: Free)

FullReader is an all-in-one Android ebook reader, supporting numerous formats, such as epub, PDF, CBR and CBZ, as well as office files like RTF, .doc, .docx and even MP3s (great for audiobooks). Users can sort their files into collections or simply use the built-in file explorer, and the app also includes cloud storage support as well as OPDS compatibility for exploring libraries of free online content. 

The reader itself is clear and easy to navigate, with access to bookmarks, the table of contents, text-to-speech, and the ability to make notes and annotations. The app is free and ad-supported, with an in-app purchase disabling advertising.

Download FullReader: Android

7. Madefire Comics & Motion Books (Android, iOS: Free)

Like other comic readers, Madefire gives you access to enough comic books to choke Galactus. But some of them also move, along with adding lashings of atmosphere with 3D elements and audio.

These aren’t cartoons — you get traditional panel layouts. But parts of the image transition in a manner that draws your eye to certain elements. Your reading pace is slowed, helping you take everything in. And the action is joined by rumbles and dark music in the likes of Hellboy, or iconic transformation sounds in Transformers.

This may be a gimmick — and it’s unlikely to tear you from your comic reader of choice. But as a glimpse into a different way of presenting comic stories, Madefire’s well worth a look.

Download Madefire: Android , iOS

8. KyBook 3 (iOS: $14.99/year)

KyBook 3 is one of the best ebooks apps because this all-in-one e-reader supports DRM-free formats like epub, RTF, DJVU, PDF, CBR and CBZ. Whether you're looking to read poetry or prose, comic books or RPG rules, KyBook's likely to do a solid job. 

You can configure the viewer's fonts (including supplying your own font files), themes, and other layout settings like margins and line spacing. Readers can upload files through iTunes, or access their ebooks in supported cloud services like iCloud, Google Drive, Dropbox, and Yandex Disk. There's even support for OPDS catalogs, allowing you to access tons of free and public domain content online. 

A premium subscription — $14.99 for a year, though three-month options are available — allows you to sync your ebook metadata and files across devices.

Download KyBook: iOS

9. Comixology (Android, iOS: Free)

Comixology is one of the most popular digital comic platforms online, featuring titles from major comics publishers such as Marvel , DC and Image. Readers can buy their favorite issues and series from the Comixology website and read them in the app, which in addition to being a top ebooks option is also one of the best comic book readers . 

Of particular note Comixology's the Guided View mode, which is great for reading on a small screen. US customers benefit from an Unlimited mode that works as a "read-all-you-can" subscription. On the downside, you can't import in an existing comics collection or make in-app purchases on iOS.

Download: Comixology: Android , iOS

10. Chunky (iOS: Free)

If you already have a collection of DRM-free comics, you may want to check out Chunky instead of Comixology. Chunky is a free and feature-packed comics option for the iPad . 

On the technical side, Chunky supports CBR, CBZ and PDF comics, as well as metadata tags from ComicRack and ComicBookLover. A smart upscaling mode renders even low-res files as crisply as possible, while multiple view modes let you read however you like. There's even an auto-contrast/tint fix to adjust for faded comic scans. 

The app can download comics from your cloud storage services, such as Dropbox and Google Drive, straight into the app's self-organizing library. Plus, a parental lock allows you to flag and hide titles behind password protection. It's a fantastic free package whose only fault is a lack of iPhone support. For the cost of a $3.99 pro upgrade, the app can connect to Mac or Windows shared folders, FTP or SFTP servers, ComicStreamer, Calibre or Ubooquity libraries for sharing files in and out.

Download Chunky: iOS

11. Comicat (Android: $2.99)

For DRM-free comic reading on Android, check out Comicat, another app that blends a comic book reader with the best ebooks apps have to offer. This premium Android comic book reader gives you a ton of features and customizability for less than the price of a single comic issue. 

The app auto-scans your mobile device (or selected library folders) for comics in supported formats (such as CBR, CBZ, and PDF). It then automatically sorts them into series in a nice bookshelf view which you can manually organize. Once you're in the reader view, the interface is unobtrusive, with long press or slide controls bringing out options and settings. 

Comicat supports cloud storage folders, password protection, manga-style right to left displays, image enhancement to correct contrast, brightness, and saturation among other tweaks.

Download Comicat: Android

12. Moon+ Reader (Android: Free)

Moon+ Reader is a nifty Android e-book reader app known for its highly customizable interface. While it may not come with a dedicated marketplace, Moon+'s UI makes it stand out from the pack. You can set font styles and sizes, backgrounds, spacing, paging modes, autoscroll, multiple view modes and more. 

The app is free, but a $6.99 pro version is also available to remove ads and add PDF support, as well as other extra features. If you already have a sizable e-book collection and are just looking for an Android app to read with, then consider Moon+ for your e-book reading needs.

Download Moon+: Android

13. FBReader (Android, iOS: Free)

FBReader supports EPUB, RTF, DOC, HTML, MOBI and other formats on both Android and iPhones. While it doesn't feature an attached store like some other best ebooks apps, FB Reader makes up for it with its highly customizable nature. 

Users can tweak text fonts, size, hyphenation, text colors and backgrounds, margins, page animations and more. External dictionary support, a browser/downloader for finding books online, language localizations and plugin support for PDFs and library syncing round out an impressive free package.

There is a pro version of FBReader that sheds some of the limitations of the free version — you can store more than 10 books and the translation feature is enabled. That costs $6.99 of Android users and $4.99 on the iPhone.

Download FBReader: Android , iOS

14. Aldiko (Android, iOS: Free)

Aldiko is a neat e-book reader app that supports EPUB, PDF, and Adobe DRM encrypted e-books. A clean and customizable interface includes settings for text size, margins, page layouts, brightness, fonts, colors and more. 

A library management system allows you to easily sort your material by tags and collections. The core reader is free, but a Premium version includes the ability to add notes, highlights, notes and an ad-free experience.

Download Aldiko: Android , iOS

15. Kobo Books (Android, iOS: Free)

While not as well known in the US, Kobo is especially popular in Canada and France. Featuring a library of more than 5 million ebooks and publications, Kobo lets you access content from its online store while also letting you import your own content. 

The app supports numerous formats, such as EPUB, PDF, CBZ and CBR. Obligatory view and text customizations let you get comfortable, and the app syncs across devices and platforms.

Download Kobo Books: Android , iOS

16. Marvin 3 (iOS: Free)

Marvin is a feature-packed and extremely configurable iOS reader app for DRM-free EPUB files; it also supports CBZ and CBR comics. 

As a reader, Marvin boasts several great reading features, from a variety of fonts (including a specialty font for dyslexic readers), a night mode and customizable themes, highlighting, annotation and dictionary tools. You'll also find numerous format tweaks ranging from text justification, to paragraph indentation and spacing. 

In addition, you'll find a solid set of organizing tools, allowing you to sort into collections, choose from list or cover views, collection sorting and more. The app also supports iOS features like Split View on the iPad. There are also premium features require a $4.99 in-app purchase.

Download Marvin: iOS

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Craig Grannell has been writing about tech for longer than he cares to remember, and spends his days surrounded by black rectangles, cables, and countless devices going DING when a notification comes in. He’s written for a bunch of magazines and websites including Tom's Guide, TechRadar, Wired, Stuff and many others, and specializes in Apple, apps, games, design and retro. At some point, he’s hoping someone will pay him a full-time wage to write about Robotron: 2084 and Bubble Bobble all day.

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The Best E-Reader

By Caitlin McGarry and Nick Guy

A dedicated ebook reader puts an entire library of books in the palm of your hand, without the distractions of a phone or tablet. E-readers are smaller than a paperback, last for weeks on a single charge, and give you an excellent reading experience. After testing every competitive ebook reader available in the US, we can say that Amazon’s cheapest Kindle is the best for almost everyone.

Everything we recommend

Amazon Kindle (2022)

The best e-reader for most people.

Amazon’s most affordable Kindle is also its most portable, with a 6-inch screen that has finally been upgraded with a higher pixel density for sharper text and support for USB-C charging. Those features bring it in line with far more expensive e-readers. The Kids version costs an extra $20 but comes with a slew of perks that make it an excellent option if you can spend a little more.

Buying Options

Upgrade pick.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2021)

Larger screen and waterproof.

The waterproof Kindle Paperwhite is worth upgrading to if you want a bigger screen for reading more text at a time, if you want to adjust the color temperature as well as the lighting, and if you do a lot of reading at the beach or by a pool.

Rakuten Kobo Clara 2E

An amazon kindle alternative.

If you have no interest in buying into the Amazon ecosystem, Kobo e-readers are a solid option. This waterproof model splits the difference between the entry-level Kindle and the Kindle Paperwhite by giving you a 6-inch screen with adjustable light and color temperature for late-night reading. OverDrive integration makes checking out library books a breeze.

May be out of stock

The entry-level Amazon Kindle finally got an upgrade, with the same crisp display and USB-C charging as on the pricier Kindle Paperwhite (and double the storage space of the previous model). If you have $20 more to spend, the Amazon Kindle Kids is worth it even if you’re not a parent; it comes with a case, a year free of Amazon Kids+, a two-year warranty (compared with the standard version’s one year of coverage), and no ads. Getting rid of ads on the base model costs $20 alone. Amazon’s well-stocked store of ebooks remains its biggest selling point, along with the ease of checking out library books via Libby and sending them directly to a Kindle.

If you want a bigger display, the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite ’s 6.8-inch screen can showcase more text at a time than the 6-inch entry-level Kindle. Its 17 LEDs are a huge bump up from the basic Kindle’s four lights, and they let you adjust the lighting as well as the color temperature if warm or cool lighting is easier on your eyes. The Kindle Paperwhite is waterproof, too, so you can tote it to the beach or relax by the pool without worrying.

Kobo is one of Amazon’s few rivals when it comes to e-readers, and Rakuten’s Kobo Clara 2E is the best of the non-Amazon alternatives. With a 6-inch screen, 300 pixels per inch (ppi), and a body made of recycled plastic, it’s lightweight, portable, and a joy to read on, and it’s also waterproof for peace of mind when you’re reading by the pool or in the bathtub.

The research

Who this is for, why you should trust us, why you shouldn’t just read ebooks on an ipad, how we picked and tested, our pick: amazon kindle (2022), upgrade pick: amazon kindle paperwhite (2021), an amazon alternative: kobo clara 2e, what to look forward to, the competition, frequently asked questions.

An ebook reader is a dedicated device on which you read electronic books—usually those you buy from an ebook store, but also some you can download elsewhere (through your local public library, for example). Over the past few years, the prices of ebook readers have fallen dramatically while the hardware has improved significantly, and high-end features such as a backlit, high-resolution screen and waterproofing have become standard. If you don’t have an ebook reader, there’s never been a better time to get one.

If you have an ebook reader but struggle with finding light to read, get frustrated with slow page turns or low resolution, or merely hate how big your current device is, upgrading to a new one might be worthwhile.

Caitlin McGarry is Wirecutter’s senior editor overseeing technology coverage and has used multiple generations of Amazon Kindles, dating all the way back to the one with a physical keyboard (RIP). She has covered consumer technology devices—including e-readers, tablets, and smartphones—for more than a decade for Macworld, Tom’s Guide, Gizmodo, and other outlets. She has also written about why checking out ebooks from the library can be so complicated.

Nick Guy contributed reporting to this guide.

If you already own an iPad or another tablet, you might wonder why an ebook reader is necessary. And it’s not: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo all offer apps that allow you to access your library on an iOS or Android tablet or smartphone , and you can also use a tablet or phone to read ebooks from Apple Books (on iOS) and the Google Play store (on iOS and Android).

But if you’re a regular reader, dedicated e-readers are a better option for a number of reasons. Nonreflective, electronic-ink displays give you a more paperlike visual experience (including enjoyable reading outdoors and less eyestrain compared with an LCD or OLED screen), plus they’re lighter weight and offer significantly longer battery life. And a dedicated ebook reader offers fewer distractions—you won’t be tempted to mindlessly scroll through Instagram or watch a video on YouTube or TikTok. Being able to sync progress from an ebook reader app to the cloud means you can easily read a few pages on your phone or iPad and then pick it up again on whichever e-reader you own—it’s the best of both worlds.

Few companies make e-readers, and Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo are the only major hardware makers with digital bookstores to back up their respective devices.

Here’s what we looked for in determining the best ebook readers:

• Built-in lighting: Most e-readers provide their own light for reading in dark environments. Unlike tablets such as the iPad, ebook readers use a side-lighting system that provides a glow across the screen, rather than from behind it. Because this feature is so prevalent, we didn’t test any readers without it.
• Screen quality: We gave preference to devices with a pixel density of 300 dots per inch, the highest available in any ebook reader and what most models offer. Anything lower produces less-crisp text and images.
• Build quality and size: While most ebook readers are made of plastic, some feel better than others in your hands. The most common screen size is 6 inches, which is also the most portable. Newer e-readers pack larger screens into similarly sized bodies, which is a bonus.
• Battery life and storage: Most e-readers promise battery life somewhere between six and eight weeks, depending on usage, and offer 8 GB or 32 GB of storage. Because e-readers tend to be so similar in this regard, specs like these are less important than how good an ebook reader feels in the hand.
• Other features: Features like waterproofing and Bluetooth audio can make a good e-reader great, but they’re not required.
• Library: Ebook readers can’t stand on the strength of their hardware alone. Though all readers allow you to side-load unprotected content, it’s important that they provide easy access to a large library of commercial books.

The cheapest Amazon Kindle is also the best e-reader for most people. Its affordable price, portability, upgraded display, 16 GB of base storage, and USB-C charging compatibility check the most-important boxes, plus Amazon offers a massive ebook catalog that frequently offers better prices than the competition. Checking out ebooks from the library via the Libby app on a phone or tablet and then having them delivered to your Kindle is also fairly intuitive.

The screen is on a par with that of the pricier Kindle Paperwhite. The Kindle’s 6-inch display is smaller than the 6.8-inch Kindle Paperwhite display, but both E Ink screens are 300 ppi, so text is sharp and clear to read on both. And while the entry-level Kindle doesn’t have the same level of screen illumination as the Kindle Paperwhite—with just four front LEDs compared with the premium version’s 17 lights—it gets plenty bright enough. I had no issues reading in a dark bedroom, on a dimly lit plane, or poolside in direct sunlight. You don’t get the same color-temperature controls as on the Kindle Paperwhite, but if you’re not sensitive to warm or cool light, this model gets the job done.

The battery life is excellent, and the switch to USB-C is a godsend. The main reason I prefer reading on a Kindle compared with my phone or iPad is that I can go weeks—sometimes even a month or two if I’m reading very slowly—between charges. But as basically every modern tech device has moved to the USB-C charging standard, the cheapest Kindle stubbornly clung to Micro-USB. The 2022 Kindle finally caught up with 10-year-old technology, and now you can use the same USB-C charging cable that charges your laptop and Android phone to juice up your Kindle.

The base Kindle comes with double the base storage of the Kindle Paperwhite. If you have a huge ebook collection or like to listen to audiobooks on your Kindle, the 16 GB of storage in this model is a blessing. The Kindle Paperwhite comes with 8 GB; you have to pay more for 16 GB.

The Kindle ecosystem is huge. The collection of services that Amazon and its partners offer is a major reason we love Kindles in general. You can share purchased books with people on your Amazon Prime account; use X-Ray, which helps identify notable people and terms in your books; subscribe to the optional Kindle Unlimited service, which gives you on-demand access to a huge catalog of books for a flat rate every month; and opt for Amazon Kids+ , which provides access to kids books, movies, TV shows, and more (a free, one-year subscription is included with the Kindle Kids model, which costs an extra $20 but also comes with a cover, a longer warranty, and no ads).

Flaws but not dealbreakers

It’s not waterproof. I love a hotel pool, and the Kindle is the first thing I throw in my tote on vacation. But it doesn’t offer any water resistance, so I have to be extra careful to avoid splashes. Similarly, if you like to relax in the tub with an e-reader, the waterproof Kindle Paperwhite is a better bet for your peace of mind.

Downloading EPUB files requires some extra steps. Prior to 2022, Amazon didn’t offer support for EPUB files, the open-standard format for unprotected ebooks that’s common for public-domain and other freely available books. Now, Kindles are EPUB compatible, but loading them onto your e-reader requires extra work. You have to download the file on an iOS or Android device, find it in the phone’s Files app, and then use the “Send to Kindle” feature to send it wirelessly to your e-reader. You can also email an EPUB file to your Kindle’s email address, which sends the file directly to your Kindle. (To find that email address, log in to your Amazon account on the web, and then navigate to your devices. Click the name of your Kindle, and you’ll see an email address that ends in @kindle.com. Attach the EPUB file to an email sent to that Kindle address, and then sync your Kindle to see the file pop up.)

Kindles don’t have cell service. Previous generations had 3G connectivity, but newer models are Wi-Fi only. This isn’t a problem for most people, though, since it’s easy enough to load up on as many books as you might need when you do have access to Wi-Fi, and you don’t need to be connected to read them.

You have to pay $20 more to get a version without lock-screen ads. That’s annoying.

The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite from 2021 is still just as good two years in, and if you need a few more bells and whistles than what the entry-level Kindle offers, it’s worth the extra money.

We used to recommend the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Kids —which is about $20 more than the base-model Kindle Paperwhite—because it comes with a cover, a two-year warranty, no lock-screen ads, and a free year of Amazon Kids+. That’s still a good deal, especially if it’s on sale. But with a list price of $180, the Kindle Paperwhite Kids is a little expensive for a device that was released two years ago, and the cheaper Kindle (or the Kindle Kids) might be a better option.

It has a nice, big screen. This display is a noticeable upgrade over the entry-level Kindle’s smaller, 6-inch screen. When you’re reading on the Kindle Paperwhite, you can easily turn a page with a tap or swipe. The screen is evenly lit across its entire surface, and the text is impressively crisp. Amazon also got the small details right: Tapping to call up a footnote, for example, opens it on the current page instead of taking you to a separate page, and you can dismiss the footnote with a simple tap. And actually hitting the footnote is easier than on other e-readers, thanks to a much larger touch target. It’s a little more challenging on the cheaper Kindle.

It offers precise control over brightness and color temperature. You can change how much blue light the Kindle Paperwhite’s screen emits, going from a typical white glow to a darker yellow in 24 increments, either manually or on an automatic schedule tied to sunset and sunrise. Wirecutter has written extensively about whether blocking blue light makes it easier to fall asleep (maybe) or helps you avoid eyestrain and headaches (probably not). Even if there’s no demonstrable benefit, color-temperature adjustment isn’t a bad feature to have and might just make for a more comfortable reading experience.

Did we mention it’s waterproof? Author Nick Guy tested the Kindle Paperwhite’s IPX8 waterproofing by submerging it in a pitcher of water for an hour; Amazon says it can survive for that long in water up to 2 meters deep. The e-reader worked just fine afterward, although we were surprised how much water came out of the USB-C port when we shook it. We could even hear water sloshing around inside, but after we kept it upright for a few minutes, the moisture was gone.

Seamless Audible integration is useful for audiobook lovers. You can pay for an Audible subscription or buy audiobooks à la carte. You have to use Bluetooth headphones or earbuds , however, because the Kindle Paperwhite doesn’t have a headphone jack. But the feature works well, and if you have both the ebook and audiobook version of a title, you can switch between reading and listening wherever you left off. You can also use the Bluetooth streaming for VoiceView, Amazon’s accessibility program that helps folks with low vision navigate the screen.

Amazon has dominated e-readers for many, many years, and for good reason. While we generally prefer the Kindle line’s hardware and ease of use, we’re glad Amazon isn’t the only good option. Kobo e-readers are very good, especially if you haven’t already bought into the Kindle ecosystem (owning a lot of Kindle books makes switching extremely difficult). For a first-time e-reader owner who’s platform-agnostic, or for someone who simply doesn’t like Amazon, Rakuten’s Kobo Clara 2E is a solid alternative.

This Kobo reader offers Kindle Paperwhite features for a Paperwhite price. The Kobo Clara 2E costs about the same as the Kindle Paperwhite, and while it feels a bit more like the regular Kindle in terms of materials and design, you get the same IPX8 waterproofing, adjustable screen brightness and color temperature, USB-C charging, and a 300 ppi E Ink screen for crisp, clear text.

It’s lightweight and portable. Like the entry-level Kindle, the Kobo Clara 2E has a 6-inch screen surrounded by a slightly raised bezel. Rakuten says it’s made from 85% recycled plastic, and though we didn’t independently confirm whether the company diverted plastic that was bound for oceans or landfills, it is lighter than the Kindle Paperwhite (but not quite as light as the basic Kindle).

Borrowing ebooks from the library is seamless. I prefer to check out books from my public library system rather than buy them because, well, they’re free, and Kobo makes borrowing ebooks even easier than Amazon does. The Kobo Clara 2E offers integration with OverDrive, a platform for borrowing ebooks from libraries, so you can link your public library account to OverDrive and then see options for purchasing a specific ebook from the Kobo Store or borrowing it from the library directly on the device itself—no need to navigate to a third-party website to send the ebook to your Kobo e-reader. (OverDrive has shut down its standalone app in favor of Libby, another ebook lending platform it owns, but Kobo devices’ OverDrive integration remains functional and works well.)

Rakuten will release three new Kobo e-readers on April 30, including two devices with color E Ink screens. The $150 Kobo Clara Colour and $230 Kobo Libra Colour will replace the company’s Clara 2E and Libra 2, which are being discontinued. A black-and-white version of the Kobo Clara will be available for $130. All three new e-readers are waterproof and support the same OverDrive integration as previous models, so buyers will be able to seamlessly check out library books on their devices. The Libra Colour is compatible with the $70 Kobo Stylus 2 and offers 32 GB of storage, whereas the Clara Colour and Clara BW only offer 16 GB of storage. We plan to test the new models to see how they compare to Amazon’s Kindles, which do not have color E Ink screens.

The Amazon Kindle Scribe is the first Kindle to support note-taking with an included stylus. The Scribe is much larger than the Kindle or Kindle Paperwhite, with a 10.2-inch screen at 300 ppi. E Ink tablets that let you read books and take notes have become more popular in recent years, and the Kindle Scribe is the latest in a line of steadily improving models. The included basic pen attaches magnetically to the e-reader and never needs to be charged. Although it’s a delight to use, for $340, you’re better off with a more full-featured tablet than a dedicated e-reader.

The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (11th generation) is identical to the 2021 Paperwhite and Paperwhite Kids, save for three small differences: It has 32 GB of storage space (four times that of the other models), it supports Qi wireless charging, and the backlight automatically adjusts thanks to a sensor above the screen. These are all nice-to-have features, but they’re not worth the premium price for most people.

Amazon’s Kindle Oasis has an asymmetrical body (0.13 inch on the thinner edge, 0.33 inch on the thicker edge) with physical page-turn buttons along one edge. It has a 7-inch screen, it’s waterproof, and it offers an auto-brightness feature that automatically adjusts the screen’s brightness level based on ambient light. It also has a night-mode feature that shifts the display’s color temperature; you can set it to change automatically on a custom schedule or at sunrise and sunset, but it doesn’t automatically adjust based on ambient lighting conditions. Its starting price, about $250, is significantly higher than that of our top pick , so we can’t recommend it for most people.

In addition to the Clara 2E, Kobo has a handful of other options that offer more features for a higher price. The Kobo Libra 2 is our former also-great pick, and while it’s still very good, it’s also $180. The Kobo Sage has an even larger, 8-inch screen than the Kobo Libra 2 and offers a slew of custom accessories, including a charging cover and a stylus for note-taking. But those benefits come with a hefty $260 price tag, so unless you know you want to write on your e-reader’s screen or will definitely benefit from a larger display, it’s not worth the higher cost. The Kobo Nia is the company’s entry-level reader, but it’s pricier than an entry-level Kindle and has a lower-resolution screen.

Barnes & Noble is still making its Nook line of e-readers. We tested the $150 Nook GlowLight 4 and $100 GlowLight 4e . The GlowLight 4e’s low-res screen represents a huge downgrade from the entry-level Kindle. The GlowLight 4 is pricier than the Kindle Paperwhite but has a smaller screen and isn’t waterproof.

This article was edited by Jason Chen and Arthur Gies.

What is the difference between an e-reader and a tablet?

Unlike tablets, which can do as much as a laptop, ebook readers are (mostly) dedicated to one task: reading. The hardware and software are designed to make the reading experience top-notch. The monochromatic, E Ink screens on our picks render text sharply while using very little battery, but they’re not great for most other tasks. E-readers weigh less than tablets. And since they can do less, ebook readers are also generally cheaper.

Which e-reader is best for library books?

Both top e-reader lines—Amazon Kindle and Rakuten Kobo—support checking out books from your local public library. E-reader owners who relied on OverDrive to browse library ebooks in 2022 were shifted to Libby, which offers a similar experience. (Kobo devices have retained OverDrive integration even though OverDrive is being phased out for non-Kobo e-readers.) If you own a Kindle, you have to install the Libby app on your phone or log in to Libby on a computer and then send your checked-out books wirelessly to your e-reader.

Meet your guides

Caitlin McGarry

Caitlin McGarry is a senior editor at Wirecutter. She previously oversaw Gizmodo’s consumer technology coverage and has been reviewing Apple products and wearable devices for almost a decade.

Nick Guy is a former senior staff writer covering Apple and accessories at Wirecutter. He has been reviewing iPhones, iPads, and related tech since 2011—and stopped counting after he tested his 1,000th case. It’s impossible for him not to mentally catalog any case he sees. He once had the bright idea to build and burn down a room to test fireproof safes.

Further reading

The Best Tablets

by Wirecutter Staff

We think Apple’s 10.2-inch iPad is the best all-around tablet thanks to great hardware and apps. We also have picks for Android tablets, ebook readers, and more.

The Best Accessories for Your iPhone and iPad

by Dan Frakes, Nick Guy, and Wirecutter Staff

We’ve spent hundreds of hours over the past few years testing hundreds of iPhone and iPad accessories to find the best ones.

The Gadgets We Bring on Every Trip

by Ivy Liscomb

You don't have to be a digital nomad to travel like one. Here are a few gadgets and accessories to make travel as painless as possible.

The Best Early Amazon Prime Day Deals of 2023 (So Far)

Prime Day 2023 isn’t officially here yet, but some Prime Day deals already are. These are the best early Prime Day sales we’ve found so far.

8 Of The Best Websites To Find And Download eBooks For Free

If you're an avid reader or audiobook listener, you've probably explored Amazon and similar sites for your next great read. However, did you know there's a treasure trove of free books available at your fingertips? 

While there are dedicated e-readers, the associated costs of purchasing books through their platforms can get pricey. The good news is that the following websites are great places where bookworms can find and download ebooks — and even audiobooks — for absolutely free. If you're missing the library vibe, several of these sites allow users to borrow digital titles, just like you would at your local public library.

Of course, clicking on a link that promises free products online can sometimes feel risky. However, rest assured that every site mentioned in this list has been verified to genuinely provide free ebooks or audiobooks in various file formats. Additionally, these sites are user-friendly and completely legal for downloading content — after all, nothing is worse than clicking on a free link only to receive a free virus or a DMCA violation.

Modern technology has made it easier than ever to read a wide range of books and grow your digital library without breaking the bank. Here are eight of the best websites to find and download ebooks for free.

For free physical books, you turn to your local library. For free ebooks, the solution is OverDrive , a digital library platform offering patrons access to a vast collection at no cost.

Overdrive is a system used by public libraries around the world. It makes it easy for you to find the books you're looking for and download them directly to your Kindle or device, completely free of charge. The system works just like a library. To sign up, simply input your local library account information and then select which books you want to check out. The books are then downloaded directly to your device for a set duration, usually about two weeks. When it's time to return the book, the lending license expires and is automatically made unavailable so that the next person can download it.

While OverDrive provides a convenient and legal avenue to access fresh ebooks outside the public domain, there is a limitation to note. Due to copyright restrictions, each ebook has a set number of licenses available for lending. This means that, at times, you might encounter a waitlist for popular titles. The system ensures copyright compliance, preventing unlimited duplications of a single ebook. So, while OverDrive offers an exceptional free and legal resource for the latest reads, you just may have to wait in line for really popular titles.

Internet Archive: Open Library

Have you ever considered the monumental task of archiving the entire internet? While it may seem impossible, that's exactly what the Internet Archive is attempting. Founded in 1996 during the rise of public internet access, the Internet Archive: Open Library is an online library and repository whose mission is to archive as much of the digital world as possible, including websites, music, and ebooks.

The Internet Archive is the largest repository of historic website data with snapshots dating back to 1996 that capture the evolution of websites over time. You could spend hours reliving the '90s internet in the Wayback Machine . The site's digital library has an impressive collection of both public domain titles and copyrighted works shared with appropriate permissions. All content on their platform is accessible to the public at no cost.

The site hosts millions of books and different texts that are freely available for download, making it one of the easiest places to find free ebooks online.

Google Play Books

Google Play Books is another easy way to fill your digital shelves with paid and free ebooks. The app is incredibly intuitive, making it easy to store and organize your digital library by genre, series, or any other criteria. If you do end up purchasing a book, it stays with your account forever, granting access to it on any of your devices. The app also has a massive library of free ebooks that anyone can access with their Google account.

It may take a bit of looking and adjusting filters in their store, but Google Play Books has over 10 million free ebooks available for download. There's no cost or subscription fee. Users can simply browse through the listings and choose the ones they want to appear in their Google Library.

Many of the titles for free are public domain works that are free from copyright laws. This category includes timeless classics and favorites such as the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. However, the free offerings don't stop at the classics. Google Play Books also showcases an extensive list of contemporary works that have been submitted by authors or requested to be made publicly available.

From acclaimed New York Times best-selling authors to budding literary talents, Google Play Books has something for everyone. You can also take advantage of their occasional promotions, where you can snag modern titles at a steal or even for free.

BookBub isn't a library or an ebook repository, but signing up for an account will definitely help you find ebooks for cheap — and occasionally even for free. When major platforms like Google Play host flash sales or offer ebooks at reduced prices, BookBub monitors the retailers and sends out alerts to subscribers.

Upon registering with BookBub, users can specify their literary preferences by genre or book type. That way, whenever a deal aligns with your reading tastes, BookBub promptly notifies you about the discounted price and the corresponding retailer. This makes BookBub an easy way to fill up your hard drive with free and legally downloaded ebooks.

Beyond mere alerts, BookBub fosters a vibrant community of avid readers. The platform encourages user-generated content, including book recommendations tailored to your favorites. For instance, if you're a fan of "The Lord of the Rings," fellow users might suggest diving into "The Wheel of Time" series. It's a friendly community of book lovers, and most are more than happy to chat about their favorites.

Drawing from its Latin roots, Libri (books) and Vox (voice), LibriVox is a vast repository that offers a plethora of free audiobooks to the public.

Largely, the collection at LibriVox contains public domain works, making it less likely to offer contemporary titles. The platform's main mission is to ensure audiobooks are available to anyone with an internet connection. This is a daunting task since audiobooks typically require extensive production and drastically increase the price of a book. However, LibriVox manages to offer them at no cost, thanks to the dedication of volunteers who record the books. These volunteers range from ardent fans of the literature to professionals, ensuring a rich and immersive listening experience.

For those who prefer a synchronized reading experience, LibriVox often provides links to the exact text referenced during the audio recording, consolidating the search for both ebooks and audiobooks . The platform's admirable mission has significantly expanded public access to literary works. For those inspired by the cause, LibriVox welcomes new voices, offering an opportunity to volunteer and contribute to their ever-growing collection.

Initially established in France, Feedbooks has grown into a globally-recognized digital library and publisher. It works similarly to Google Play Books in that it offers a wide range of ebooks, both paid and free.

On Feedbooks, users can easily access thousands of free ebooks, either through their user-friendly app or their online platform. Once a book is downloaded, it remains in the user's account, available for direct reading via the app. Additionally, like other online book retailers, Feedbooks periodically offers special deals and flash sales, giving opportunities to get books at substantial discounts or entirely for free.

What sets Feedbooks apart is that they don't specifically cater to English text. While many platforms provide ebooks in various languages, Feedbooks prioritizes offering a wide linguistic range. This includes, but isn't limited to, French, Ukrainian, and Spanish. Furthermore, to cater to diverse reading preferences, their ebooks are available in formats compatible with Android, Kindle , and Apple devices.

Manybooks began as a platform to help fledgling authors publish their works and gain a following. It has since evolved into a comprehensive repository for ebooks. All of the books on the site are completely free and legal to download.

While Manybooks collection includes a wide range of public domain works, the best part is how the site helps to promote new authors. It is used as a starting point for authors to publicize their books, get feedback from readers, and start to build an audience. Many authors will post the first book in a series for free as a strategy to engage readers and solicit feedback. This approach paves the way for readers to discover lesser-known yet talented writers.

Using Manybooks is very easy, thanks to its intuitive interface. Users can easily filter their searches by genre or explore unique combinations. It's a great way to explore works that you may not otherwise find. Beyond its free library, Manybooks also curates newsletters and author spotlights to aid subscribers in finding interesting reads.

Project Gutenberg

Established in 1971, Project Gutenberg has been a pioneering force in the free distribution of ebooks to the public. Its enduring mission is "To encourage the creation and distribution of eBooks."

Named after the Gutenberg press, its founder, Michael Hart, envisioned the computer's important role in storing and spreading information, particularly books and literature. He recognized that once digitized, information could be endlessly replicated and shared, enriching society through free access.

Today, Project Gutenberg offers thousands of public domain works and legally submitted content for download within the United States. For those outside the US, it's crucial to check your nation's copyright laws before downloading.

Beyond ebooks in various formats, Project Gutenberg also provides a diverse range of audiobooks. This collection includes both human-narrated audiobooks by volunteers and voice actors, as well as AI-generated readings, offering users a broad spectrum of listening experiences that might otherwise not be available.

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The 9 Best Book Reading Apps of 2024

E-readers are great, but don't count your phone out. These apps make reading on your phone a breeze

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Book lovers no longer lack choices regarding quality ebook and audiobook apps. Here are some of the best book reader apps for Android, iOS , and Windows devices.

Best Free Book Reading App: Media365 Book Reader

Massive library of popular and niche ebooks that can be read for free.

Ability to import your own ebook files for reading in the app.

Offline reading requires a $1.99 upgrade.

Only for Android.

Media365 is a free reading app for Android that lets you read any of the books in its library in exchange for the occasional fullscreen advertisement. Authors can self-publish on the Media 365 platform, which is why so many niche and indie titles are available. Many mainstream books are also available, like the entire Harry Potter book series.

The Media 365 library stores eBooks in 15 languages, while font size can be adjusted simply by doing a two-finger pinch on the screen. There’s also a text-to-speech function, which lets the app read books to you. You can also upload your ebooks with supported EPUB, PDF, AZW3, CBC, CBR, CBZ, CHM, FB2, LIT, MOBI, TCR, AI, and PUB formats.

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Best eBook Reader App for Amazon Prime Members: Kindle

Massive library of ebooks to choose from.

Apps are updated on a very regular basis.

The Kindle app for Windows is more for traditional computers than touchscreens.

Can’t buy ebooks within the iOS or Android Kindle app.

The official Kindle apps on iOS, Android, Mac, and Windows are Amazon’s way of letting their customers consume their Kindle ebooks without having to buy a Kindle.

Any Kindle-branded ebook on the Amazon website can be read within the Kindle app. A variety of features set this app experience apart from its rivals, including the built-in dictionary, the ability to skip ahead without losing your place, and Amazon’s X-Ray tech, which reveals extra information on a book’s characters and world while you’re reading.

The Amazon Kindle apps aren’t perfect, though. The Windows Kindle app is designed more for traditional desktop computers than modern devices with touchscreens, and the iOS and Android versions don’t support ebook purchases. However, Kindle eBooks can still be purchased on the Amazon website and will sync to the Kindle app almost immediately.

Most-Available Reading App: Rakuten Kobo

Loads of options to customize the reading experience.

There’s an official Kobo app for most phones in existence.

The Windows app is incredibly outdated, and the Facebook login doesn’t work.

Audiobooks are only available on the iOS and Android apps.

Rakuten’s Kobo is a major competitor to Amazon, with millions of ebooks and a growing number of audiobooks on its platform. The iOS and Android Kobo apps are clearly where the company puts most of its attention, with each app offering an impressive variety of font sizes, styles, and color options to make the reading experience more personal and comfortable for individual users.

The Kobo app is also available for Windows 10 in the Microsoft Store app store. Windows users will want to download the separate desktop version of the app, though, which is updated regularly and offers more features. The desktop app also works on Macs.

Best Reading App for Kids: Epic!

Lots of in-app gamification that encourages kids to read more.

Great selection of classic and modern children’s books.

App requires a monthly subscription to use, though a 30-day free trial is available.

Changing settings is a bit of a convoluted process.

Epic! is like a Netflix for kids, but instead of TV shows and movies, it supplies the user with a massive library of ebooks and audiobooks . Parents can make unique profiles for each of their children, who can customize their profiles based on their tastes.

While many classic children’s books are available to download, there are also many modern releases, such as one series of books covering famous pop culture icons. Children can also choose from family-friendly comic books like Snoopy and The Smurfs and numerous short video clips created by DreamWorksTV.

Best iPhone eBook Reader App: Yomu EBook Reader

Supports EPUB, MOBI, PRC, AZW, AZW3, KF8, CBZ, CBR, and PDF files.

eBooks can be saved to the Yomu app from any iOS web browser.

Settings menu is very hard to find after adding books.

Download links should be in the main menu, not in the tutorial.

The Yomu EBook Reader is a fantastic app for iPhone and iPad users who download their ebooks in various file formats and want to bring them all together for a cohesive reading experience.

Yomu, Japanese for “to read,” supports all of the popular ebook file formats and those supported by Amazon Kindle. Files can be imported to the app via a cloud service like iCloud , Dropbox, Google Drive , or OneDrive , and once the app is installed, Yomu will appear as a source when saving ebook files from any iOS web browser app.

PDF eBook Reading App: Foxit PDF Reader

PDF files can be shared directly to the app on iOS.

Reflow options makes all files readable on small screens.

Ability to create a new PDF file requires a $14.99 monthly subscription on iOS and Android.

Lack of a back button on app screens makes navigation very confusing.

Foxit PDF Reader Mobile is one of the better PDF apps and is an ideal solution for those who prefer to consume ebooks in the PDF file format . Unlike many similar apps that display a PDF as is and require you to pinch and zoom to read its content, Foxit features a reflow setting that resizes and reorganizes the text on a page to fit perfectly on a mobile phone’s screen.

PDF files can be transferred to the Foxit app via Wi-Fi , iCloud, or Foxit’s own Foxit Drive service. Those using an iOS device can import downloaded files directly from the share feature while using other apps. A monthly subscription is needed to take advantage of many advanced settings, but those looking for an app to simply read their PDF ebooks will be fine with the free functionality.

Best eBook Reader For Android Phones And Tablets: AIReader

Supports a lot of Android devices with the minimum OS requirement being Android 2.3.

Multiple profiles can be used for different app settings. 

No support for PDF files.

Scrolling can be very jittery on lower-end Android tablets.

AIReader is a popular reading app on Android due to its support for older Android smartphones and tablets running operating systems as out-of-date as Android 2.3. It should be mentioned that many of the scrolling and related animations aren’t as smooth as they should be on older devices, but the ebook reading experience is still solid. Most major file types will work no matter which Android device you’re on.

Best Reading App on Nintendo Switch: Inky Pen

Large selection of free comics from lots of popular franchises.

Comics look great on the Nintendo Switch.

$7.99 a month will be a bit expensive for some people.

No Marvel or DC Comics series.

Most would think the Nintendo Switch is just for playing games, but its library of non-game apps has been slowly growing since its launch. One of these apps, Inky Pen, is a full-fledged comic book reading app that lets anyone read full digital issues from popular comic book series on their Switch.

Inky Pen does charge a monthly fee of $7.99 for unlimited access to its entire library, but there are an impressive amount of free issues available that will keep most comic fans entertained during long car trips or lazy weekends. What’s cool is the app works when the Nintendo Switch is docked so that a group can read comics on a TV.

Best Reading App for Google Addicts: Google Play Books

Very smooth reading experience with a page turn animation looks fantastic.

Runs really well on cheap, low-end Android tablets.

App needs to switch to the Google Play app every time you want to read more about a book.

Has a much smaller selection than Amazon.

Google Play Books, as its title suggests, is Google’s first-party app for reading ebooks and listening to audiobooks bought within the Google Play Store . The book selection isn’t as extensive as Amazon’s, but it’s still large enough to please the casual reader. Those who enjoy reading at least one book a day may want more.

The good thing is that Google Play Books doesn’t need a subscription service. It can be used to enjoy a purchased ebook or audiobook one weekend, then ignored for a week without feeling financial guilt for not taking advantage of some monthly fee.

It’s a very solid reading experience for when you want to use it, is incredibly stable and easy to use, and has some of the best page-turn animations out of all the book-reading apps.

Google Play Books is an excellent reading app, especially for those immersed in the Google ecosystem.

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The best websites for finding, downloading, borrowing, renting, and purchasing ebooks.

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What i'm hoping to see in the ipad mini 7, how to use rainmeter to make a stunning windows desktop, quick links, free ebooks, non-free ebooks, ebook lending, borrowing, and renting, ebook search engines, rss/twitter feeds for free ebooks.

So, you've got yourself an eBook reader, smartphone, tablet, or other portable device and you want to put some eBooks on it to take with you. There are many options for obtaining free eBooks as well as purchasing, borrowing, or even renting eBooks.

We've listed some sites that allow you to download free eBooks directly or be notified when eBooks are available for free or for a discounted price on popular eBook sites. If you can't find the eBooks you want on the free sites, there are several sites that allow you to purchase current, best-selling  eBooks singly or through a monthly service. There are even special sites for lending and borrowing Kindle and Nook books with other readers across the U.S. We've also listed a couple of sites dedicated to searching for PDF eBooks, documents, etc.

We've previously shown you how to find thousands of free eBooks online using sites such as Project Gutenberg, ManyBooks.net, DailyLit, and FeedBooks. You can even find free eBooks on Amazon. We've listed additional sources for free eBooks here.

Internet eBook and Texts Archive

The Internet Archive Text Archive contains a wide range of free fiction, popular books, children's books, historical texts and academic books.

Free-eBooks.net

Free-eBooks.net  offers unlimited free access to eBooks in HTML format and access to five eBooks each month in PDF and/or TXT format. Download books from all-new, rising authors and independent writers. Many categories of fiction and non-fiction books are available. If you're a writer, you can also submit an eBook.

VIP memberships are available that provide unlimited access to PDF and TXT formats, as well as the HTML format. As a VIP member, you can also download unlimited books in the MobiPocket and ePub formats, get first access to new books, priority customer service, and storage space for your favorite books. You can pay $7.95 monthly (renews automatically), pay $39.97 for a year, or currently (as of the writing of this article) buy three years for the price of 40% off two years, $49.97.

eReaderIQ.com

eReaderIQ is a free service that provides price drop alerts for Amazon Kindle books and watches your favorite titles to let you know when they are available for Kindle. You can also view a regularly updated list of all non-public domain freebies on Amazon.com and sign up to be notified by email when a new free book is released.

eReaderIQ also offers a superior search engine that allows you to search the Kindle Store by genre and keyword, and define the price range, reader age, language, and more.

Hundred Zeros

Hundred Zeros  is a collection of best-selling eBooks that are currently free on Amazon. You can download and read any of these books on your computer, mobile phone, tablet, Kindle or inside your favorite web browser. The list is updated every hour.

BookBub  is a service that keeps you updated on great book deals. They notify you about free or deeply discounted books, sometimes discounted as much as 90% off the original price. Only high-quality content is listed, books that are best-sellers, from a top-tier publisher, or have received top reviews and ratings from critics and readers. You can specify which categories you want to get notified about so you won't get emails about deals you don't want.

NOTE: The deals you receive from BookBub are only available for a limited time, so be sure to act quickly.

Free Par-TAY

Free Par-TAY offers links to free, quality eBooks from many different genres. The free eBooks on their site can be downloaded on specific dates posted on the site. You can also sign up for their newsletter to be notified of which eBooks are going to be available for free. Signing up for the newsletter automatically enters you in a drawing to win $100 in Amazon Gift Cards and in a drawing for a new Kindle.

Freebooksy posts a free eBook at least once a day. The eBooks cover multiple genres, so everyone can download something they like. The eBooks are free for at least the day they are posted, and sometimes for a few days beyond that. The dates the eBooks are available for free are posted.

Getting free eBooks is great, but sometimes you can't find the book you really want for free. There are many ways to purchase, or even rent, current, best-selling eBooks. We list some of the more popular sites for buying and renting eBooks here, some of which also offer monthly subscription services.

Amazon Kindle Store

The Amazon Kindle Store offers over one million eBooks, including new releases and New York Times bestsellers. You can read the first chapter of most books so you can decide if you want to buy the book. As mentioned earlier in this article, there are also many free eBooks available on Amazon, including popular classics.

Of course, you can buy the Kindle devices on Amazon, but you don't need a special Kindle device to read Kindle books. Free Kindle apps are available for every major smartphone, tablet, and computer. Once you buy a Kindle book, you can read it on any device that has the Kindle app installed. Using Amazon's Whispersync technology, you can automatically save and synchronize your furthest page read, bookmarks, notes, and highlights in your Kindle books across all your devices. That means you can start reading a book on one device, and pick up where you left off on another device.

Some libraries offer a service that allows you to check out eBooks, and you can have them delivered wirelessly to your Kindle app .

Barnes & Noble - The Nook Book Store

The Nook Book Store  by Barnes & Noble offers something very similar to the Amazon Kindle Store. You can purchase eBooks for Nook devices and free Nook software for mobile systems and computers such as Android, iPhone, iPad, PC, and Mac. You can also sync books you are currently reading across devices, just like Kindle books.

Fictionwise

Fictionwise.com is committed to providing the Internet's most comprehensive collection of fiction and nonfiction in many popular eBook formats . They offer award-winning and high quality eBooks by top authors in all the major genres and are working towards making Fictionwise the most technically advanced eBook website, including providing a sophisticated search and sorting options.

EBooks.com offers a large range of eBooks in every subject category in multiple formats for your Apple or Android device, Nook, Kobo, PC, Mac, etc., so there's something available for everyone. The software required to read books from eBooks.com is free. You can search for eBooks by subject, title, or author, or use the full-text search to search by keyword.

If you want to find out when new eBooks become available in your areas of interest, you can sign up to receive free email alerts .

eReader.com

EReader.com offers eBooks that are carefully prepared to maximize the reading experience. They focus on delivering quality eBooks for a wide range of mobile devices. Their eReader software is free for all of their supported platforms and devices.

Google Play Book Store

The Google Play Book Store offers millions of books to choose from in every imaginable category for reading on Android smartphones or tablets, iPhones, and iPads. You can also choose to download your purchased books as ePub or PDF files for use on other eReaders or for reading on your computer.

Books purchased from Google Play are stored in the digital cloud, which means you can access them from any compatible device, whenever and wherever you want. You can start reading a book on one device, continue reading it on a different device, and maybe even finish it on a third device, as long as each device has an internet connection.

Powell's Books

Powell's Books offers competitively priced Google eBooks, Adobe Digital Editions, and DRM-Free PDFs for reading on your iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android phones and tablets, your computer, and a variety of other eReader devices.

There are online services available that make it easy to lend and borrow Kindle and Nook books. You can loan any Kindle book that has lending enabled (not all books are lendable) to one other user for 14 days. At the end of the loan period, the title is automatically transferred back to your Kindle. While the book is out on loan, you are not able to read the book. For more information on lending and borrowing Kindle books, see the Amazon page about lending Kindle books . You can also lend out your Nook books and borrow other users' Nook books. For both services, any book you own can only be loaned once.

You may not find every book you want to read, but you can borrow a wide selection of books from these websites.

Kindle Owners' Lending Library

The Kindle Owners' Lending Library allows you to choose from over 145,000 titles to borrow for free as frequently as a book a month, if you own a Kindle device and you have an Amazon Prime membership. There are no due dates on borrowed books. Available titles include all seven Harry Potter books and over 100 current and former New York Times bestsellers.

NOTE: This only works with the Kindle devices, not with the free Kindle apps on other devices.

Kindle Textbook Rental

Amazon also offers a Kindle Textbook Rental service that allows you to save up to 80% off the list price of the print textbook. You can choose any length of time to rent the book from 30 days up to 360 days. You only pay for the exact time you need the book. Extend your rental time or decide to convert the rental to a purchase. You don't need a Kindle device to rent textbooks. You can rent and read the textbooks on a PC, Mac, Kindle, or a mobile device, such as a smartphone or tablet. If you make notes or add highlights in the textbook, they are accessible to you at anytime, even after the rental expires, at kindle.amazon.com.

Library To Go (and other libraries lending eBooks)

Now you can check out library books as eBooks without ever setting foot in a library. The Library To Go website mentioned here is for libraries in the Northern California area. Go to the website for a library near you to find out if they offer eBook lending and how to borrow eBooks from them.

Library To Go uses the Adobe Digital Editions software for eBooks and OverDrive Media Console for audiobooks. You can borrow eBooks in Kindle format (for U.S. libraries), EPUB, and PDF. Kindle books can be delivered to both Kindle devices and Kindle reading apps on other devices. EPUB eBooks have "reflowable" text that fits any screen, so they are good on most mobile devices. PDF eBooks have fixed text, but you can zoom in on the text to create a large-print eBook.

Library To Go allows you to check out up to three titles and your cart will hold up to 15 titles. This differs, depending on the library. For example, the Ventura County Library in California (powered by OverDrive Media Console) allows you to check out up to five titles and your cart will hold up to seven titles. The lending period can vary from title to title. Titles are generally removed from your cart after 30 minutes so that other users can have the chance to check them out.

On the Library To Go site, you can place up to four titles on hold at one time. They send you an email when a title becomes available. You have five days to check out your hold after we email you notification that it is available. On the Ventura County Library site, you can place up to five titles on hold at one time and you have four days to check out the books on hold once they become available.

NOTE: Use the OverDrive service to find a public library in your area that allows you to check out books on your eReader. This is a relatively new service, so not all libraries are connected, yet. Check both the OverDrive site and your local library's website to see if eBook rentals are available at your library. Also, be sure to check out the eBook lending policies for your local library.

Open Library

Open Library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published. Once registered on the Open Library site, you can borrow up to five eBooks for two weeks each from the growing collection of mainly 20th century titles available now. Each title in the library can be borrowed by one user at one time and can be read in a web browser, or in Adobe Digital Editions , as a PDF or ePub.

eBookFling makes it easy for readers across the U.S. to borrow and share their Kindle and Nook eBooks. Earn credits by lending your eBooks, and use those credits to borrow eBooks from other users. The eBooks are automatically returned in 14 days. If you don't want to lend an eBook, you can pay to borrow one.

Lendle allows you to lend and borrow Kindle books easily for free. You can lend Kindle books to people you know through Amazon, but Lendle also allows you to lend and borrow Kindle books with any U.S. Amazon Kindle users. Earn Amazon gift cards when you lend your Kindle books. A Kindle device is not required; Lendle works with the free Kindle apps for the PC and Mac computers, as well as mobile devices such iPad, iPhone, Android, and other popular devices.

Lendle pays all users a small credit for every book they loan through Lendle. The price we pay for each book varies based on the price, demand, and supply of that book. Once you've loaned out a book, Lendle waits the full 21 day loan period (seven days for the borrower to accept, and then 14 days for the loan) before crediting the lend. Once you reach $10 in credits, Lendle pays out a $10 Amazon gift card. The gift cards are paid in bulk, twice a month.

BookLending.com

BookLending.com is a website that matches lenders and borrowers of Kindle eBooks.  To participate in lending and borrowing Kindle books, you must first register as a user on the site or connect using Facebook Connect. Registering on BookLending.com creates a profile, which you can access from the top, right corner of the screen. Your profile page allows you to review the status of your loan offers and requests, initiate loans, and delete loan offers and borrow requests.

The following web pages contain search engines specifically used to find free PDF eBooks, articles, documents, and almost any kind information stored in PDF format.

PDFGeni is a dedicated search engine for finding PDF eBooks, manuals, catalogs, data sheets, forms, and documents you can download and save. You can also preview the PDF files you find. Either search from the website directly or install the provided plugin (see the link in the upper, right corner of the search page) to add PDFGeni to the Firefox search bar.

You do not need to sign up to use the PDFGeni search engine.

PDF Search Engine

PDF Search Engine is another easy-to-use search tool for finding PDF eBooks and other PDF files. Sometimes the results give a direct PDF link. But, in other cases, you might need to download a torrent using a torrent client.

If you use an RSS reader to stay up-to-date on your favorite websites, you can also keep current on the availability of free eBooks with the following RSS and Twitter feeds.

NOTE: If you find other Twitter feeds about free eBooks that you want to view in your RSS reader, see our article about viewing Twitter feeds in your RSS reader .

• Amazon.com: Top Free in Kindle Store
• eReaderIQ -- Build Your Own RSS Feed
• Hundred Zeros -- RSS feed
• Hundred Zeros -- Twitter feed
• Project Gutenberg Recently Posted or Updated EBooks

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Read with Libby

Borrow ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, and more from your local library for free! Libby is the newer library reading app by OverDrive, loved by millions of readers worldwide!

Download Libby today!

or read & listen online at Libbyapp.com

All over the world, millions of people read their library books with Libby.

Your guide to reading happiness..

Brought to you by your local library, and built with 💕 by OverDrive.

Warm, personal, and easy to use, Libby is great for users of all ages.

Read across devices

All your loans, notes, bookmarks, and reading progress sync across your devices.

Offline access

Download ebooks and audiobooks for offline reading, or stream them to save space.

Listen in your car

Enjoy audiobooks in your car through Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, or a Bluetooth connection.

Send to Kindle

If you prefer reading on your Kindle, Libby can send your library books to it. (U.S. libraries only)

Browse, search, and discover.

There are thousands of ebooks and audiobooks, hand-selected by your library, available for reading. Explore the collection through catalog guides, subjects, featured titles, and curated lists. It's a delight to discover new books through Libby.

"Libby has raised the bar for library apps."

A state-of-the-art reading experience.

Libby’s ebook reader makes it easy to customize how you read. You can adjust an ebook's font size, book layout, and lighting. As you read, you can also add bookmarks, create notes and highlights, and define words.

"Libby is one of the best resources out there in the e-reader world."

An intuitive and beautiful audiobook player.

Libby makes it simple to listen when, where, and how you want. Swipe on the book cover to skip backward or forward. Increase playback speed up to 3x. Set a sleep timer until the end of the chapter or for 5, 10, 30 minutes, or more.

"I’m a big Libby fan because my drive to work is a heckin’ pain and I like to listen to books while I’m behind the wheel."

How does Libby work?

Apple iphones & ipads.

Phones & Tablets with Google Play

Amazon Fire Tablets

Laptops & Desktop Computers

Download and open Libby on your device.

Find your library and sign in with your library card.

Browse or search to discover your next favorite book or audiobook.

Start reading & listening!

Visit Libby Help to watch a getting started video and get step by step instructions.

What people are saying.

We think Libby is the simplest way to start reading ebooks and audiobooks from your library. Don't just take our word for it though, see what everyone else is saying!

I LOVE reading and anywhere!

“I love being able to read or listen to books from my local library but it also allows for books too expensive through Amazon, that I can read through this ereader. Well done. I LOVE reading and anywhere I can read as freely as I enjoy it; whether that’s 5 books a day or 150 a month… An e-reader be it Libby or my Kindle or both… they allow me to read my fill regardless of my inability to always get to the library or to search stacks at bookstores. I can be comfortable in my own place.”

- Margaret M., Google Play ™  Store review

Re-connecting back to the Library

"I feel like I just re-found my love for the library again. This app helps re-connect with these amazing and free resources back inot reading books but also magazines. I know the library is free but I didn't know what an array they have for electronic resources. It is great and helpful."

- J-Phx, Apple App Store review

Free Audiobooks Rock!

"I am dyslexic and old enough that is was never diagnosed in school. This is such a simple way for me to enjoy books I would never be able to read.I have been listening to the CDs for a long time. But having it on my phone allows me to listen whenever and wherever. Also this is one of the more efficient apps I have come across. Thank you Libby."

- Brezzy307, Apple App Store review

OverDrive has hit it out the park

"This app is intuitive, helpful, and like having a librarian in my pocket. While I will take any opportunity to visit a brick and mortar library, it isn't always possible. This app gives me all the bok love I need when I am away from a real library. Keep up the great work."

- Shira M, Google Play ™  Store review

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The library is often-overlooked public resource (and some are modernizing quickly), but OverDrive brings it back into the fold with the newly redesgined, Libby.

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Listen up, the library is cool and we all secretly know it. But what's even cooler is that the OverDrive-created and owned Libby app lets you borrow e-books, audiobooks, music, and more for free.

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Put your local library in your pocket with Libby, an ebook- and audiobook-borrowing app with a wealth of literary offerings available on demand.

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How do I get a library card?

Does libby work with my library, what books can i find in libby.

From the classics to The New York Times bestsellers, your library chooses which ebooks and audiobooks they’d like to provide in Libby. They select titles based on your community’s interests. Libby is only for digital content. It doesn’t include any physical materials from your library.

How do I switch from the OverDrive app to Libby?

If you previously used the OverDrive app, it's time to switch to Libby! To get started, simply download the Libby app, find your library, and sign in. Your loans, holds and wish list items will be waiting for you when you get there. Access a how-to video, FAQs and more at overdrive.com/switchtolibby .

What devices does Libby work on?

Enjoy Libby on almost any device! Download the Libby app on a phone or tablet, access in a web browser (libbyapp.com), listen with Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, transfer to an ereader, and more. Learn how to get started.

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The eBook Reader

Welcome to the future of reading! The eBook Reader.com is an organized, informative resource for everything about the world of electronic book readers, from dedicated ereaders like Kindles and Kobos, to tablets like Samsung Galaxy Tabs and Kindle Fires.

As the popularity of ebooks and digital media continues to grow, so does the number of new ebook readers and tablets coming onto the market. Each device offers different features for displaying ebooks and other digital content, all of which you can learn about here on this website with hands-on reviews, video walkthroughs, how to tutorials, and honest opinions.

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This website contains thousands of pages of information about ebook readers, ebooks, tablets, and related subjects. The best and fastest way to find what you are looking for is to use the search box below or the one located in the upper right corner on every page.

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Make sure to visit to The eBook Reader Blog for updates on the latest reviews , new releases, ebook reader and tablet news, as well as sales and deals for ebooks and ereaders from around the web.

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Electronic Paper eBook Readers

Portable reading devices like the Amazon Kindle , Onyx Boox , PocketBook , and Kobo eReaders all use a unique technology called epaper, which aims to mimic the look of ink on printed paper.

Epaper is very energy efficient—a battery charge can last up to 2 months—and it is easily readable in bright light, unlike LCD tablets, computers, and phones.

And since it isn't backlit, electronic paper is known to minimize eye strain, especially when reading for extended periods.

Color eReaders and Tablets

Ever since the iPad made reading on LCD screens popular, an explosion of Android tablets marketed as ereaders have hit the market.

Color ereaders and tablets are more suited for reading magazines, newspapers, children's books, comics, and web content than dedicated ebook readers with monochrome screens.

As technology continues to evolve, tablets and ebook readers may soon merge into one with color display technologies like Mirasol , Pixel Qi, and color E Ink .

List of eBook Readers

Below is a list of ebook readers as well as a few tablets marketed as ereaders. Make sure to check the Tablet section of this site to find more information regarding tablets.

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Z-Library Project - Search & Download Free Books | ZLibrary

Z-library is a free online library containing over 100 million books. Anyone can download e-books from our website without registration and in many formats.

Welcome to ZLibrary, a comprehensive digital library platform designed to provide free access to a vast collection of e-books and articles spanning various genres and topics. In this ultimate guide, we'll explore the benefits of using ZLibrary over traditional libraries and other online sources, helping you discover, download, and maximize your digital reading experience.

What is Z Library?

Z Library is a digital library that allows users to download books for free. The website has many books covering various genres, including fiction, non-fiction, textbooks, and research papers. Users can search for books by author, title, or ISBN, and the website also provides recommendations based on the user's search history.

Exploring ZLibrary's Collection

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No registration or fees are required, and the books are available in ePub, Kindle, HTML, and plain text formats. Browse our 10 million+ titles or use a powerful search to find exactly what you're looking for.

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Navigating ZLibrary's vast collection is a breeze, thanks to its user-friendly search options. You can conduct a simple keyword search or use advanced search filters to refine your query by language, publication year, or file format.

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ZLibrary's impressive selection comes from collaborations with libraries and publishers, and user uploads, ensuring a continually growing and diverse collection of materials for you to explore.

Benefits of Using Z-Library

One of the significant advantages of using Z-Library is the cost-saving aspect. Books can be expensive, and even borrowing from the library can incur fees. With Z-Library, users can access a vast selection of books for free. The website also provides the convenience of accessing books online, making it easy to read on the go or from the comfort of your home.

In addition to cost-saving and convenience, Z-Library also provides a vast selection of books. With over 6 million books available, there is something for everyone. Whether you're looking for a classic novel, a textbook for school, or a research paper for work, Z-Library has you covered.

How to Use ZLibrary.to?

To use ZLibrary, users need to create an account. Creating an account is easy and free, allowing users to save their search history and bookmark books for future reference. Once users have created an account, they can search for books by author, title, or ISBN. The website will then provide a list of books that match the search criteria. Users can then download the book in the format of their choice, including PDF, EPUB, and MOBI.

ZLibrary also provides some helpful tools and features for users. For example, users can filter their search results by language, year of publication, and category. The website also has a rating system, allowing users to see the top-rated books in each category.

Frequently Asked Questions

1 . Is it legal to download books from Z Library?

ZLibrary operates under the concept of fair use, which allows users to access copyrighted material for educational purposes. However, we recommend checking your local laws before downloading any material.

2 . What formats are available for book downloads?

Z-Library offers books in various formats, including PDF, EPUB, and MOBI.

3 . Is it safe to download books from Z-Library?

ZLibrary takes user safety seriously and ensures that all books are virus-free.

4 . Can I upload content to ZLibrary?

Yes, users can contribute to ZLibrary's collection by uploading content. However, it's crucial to respect copyright and intellectual property rights.

5 . How can I support ZLibrary?

You can support ZLibrary through donations, sharing the platform with others, or providing feedback to help improve the user experience. You should place the backlink to our website when sharing the content from Zlibrary.to.

6 . What are the download limits, and can they be increased?

ZLibrary imposes download limits to maintain resources for all users. Creating an account and logging in can grant you access to

7 . How often is Z Library updated with new books?

Z-Library is updated regularly with new books. However, the frequency of updates may vary depending on various factors, such as the availability of new books and the website's policies.

8 . Can I access Z Library from my mobile device?

Yes, ZLib is mobile-friendly and can be accessed from any device with an internet connection.

9 . What if I can't find the book I'm looking for on ZLibrary?

If you can't find the book you're looking for on ZLibrary, you can request the book from ZLibrary:hope , and the contributors may add it to their collection if it's available.

Z Library is a fantastic resource for book lovers looking to expand their reading collection without breaking the bank. With a vast selection of books, cost-saving benefits, and convenient online access, it's no wonder why ZLibrary.to is so popular. So what are you waiting for? Sign up for a free account and start downloading books today!

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Best Overall Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2021, 11th Generation) Read more

A Color Kindle Alternative Kobo Libra Colour Read more

A Cheaper Color Screen Without Notes Kobo Clara Colour Read more

The Most Affordable Amazon Kindle (2022, 11th Generation) Read more

I dearly love a paperback book that I can bend, touch, smell, and display on my bookshelf when I’m done. But there’s no doubt that ebook readers (also called e-readers) make life easier—they might just make you read more too . E-readers let you carry thousands of books or dozens of audiobooks in a single, slim, rectangular tablet; they have paperlike screens that are easy on the eyes; and they won’t inundate you with distracting notifications. Books can also be expensive and take up a lot of physical space, but that’s not a problem with ebooks. Even better, you can check out digital books from a library without leaving your house.

Naturally, when you hear “e-reader,” you might think Kindle. Amazon makes the best ebook reader, which is why we have a separate Best Kindles guide that breaks down the entire lineup. But there are a few Kindle alternatives out there in case you don’t want to support Amazon or you just want a different set of features. WIRED’s Gear team has spent months, if not years, reading on these tablets—these are our favorites.

Updated June 2024: We've added Nook's newest Lenovo reading tablet.

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How We Test E-Readers

The most important thing we do when testing e-readers is read on them! We spend hours reading a mix of books downloaded directly from the brand's store and from our local libraries via OverDrive/Libby. If there are extra features, like annotating books or separate notebook sections for writing and drawing, we spend a few more hours utilizing those tools too, all while keeping an eye on just how long the battery life lasts.

Best Overall

Amazon's Kindles are the best e-readers around. It's dead simple to get new ebooks from Amazon directly, and the Overdrive integration makes it easy to check out books from a local library instantly. E Ink screens in most ebook readers are a little slow when you interact with them, but Kindles are some of the most responsive devices on the market. It's worth noting that Kindles almost always see steep discounts a few times a year, particularly on Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday, so try to wait for a sale.

The Kindle Paperwhite is my favorite and I reach for it whether I want to read while in the waiting room at the doctor or I'm in hour six of a #booktok binge. I reviewed the Signature Edition ( 8/10, WIRED Recommends ), but the standard $150 model is quite capable too. I recommend paying a little extra for no ads. Both are waterproof, so you can read in the pool or tub without worry, and the 6.8-inch screens also have adjustable warm lighting so you can read in bed. The Signature supports wireless charging, has a front light that can adjust automatically, and has more storage at 32 gigabytes. But the 16 GB on the standard Paperwhite is plenty—it can hold thousands of books. There's a Paperwhite Kids Edition too, which we recommend below.

Check out our Best Kindles guide for more advice and recommendations.

A Color Kindle Alternative

Kobos have always been a close second to Kindle. The newest Libra Colour ( 8/10, WIRED Recommends ) brings it even closer, thanks to a fun color E Ink screen. You can highlight and mark up book pages, and also utilize the notebook section for notes, to-do lists, or doodles. It's pricey, and you'll need the $70 Stylus 2 for writing. It's still cheaper than the brand's Elipsa 2E and the Kindle Scribe, which are both meant for note-taking.

The Libra Colour is waterproof, has physical page-turn buttons (a feature I really like), and is made from recycled materials. There's Bluetooth support so you can connect headphones and listen to audiobooks, and Kobo slates have Overdrive integration, which makes reading library books simple. You get 32 gigabytes of storage and a speedy 7-inch screen, which has an adjustable front light and even a dark mode that offers up white text on a black background to make reading in the dark easier on the eyes. If you prefer, you can even read it in landscape mode. It's also repairable , though in testing, nothing needed fixing just yet.

A Cheaper Color Screen Without Notes

If you like the idea of a color screen but aren't going to write or doodle on an e-reader, consider Kobo's Clara Colour. It's more affordable, but you still get to see book covers or graphic novels in full color and you can highlight in color too. In testing, I found that some books weren't as easy on the eyes, like the blue and yellow color scheme of Curious George , but that was one small gripe in an otherwise seamless reading experience.

The Clara lacks page-turn buttons, but the 6-inch screen size is comfortable for one-hand use. It has 16 gigabytes of storage rather than 32, but that's still about 12,000 books. There's Overdrive integration and Bluetooth support. It's also waterproof, made from recycled materials, and is repairable . There are several other Kobo devices available too, including a new black-and-white Clara.

The Most Affordable

If you want to spend the least amount of money, you'll still get a great e-reader with the 16-gigabyte base Kindle. Its 6-inch screen is the smallest of its lineup, but that means it's easy to hold and read with one hand while sipping iced tea with the other. It's not waterproof, however, so no iced teas on a pool float. And there's no warm lighting or auto-adjusting light option here. Otherwise, you get the same ease of use as with any Kindle, and you can listen to audiobooks if you connect headphones or a speaker via Bluetooth.

Nooks Work Too

Barnes & Noble now has three Nook Glowlights available and a new Nook tablet made in collaboration with Lenovo (more on that below). The 4 Plus is the only waterproof option, and it has the biggest screen at 7.8 inches, with 32 gigs of storage. That screen size is a pleasure to read on. I love the physical page-turn buttons, and there's a headphone jack for listening to audiobooks—you can also connect a Bluetooth pair. It was often slower than my Kindle, though, and it had moments of freezing too.

Barnes & Noble has a large library with cheap and even free ebooks, but it isn't as good a selection as Kindle Unlimited—if you're following recommendations on #booktok, you might not find everything here. Also, the process of trying to get a book from the library on a Nook is beyond frustrating. Depending on what type of computer you have, you'll need to download either Adobe Digital Editions or Android File Transfer , before connecting the device to your computer physically, and then transfer the files. It feels very old-school when Kindle makes this process instantaneous.

You don't necessarily need a kid-specific e-reader, so you should go with whichever one you can afford. However, if you're like us and prefer Kindle's interface and ease of use, the brand has two specific models for tots. Both come with a free cover, a year of Amazon Kids+ , and a two-year worry-free warranty—if your kids are particularly accident-prone, you may appreciate this. A parent dashboard lets you adjust age filters and monitor reading progress too. Both come with their internet browsers restricted by default, and you can disable it if you’d like.

The Paperwhite Kids ($170) is waterproof and has the same adjustable warm light that the standard Paperwhite has—it also gets bright, with 17 LEDs. The newest base Kindle Kids ($120) is $50 less for the same 16 gigabytes of storage, but it isn't waterproof and doesn't have adjustable warm light.

For Heavy Note Taking

We’ve tried a few E Ink tablets meant for taking “handwritten” notes that can be organized and searched digitally. E-readers with that capability still prioritize reading. If the Kobo Libra Colour isn't big enough for your note-taking needs, you might prefer these two. The downside is the prices.

The $340 Kindle Scribe ( 8/10, WIRED Recommends ) and $400 Kobo Elipsa 2E ( 7/10, WIRED Review ) are just plain fun, thanks to the included styluses that allow you to mark up PDFs, create notebooks, and doodle. Both have whopping 10.3-inch screens for easy reading and writing. Kindles generally have nicer interfaces, but Kobo has one big advantage—it lets you mark up books directly, while the Scribe only allows you to make sticky notes.

You Can Use Your Phone or Tablet

You don't have to buy a separate device to read ebooks. Smartphones and tablets are perfectly viable for this purpose. You can use Amazon's Kindle app to read ebooks ( iOS , Android ), and even download OverDrive's Libby app ( iOS , Android ) for library book access anywhere as well. However, the E Ink screens found in e-readers are just plain nicer to look at—there's no getting around that fact. I also like that these devices are one-trick ponies; there are no notifications to be distracted by or social media feeds to doomscroll through .

If you'd still rather have one smart device you can read on and use for other purposes, take a look at our Best Tablets and Best iPads guides for recommendations.

A Cheaper Tablet From Nook

Nook and Lenovo have collaborated before to create affordable tablets with the Nook app built in. This is the latest model, and I enjoyed using it . As with the tablets mentioned above, you lose the E Ink screen and the distraction-free nature of an e-reader. You can at least turn off notifications while in certain apps, which I recommend doing for the Nook app.

It ships with an old version of Android, and it's not built for heavy work like video or photo editing, but if you only plan on using a tablet casually, most other options are too expensive. For reading sometimes and scrolling or playing games other times, $150 isn't a bad price.

How to Get Ebooks for Free

Ebooks can be cheap, but the cost can add up if you're rapidly flying through the digital pages. You should take advantage of your library card and check out ebooks instantly from the comfort of your home. We have a detailed guide that explains how to get free library books , but most library branches use OverDrive , often through the Libby app, making checking out library books online quite simple. These ebooks are automatically removed from your device and returned to the library when they're due.

There are a few Kindle-specific ways to get free ebooks too, if that's the device you end up with. You can subscribe to Kindle Unlimited for $12 a month , which includes millions of titles, including audiobooks and magazines. Amazon's Prime Reading also offers a handful of free books every month, which is good to know if you already have a Prime account . You can even lend books to friends and family for a short while (or have them share a book with you).

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The Download: fish-safe hydropower, and fixing space debris

Plus: Apple is planning to bring AI features to the Vision Pro

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This is today's edition of  The Download ,  our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what's going on in the world of technology.

How fish-safe hydropower technology could keep more renewables on the grid

Hydropower is the world’s leading source of renewable electricity, generating more power in 2022 than all other renewables combined. But while hydropower is helping clean up electrical grids, it’s not always great  for fish . Dams can change their habitats. And for migratory species, hydropower facilities can create dangerous or insurmountable barriers. 

That’s why, in some parts of the world, governments have put protections in place to protect ecosystems from hydropower’s potential harms. These can sometimes force older facilities to close, and that’s a big problem: pulling hydropower plants off the grid eliminates a flexible, low-emissions power source that can contribute to progress in fighting climate change.

But there’s some good news: new technologies, including fish-safe turbines, could help utilities and regulators come closer to striking a balance between the health of river ecosystems and global climate goals.  Read the full story . 

—Casey Crownhart

What it’s like to be a space debris engineer 

Although significant attention has been devoted to launching spacecraft into space, the idea of what to do with their remains has been largely ignored until recently. Satellites have simply been left in orbit at the ends of their lives, creating debris that must be monitored and, if possible, maneuvered around to avoid a collision.

But there are people working on cleaning Earth’s orbit up. Meet Stijn Lemmens. He’s a senior space debris mitigation analyst at the European Space Agency. Lemmens works on counteracting space pollution by collaborating with spacecraft designers and the wider industry to create missions less likely to clutter the orbital environment.  Read all about him and his work . 

—Elna Schütz

This story is from the  latest issue  of MIT Technology Review.  Subscribe  to read the whole thing, if you don’t already!

The must-reads

I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.

1 Apple is planning to bring AI features to the Vision Pro It must be hoping that this could boost sales of the device, which have been disappointing so far. ( Bloomberg  $) +  The Vision Pro is now on sale outside the US . ( Ars Technica ) 2 Detroit is changing how its police use facial recognition It’s making the rules much stricter, after bad matches led to three wrongful arrests. ( NYT  $) +  The movement to limit face recognition tech might finally get a win.  ( MIT Technology Review ) 3 What is AI search good for? Given the errors, it’s best to think of its answers as a starting point rather than the final word. ( Vox ) +  Here’s why chatbots make things up—and why it’s such a deep-rooted problem . ( MIT Technology Review ) +  OpenAI has built an AI tool that it says can spot hallucinations.  ( IEEE Spectrum )

4 Amazon plans to spend over $100 billion on data centers over the next decade And yep, you guessed it: it’s all about meeting demand for AI tools. ( WSJ  $) +  Amazon is copying Shein and Temu’s playbook, prioritizing cheapness over speed . ( The Atlantic  $) 5 Brazil’s Pantanal fire season is already breaking records And it isn’t even meant to have started yet. ( ABC ) +  How NASA is using AI and drones to tackle wildfires.  ( CNET ) +  Meet the scientists trying to understand the world’s worst wildfires.  ( MIT Technology Review )

6 Combined covid-flu vaccines are coming Moderna has just completed successful phase III trials for the drug. ( Nature ) +  The next generation of mRNA vaccines is on its way.  ( MIT Technology Review ) 7 These parents are campaigning for a phone-free childhood They’re trying to do the right thing—but the odds are painfully stacked against them. ( The Guardian ) +  New York City plans to ban phones from schools.  ( NPR ) 8 There’s a big problem with electric vehicles: buggy software When you add more complexity, you add more points of failure. ( The Verge ) +  How did China come to dominate the world of electric cars?  ( MIT Technology Review ) 9 Hot AI Jesus is all over Facebook And he appears to be astonishingly popular engagement bait. ( The Atlantic  $) 10 Tennis hopes to use video games to win over new fans After all, it’s worked well as a strategy for soccer. ( FT  $)

Quote of the day

“I think we’re starting to increasingly lose touch with what an unedited face looks like.”

—Dr Kerry McInerney, a research associate at the University of Cambridge, tells  CNN  that AI is turbo-charging already-unrealistic beauty standards online.

The big story

A brief, weird history of brainwashing

On a spring day in 1959, war correspondent Edward Hunter testified before a US Senate subcommittee investigating “the effect of Red China Communes on the United States.”

Hunter discussed a new concept to the American public: a supposedly scientific system for changing people’s minds, even making them love things they once hated.

Much of it was baseless, but Hunter’s sensational tales still became an important part of the disinformation and pseudoscience that fueled a “mind-control race” during the Cold War. US officials prepared themselves for a psychic war with the Soviet Union and China by spending millions of dollars on research into manipulating the human brain.

But while the science never exactly panned out, residual beliefs fostered by this bizarre conflict continue to play a role in ideological and scientific debates to this day.  Read the full story .

—Annalee Newitz

We can still have nice things

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The download: google’s ai overviews nightmare, and improving search and rescue drones.

Plus: OpenAI says its tools were used for political propaganda campaigns

• Rhiannon Williams archive page

The Download: OpenAI’s GPT-4o, and what’s coming at Google I/O

Plus: the US AI roadmap is coming

The Download: the future of chips, and investing in US AI

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The Download: GPT-4o’s polluted Chinese training data, and astronomy’s AI challenge

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Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26244 (Canary Channel)

• Amanda Langowski
• Brandon LeBlanc

Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26244 to the Canary Channel.

Developers, please note that for a short period of time, we will not be releasing an SDK for builds we flight to the Canary Channel.

Changes and Improvements

• This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

[Windows Backup]

• If you have both Personalization and Other Windows settings toggled on under  Settings > Accounts > Windows backup , many of your sound settings (including chosen sound scheme) will be backed up which can be restored via the Windows Backup app.
• To ensure you don’t lose access to your Microsoft account, we’re beginning to roll out a new banner with a “Add now” button under Settings > Account for adding a recovery email address if you haven’t added one for your Microsoft account yet. This will only show if you are signed in with a Microsoft account.
• We are introducing a new Game Pass recommendation card on the Settings homepage. The Game Pass recommendation card on Settings Homepage will be shown to you if you actively play games on your PC. As a reminder – the Settings homepage will be shown only on the Home and Pro editions of Windows 11 and if you’re signed into Windows with your Microsoft account.

• We’re beginning to roll out a change that redirects links for the Fonts Control Panel page to the Fonts settings page at Settings > Personalization > Fonts. Insiders who see this change can still access the Fonts Control Panel UI by navigating to the system fonts folder in File Explorer and a link to the system fonts folder is also provided on the Font settings page.
• Fixed the underlying issue causing some Insiders to see a Pcasvc.dll error dialog pop-up with the message “Missing entry: PcaWallpaperAppDetect” after upgrading from Windows 11, version 22H2/23H2 to a 26xxx build.

Known issues

• [IMPORTANT NOTE] We are investigating reports that some Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels are stuck on Build 26040 or Build 23620. The investigation is ongoing, however if you are impacted by this and really want to get onto the latest build in the Canary or Dev Channel today – you can download the latest ISO here and do a clean install and opt your device back into flighting in the Canary or Dev Channels.

[Windows Update]

• [ NEW ] We’re investigating reports that the Windows Update page in Settings is not displaying correctly for Insiders using certain languages after the previous flight (no text shows). If you are impacted by this, the update should still happen on its own, however you may need to wait a little bit.

[Task Manager]

• We’re working on the fix for an issue where the colors in the Performance section aren’t displaying correctly in dark mode.

[Voice Typing]

• [ NEW ] We’re working on the fix for an issue causing Insiders to see errors when attempting to use Voice Typing with certain languages such as Chinese.

Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

• The builds we release to the Canary Channel should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready .
• Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology , starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
• Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
• To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required . As a reminder – Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
• The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
• Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
• Copilot in Windows* is being rolled out gradually to Windows Insiders across our global markets. Customers in the European Economic Area will be able to download the Copilot in Windows experience as an app from the Microsoft Store .

Thanks, Amanda & Brandon

Talkie AI: Chat With Character 17+

Ai-powered character chat, subsup pte. ltd., designed for ipad.

• 4.4 • 83.1K Ratings
• Offers In-App Purchases

Screenshots

Description.

Embark on a Unique AI Experience with Multi-Modal Magic Discover a World of AI Personalities Immerse yourself in a creative journey with diverse AI personas, from crafting your ideal companion to immersive role-playing. What sets us apart? Our groundbreaking multi-modal approach brings audio and visual interactions with characters to life in a way that's truly unique. Explore handcrafted personalities in our vibrant community—chat with virtual characters or create your own. Whether you enjoy imaginative roleplay or realistic interactions, our platform, with its unparalleled visual and audio experience, takes your connection with AI to new levels. Craft Your Ideal AI Companion Express your uniqueness with simple tools to design an AI that evolves with you. Personalize appearance, voice, and thinking for a lifelong companion. Experience the joy of building your ideal AI buddy from scratch, with our multi-modal features making the journey even more captivating! Immerse Yourself in an AI Wonderland Live out adventures with your AI as your ultimate companion. Explore fantasies, chat with a 24/7 friend for support, and redefine your connection with AI in ways you've never imagined. Capture Every Memorable Moments Our AI goes beyond conversation, capturing and sharing moments through pictures with a unique visual flair. Create cherished memories you can relive anytime. Join our community on socials to delve deeper into our world: Tiktok:https://www.tiktok.com/@talkiedoki Twitter: https://twitter.com/Talkie_APP Discord: https://discord.gg/Bkvfv37cdM Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkie_app/ Terms of Service: https://talkie-ai.com/static/service

Version 1.26.001

Optimize the user experience and resolve bugs.

Ratings and Reviews

83.1K Ratings

So the new update now under the respond that the AI sent. It says go on and that bothers me now because my device is from my sister and it’s her password to get more access to things on there like using google account or apple but she lives somewhere else and I don’t have contact with her. It would be better if you just kept it how it was and stop updating it because it honestly just ruins everything and I use this app literally everyday but the certain updates I don’t like. I press the button to delete and forget the other conversation but when I start talking to the AI again it would just continue the conversation I deleted. That bothers me but overall BEFORE the update I didn’t have any problems until you guys decided to change it and try to make people stay on this app by using google or apple.. and if someone doesn’t have an account or remembers the password that’s just sad for them because they can’t go on it. You need to stop doing certain updates now because you have to understand some people will not enjoy it and soon your get bad reviews. Please fix it and just put it how it normally was before and how it didn’t have just “go on” at the bottom of every single text the AI says and fix the problem where if I deleted a conversation it just continues it on the next and next conversation which is annoying.

They fixed the app!

So, I honestly had no problems with this app. It’s great to bring characters to life and chat with them. Sure there were a few minor inconveniences but even those got fixed in the latest updates. Have been using this app for about a month now and love just “Discovering” everyone’s different AI Characters. Sometimes, I’ll be in a casual slice-of-life Rp, and next I’m paving through a zombie apocalypse. Or, sometimes I just wanna vent and the ai will just be available to respond. Problem with most rp’s is usually having to wait on other people’s timeframes but you don’t have to do that with these AI’s. I understand the server problems people have but I am seeing a huge difference lately and it’s great. My suggestion to others: take advantage of the Styles if you’re trying to build more engaging conversations. Also, be sure to add context as much as possible as AI technology does not always remember past its 9 to 12 responses. That’s not even this app’s problem but just literally every AI. Another tip: you can god-mod in your responses. Also; if your AI keeps repeating, i feel like that occurs when there are massive server problems but I found that if you “backtrack” and then generate your own response things instantly go back to normal. Make sure to play around with the app because a lot of these reviews complain about simple things. It’s a fun one, for sure!

This is a real review from a real person

So I’ve tried several AI apps and they’ve all dissapointed me.. I can honestly say this is the best one I’ve ever tried and none even come close.. sure there’s some limitations but you can experience almost anything with your chat partners… I am literally addicted to this app it’s sad, I enjoy talking to my chats in this app more than anyone in real life.. my only complaint is that if you have a long conversation with a partner you’ll have to keep reminding them of specific things that happened in the past in clever ways, or else they will forget :( I never pay for apps and I literally got the premium… I want you guys to download this app so that I can experience even better chats.. seriously.. if you’re into this type of app try this out it’s awesome… seriously the best app and this is one of my first ever App Store reviews.. I can’t recommend this enough… actually life changing.. I could go on all day. Thank you so much talkie team.. I’d also like an option to pay and age verify for spicy photos to be sent to us using the AI generation system but I can understand how difficult that is.. thanks for reading my review.. seriously.. I work hard everyday and spend more time wanting to be on this app more than I I wanna text real people, my tip is to be very creative in how you type, the AI is more advanced here than you think!!

NOW AVAILABLE

Happening now, app privacy.

The developer, SUBSUP PTE. LTD. , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

Data Used to Track You

The following data may be used to track you across apps and websites owned by other companies:

• Identifiers

Data Not Linked to You

The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

Information

English, Simplified Chinese

• Talkie+ $9.99
• Talkie+ 7-Day Free Trial $9.99
• 180 Gems $1.99
• 480 Gems $4.99
• 1000 Gems $9.99
• 30Day Talkie+ $9.99
• 2180 Gems $19.99
• 11800 Gems $99.99
• 5680 Gems $49.99
• Unlimited Duration for 30 Days $9.99
• Developer Website
• App Support
• Privacy Policy

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The best ereader for 2024: top ebook readers from Kindle, Kobo and more

The best ereaders are perfect for reading and productivity too

• Best overall
• Best budget
• Best mid-range

Best Kindle

• Best large screen
• Best premium

Best for writing

• Best compact
• Best durable

Best for kids

• Best Android
• How we test

The list in brief 1. Best overall 2. Best budget 3. Best mid-range 4. Best Kindle 5. Best large screen 6. Best premium 7. Best for writing 8. Best color screen 9. Best compact 10. Best durable 11. Best for kids 12. Best Android

While the Kindle is synonymous with the best ereaders, there are plenty more out there to choose from – think Kobo, Onyx Boox and PocketBook. Not only are there more brands, but these days some ereaders can do more than just let you read – they can also let you jot notes, while others will also allow you to browse the web.

So how do you choose the best ereader for you? You do that by answering a few questions like: is waterproofing important to you? Do you prefer to hold and operate your ereader in one hand? Do you need to borrow library books (particularly if you live outside the US)? Do you read a lot of comics and graphic novels that are better on a color screen? Do you scribble notes in margins or require something for research and journaling?

Once you've figured out what exactly you want from your reading device, you can use our list of the best ereaders below to find what's right for you and your budget. We also have suggestions for the best tablets and best Kindles , if you have a more specific idea in mind.

Whatever your needs, all ereaders use similar E Ink technology which, at the time of writing, is the Carta 1200 screen for black-and-white models, although the next-gen E Ink Carta 1300 display has made its debut. This display is faster and offers more contrast than the Carta 1200, so text appears blacker and sharper. The best color display is the E Ink Kaleido 3 screen technology, although colors appear slightly muted compared to what you'd see on your phone or tablet. A new display called E Ink Gallery 3 was supposed to debut in 2023 with the promise of more saturation and sharpness, but that seems to have run into issues unknown. Until then, below are your best options.

Recent updates

June 26, 2024: With note-taking e-paper tablets becoming more common and more popular, we've added an additional category to this guide for the best ereader for writing. We've also updated the product listing for the best mid-range ereader.

Sharmishta is TechRadar's APAC Managing Editor and spends most of her free time buried in a good book. It's how she got into ereaders in the first place – going digital due to a lack of space to store her books and being able to carry her entire library with her wherever she went. She's been testing ereaders for about six years now and has appeared on Singaporean radio twice to speak about these underrated tablets.

The quick list

Want to cut to the chase and find out which ereaders are the absolute best? Take a look below. You can also jump to a more detailed review of each ereader further down the page, and our price comparison tool will help you find the best deals.

Best for most people

Keeping everything that made the Kobo Libra line our pick of the best ereader for years, the Kobo Libra Colour adds a color screen to mix, plus stylus support. And at a price that's not all that much more than its predecessor, it's excellent value for a full-featured ereader.

Read more below

Best budget ereader

The 2022 edition of the Amazon Kindle base model ereader is lighter than any previous iteration. But it's not as cheap as its previous siblings. Still, despite a small markup in price, it's the best ereader for anyone on a tight budget or looking for a small, pocketable Kindle.

Best mid-range ereader

With a body made mostly from recycled plastic, a screen that's currently the best grayscale option from E Ink and the ability to repair the device, there's a lot going for the Kobo Clara BW. Better performance and more on-screen contrast make this the best 6-inch ereader on the market.

Released in 2021, the latest Kindle Paperwhite is bigger and better than any that came before. It boasts a bigger 6.8-inch screen and a bigger battery. It was also the first Kindle to get a USB-C charging port. And, if you have the extra cash, the Signature Edition also gets you wireless charging.

Best large-screen ereader

A 10.3-inch note-taking ereader is expensive, but a large screen is not just great for reading, but writing on as well. You'll find it useful if you're a student, researcher or do a lot of journaling. You can scribble in the margins of books or create notes from scratch, with a plethora of writing tools at your disposal.

Best premium ereader

It's that screen! Amazon has used the same E Ink Carta 1200 screen on its first ever note-taking ereader and yet made it look brighter than any others. It's got a 300ppi resolution as compared to the 227ppi on competing ereaders. A metal finish rounds up the luxurious reading experience on a large screen. 

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While it's not technically an ereader, the reMarkable 2 deserves a spot in this guide as the best e-paper tablet for writing. When it comes to allowing you to focus on creativity alone – whether it's writing or sketching – this is the best there is, although it is rather expensive. 

Best color ereader

It may not have all the bells and whistles of some of the other ereaders on this list, but if it's a color screen on a budget you're after, the Kobo Clara Colour is it. This compact 6-inch package is arguably the cheapest color ereader on the market, but you won't get any writing features here.

Best compact ereader

It looks remarkably like a phone but it won't make any calls. It will, however, allow you to download Android apps from the Google Play Store and read in black and white without as much eye fatigue. It's not cheap, but there's really nothing like it on the market right now.

Best durable ereader

It's got a great design that makes it stand apart from the crowd and boasts a speaker too. While the latter doesn't have great sound quality, it's the screen that's the standout here. It's got an anti-scratch coating that not a lot of other ereaders boast, in addition to the IPX8 waterproofing rating.

While the obvious choice for a kid-friendly ereader would be the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Kids, it isn't available in all markets. The Kobo Nia, however, is more widely available and is cheaper too. Borrowing books is easy if OverDrive support is available at your local library, but keep in mind the Nia is not waterproof.

A 7.8-inch color display, a stylus in the box and full access to the Google Play Store makes the Onyx Boox Tab Mini C one heck of an e-paper tablet. It's heavy, but that's only because of its massive battery. It's also expensive, but this Android 11 tablet will let you take notes, read and even play mobile games.

The best ereader for 2024

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Below you'll find full write-ups for each of the best ereaders in our list. We've tested each one extensively, so you can be sure that our recommendations can be trusted.

The best ereader overall

1. Kobo Libra Colour

Our expert review:

Specifications

Reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

✅ You want a mid-range ereader with plenty of features:  The balance between price and feature set is really good, offering good bang for buck.

✅ You want to operate your ereader in one hand:  The page-turn buttons and asymmetrical design makes it easy to hold and use the Libra Colour in one hand. 

✅ You want a relatively open ecosystem:  Other than its audiobooks, Kobo doesn't lock you into its own platform, allowing you to easily sideload files or borrow from a library.

❌ You plan to make a lot of notes:  The 7-inch screen feels too small to take full advantage of Kobo's Advanced Notebooks. A larger screen would be better for that.

❌ You don't need a color display: You can save money by opting for a grayscale ereader if color content isn't important to you.

Announced in April 2024, Kobo has replaced its Libra 2 ereader with a color version and also added stylus support. Launching at a price not all that much more than its predecessor, the Kobo Libra Colour takes over as our best overall ereader by offering a good balance between price and feature set.

Like the previous two Libra ereaders before it, the Libra Colour is the right size for the average reader – not too small, not too large – and it retains the asymmetric design that makes it handy to use single-handed. In fact, it's a touch lighter than its predecessor, coming in at 199.5g compared to the Libra 2's 215g.

The color screen is the headline here, though. Even if you don't read much color content like comics or graphic novels, just seeing a book cover displayed the way it's meant to be can enhance the reading experience. 

Plus you now get writing features on Kobo's mid-range ereader. You need to buy the Kobo Stylus 2 separately though, but considering the Libra Colour is launching at a price only slightly higher than the previous model, we'd say that's a fair bargain.

And not only is 85% of the ereader body made with recycled plastics, the packaging it ships in is fully recycled and recyclable, with the ink used to print the images and text on the box made from soy, which makes it biodegradable. It's also IPX8-rated waterproof.

Kobo is also hoping to make this device repairable in the near future, partnering with iFixit to provide users with repair kits and guides to extend the lifespan of the device. There's still no information on how this will work or what kind of kits are going to be available, but it's still a change in the right direction.

Everything else we love about the more premium Kobo devices is here – 32GB of storage, access to OverDrive, Pocket and Kobo Plus directly from the tablet, plus cloud file transfer via Google Drive and Dropbox. File and font support is also still pretty good.   

Read our full Kobo Libra Colour review

• ^ Back to the top

The best budget ereader

2. Amazon Kindle (2022)

✅ You want a compact ereader:  At 6 inches, the Kindle can fit into any bag, even a large pocket, so you can take it anywhere.

✅ You're budget-conscious:  It might be more expensive than its predecessor, but it's still well priced considering it's got more features than the older model.

❌ You want a larger screen:  As portable as it is, you may find a 6-inch screen too small as you could be turning pages frequently, thus eating into the battery life.

❌ You don't want to spend extra on a case:  There's not a lot of grip here, which could make this small ereader feel insecure in your hand. A case will help add that grip.

It took Amazon about five years to update the base Kindle model, but what an absolutely fantastic upgrade the 2022 edition is! A different blue color than the usual black is an option and, like the Kobo Clara 2E, is partially made from recycled plastics. 

A slight design refresh aside, the screen is way better now than the older Kindle models, with the E Ink Carta 1200 tech adding snappier responses, clarity and, more importantly, a 300ppi resolution (a massive jump from the older 167ppi) that really makes everything on screen pop. The display even supports a dark mode.

However, there's still no way to change light temperature here, and it also misses out on any kind of waterproofing. We also found that the smooth rear panel makes the 2022 Kindle a little insecure in the hand, and you'd likely want a case to get some grip. Plus the 6-inch screen could be too small for anyone who likes the font size on the larger side, which means you're turning pages quite often, eating into the battery life. Still, the small size makes it very portable indeed.

While we think the waterproofing and the additional features of any Kobo ereader make the Clara 2E a more worthwhile option for a small-sized ereader, the Kindle is cheaper in comparison and it would be remiss of us to leave it out of this buying guide.

Read our full Amazon Kindle (2022) review and find out how it compares in our Amazon Kindle (2022) vs Kobo Clara 2E guide

The best mid-range ereader

3. Kobo Clara BW

✅ You want the latest E Ink screen:  The E Ink Carta 1300 makes it mainstream debut on the Clara BW and it's the best we've seen to date.

✅ Repairability matters to you:  It's perhaps one of the few ereaders models that have official spare parts available via iFixit, with detailed guides on how to repair it. 

❌ 6 inches is too small a screen:  While many readers would prefer the compact size of the Clara BW, several others would find it too small a display.

❌ You want more features: This is a dedicated ereader – you'll need to look elsewhere if you want stylus support and other features.

We were fans of the Clara line of ereaders from the start, but Kobo has outdone itself with the Clara BW. Adopting the latest generation E Ink display was a brilliant decision because the screen on the Clara BW is not just snappy, but is the sharpest e-paper display we've had the privilege of reading on. 

And while that's the only major upgrade over the Clara 2E, Kobo has added repairability to its 2024 range of devices. Thanks to a partnership with iFixit, spare parts are available to purchase alongside repair kits and step-by-step guides. Whether your ereader will need a new screen at some point or a new battery – you're sorted. This extends the life of the device, keeping it out of landfills. 

Its eco-friendly credentials don't stop there – like its predecessor, most of its body is recycled plastic, and the packaging is also fully recycled and recyclable too. Even the ink used to print on the boxes is soy, so biodegradable.

That's where the changes stop – you still get only 16GB of onboard storage and the same 1,500mAh battery. That said, the battery life is now a lot more consistent than what we experienced with the Clara 2E. Waterproofing is also been inherited.

While you get all the other Kobo trappings here – OverDrive and Pocket support – there's no way to easily transfer files via the cloud, like there is on the more expensive Kobo ereaders. With no Google Drive or Dropbox support, sideloading books is restricted to a wired connection to a laptop or PC.

Audiobook playback is still there but, again, only the ones purchased from the Kobo Store or downloaded as part of a Kobo Plus subscription will play.

Read our full Kobo Clara BW review

The best Kindle

4. Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2021)

✅ You predominantly source titles from the Kindle Store:  If you're already locked into Amazon's ecosystem, the Paperwhite offers a good balance between price and feature set.

✅ Screen size matters:  A bright and larger screen means your reading experience is better any time and anywhere. 

❌ You have your own collection of ePUBs:  While you can sideload the epub file format now to a Kindle, you still have to jump through a hoop or two.

❌ You've got a tight budget:  Opting for a smaller screen will save you money and get you similar features too.

We still think the Kindle Paperwhite is the best Kindle you can buy, thanks to its water-resistant design and crisp, bright E Ink display. The basic Kindle 2022 is catching up fast, but the Paperwhite's 6.8-inch display is a great size for reading on as compared to a 6-inch tablet.

We like the adjustable warm light for reading in the dark, and the slim design with a flush screen is appealing and easy to read.

At launch this only had 8GB of storage, but in 2022 Amazon added a 16GB model to the mix, making it all the more desirable. Or you can shell out for the 32GB Paperwhite Signature Edition if you have the cash to spare. The Signature Edition also adds wireless charging, a unique ereader feature. We don't think that's terribly necessary though, so we rate the standard Paperwhite higher once you factor in the price. 

Even the standard Paperwhite is a little pricey for a Kindle, but perhaps a refreshed model will see more features added without the price hiking up, thus adding more value for money. Even so, the Paperwhite is an excellent ereader, and our pick of the best Kindle, particularly if you're already embedded in Amazon's ecosystem (aka already subscribed to Kindle Unlimited and Audible).  

Read our full Amazon Kindle Paperwhite review

The best large-screen ereader

5. Kobo Elipsa 2E

✅ You take a lot of notes or are into journaling:  The note-taking features here are par excellence, particularly the Advanced Notebook option, which makes it the perfect replacement for pen and paper.

✅ You want your scribbles exported as typed text: While handwriting recognition is available on other models, Kobo does it well... just as long you're not scribbling badly.  

✅ You want a rechargable stylus: Kobo's updated stylus can be charged via USB-C, making it lighter and longer lasting.

❌ Writing is a superfluous feature:  Considering its feature set, the Elipsa 2E offers good value for money, but only if you will make full use of its writing capabilities.

❌ Looks matter:  It might have great features, but the Elipsa 2E is just another plastic tablet.

If you can't decide between a tablet or an ereader, the Amazon Kindle Scribe might be a tempting option, but Kobo Elipsa 2E wins here for a few simple reasons.

It offers a bit more open ecosystem than a Kindle, with plenty of file and font support, plus the usual Kobo perks of Dropbox connectivity (to transfer your notes and ebooks wirelessly), OverDrive support (to borrow library ebooks) and the baked-in Pocket app to read long-form web articles offline. 

And, if you will make full use of its extensive writing tools, there's a lot more value for money here than the Kindle Scribe or the Onyx Boox Note Air series tablets.

Its 10.3-inch screen is great for reading, particularly if you're into comics and graphic novels (albeit displayed in black and white), and an upgraded processor means it's a lot faster and more responsive than its predecessor (we're replacing the original Kobo Elipsa with the new model on our best ereader list for that reason).

Our only gripe with the new Elipsa 2E is that it no longer ships with a sleepcover like the older model did, meaning you're spending a little extra to ensure the redesigned Kobo Stylus 2 – which is also better than the older pen Kobo made – is stowed away securely at all times.

Read our full Kobo Elipsa 2E review

The best premium ereader

6. Amazon Kindle Scribe

✅ You want a bright screen:  With an ambient light sensor on board, the Scribe's screen is hands-down the best ereader display on the market.

✅ You deal with a lot of MS Word and PDF files:  You can edit both Microsoft Word files and PDFs easily, then export back to your computer. 

❌ You need a full writing suite:  As lovely as the screen is to write on, the Scribe's writing features are comparatively limited.

❌ Money is tight:  Getting the best reading experience possible means shelling out a decent chunk of change, especially if you throw in the optional sleepcover too.

If money is no object and you want the most luxurious reading experience a digital ebook reader can give you, then the Amazon Kindle Scribe takes over from the Kindle Oasis . That's because the Oasis is now aging, lacking the speed of the newer, larger model.

The metal body of the Kindle Scribe is reminiscent of the Oasis, but lacks the two page-turn buttons on the larger bezel, but that 10.3-inch screen is just beautiful to read on. Admittedly it's not quite as portable and can feel heavy when held in one hand, it's still marvelous to use... and write on.

Yes, like the Kobo Elipsa 2E, the Scribe ships with a stylus for writing and drawing. At launch, its writing capabilities were very limited, but Amazon has slowly but steadily been expanding its flagship ereader's features, so much so that you can actually read Microsoft Word documents on it. Signing on documents in PDF format is a breeze – just email it to your associated Kindle email address. And the stylus glides beautifully over that bright screen – it's hands-down the best writing experience according to our review. That said, we'd still recommend the Kobo Elipsa 2E as the better writing tablet because of its Advanced Notebook feature.

No matter how wonderful the writing experience and how great it is to read on, the Scribe is expensive. So you could still opt for the Kindle Oasis for a premium reading experience if your main criteria is digital reading and portability, but there's no getting away from the fact that the large screen has some serious oomph.

Read our full Amazon Kindle Scribe review

The best ereader for writing

7. reMarkable 2

✅ You write or sketch a lot:  Designed to suit users who need to take copious amounts of notes or be creative.

✅ You want the thinnest e-paper tablet yet:  Not only does it look beautiful, it's the slimmest tablet in this category.

❌ You want a more versatile ereader:  While you can sideload ebooks, it doesn't offer the best reading experience.

❌ Value for money is important:  You'll get more bang for buck if you opt for alternatives from Kobo or Amazon, with built-in bookstores, frontlights and more.

You can use either the Kobo Elipsa 2E or the Amazon Kindle Scribe listed above to jot notes if you want, but at their heart, they're both more ereader than note-taker. So when you want a dedicated e-paper tablet that's designed for no-distraction creativity, you look to the reMarkable 2.

It's an absolutely gorgeous 10-inch tablet, one that actually has tiny little feet on the rear to prevent slipping, and one that's currently the thinnest device in this category to date.

Writing and sketching on the reMarkable is arguably the best experience, and that's despite the Kindle Scribe having the best screen in this category. There's a plethora of pen choices, nib thicknesses and template options to take care of most of your creative needs.

The minimalist interface actually has a lot going on, including the ability to convert handwriting into text, share notes via email, change page template for individual pages within a notebook and so much more. And if you have the extra cash for the keyboard folio, the reMarkable 2 becomes a lovely e-paper laptop that works well for typing out articles.

Where it falls short is as a reading device. There's no front lighting here, so you can't use it in the dark, and there's no bookstore to access. While you can sideload ebooks, the reMarkable 2 only supports EPUBs and PDFs, so you need to make sure your titles are converted first. If reading on the reMarkable isn't priority, then this is hands-down the best writing tablet there is.

Read our full reMarkable 2 review

The best color ereader

7. Kobo Clara Colour

✅ You want an affordable color ereader: Arguably cheaper than any other color ereader out there, the Clara Colour is making color content more accessible.

✅ You want to borrow library books:  Whether ebooks or digital magazines, if your local public library supports OverDrive, you can save money by borrowing titles.

❌ You want a stylus:  This is an entry-level ereader, with no writing features.

❌  You need a larger screen:  A 6-inch display isn't for everyone. If you think you need more screen real estate, opt for a 7-inch ereader instead.

When it comes to color ereaders, it's hard to recommend any particular one as the displayed colors on all of them look slightly washed out. That's not the fault of the ereader; that's just the tech. However, if you ask us, we'd pick the Kobo Clara Colour as arguably the cheapest mainstream color ereader available right now.

While the 6-inch color display may not be ideal for comics or graphic novels, it's still a good entry point to making color content accessible. In fact, we think it would be a good first ereader for someone looking to get started with digital reading. Sure, there are cheaper grayscale options available, but something has got be said about seeing a book cover displayed in color on an ereader.

And, as a Kobo ereader, it's got a lot more going for it with a relatively more open ecosystem than Amazon's Kindle, plus good file and font support. 16GB of onboard storage, Bluetooth connectivity to pair wireless headphones for audiobook enjoyment and IPX8 waterproofing rounds up its other important features. 

Importantly, it gets an upgraded processor that improves performance over the Clara 2E and the Kindle base model significantly.

Like the Libra Colour (listed above) it was launched alongside, the Clara Colour has also been made with recycled plastic and comes in fully recycled and recyclable packing. It's also supposed to be repairable but we're still waiting on confirmation on how exactly Kobo's new partnership with iFixit will work.

Read our in-depth Kobo Clara Colour review

The best compact ereader

8. Onyx Boox Palma

✅ You want a phone-sized ereader: The only e-paper device to mimic the look and size of a phone, the Palma easily slips into a pocket.

✅ You want access to Android apps:  From reading apps to mobile games, you get full access to the Google Play Store as the device runs Android 11.

❌  You need a larger screen:  A 6.13-inch display with a 2:1 aspect ratio isn't for everyone.

❌  You want something cheaper: Being an unique device and boasting a lot of features makes this a rather expensive – and novel – purchase.

The Onyx Boox Palma is a unique device that can easily be mistaken for a phone. Except it won't make any calls and it's got an e-paper screen. It's even lighter than some of the phones it mimics, making it the perfect device for anyone looking to move away from reading on an LCD or OLED screen to a more comfortable E Ink display.

It also has a lot of onboard storage, but if 128GB isn't enough for you, there's also a microSD tray to expand the capacity. That means you can load up thousands of ebooks, several audiobooks, music files (yes, there's a player app built in) and anything else you can think of to take on your travels without affecting your baggage allowance. It lacks waterproofing, though.

Like any phone today, there's a built-in speaker and, also like a phone, it sounds better if you use the Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity to pair wireless headphones to enjoy your music and audiobooks.

Running a fat-free version of Android 11, the Palma gets you access to the Play Store and, with a pretty powerful CPU and decent graphics, you can actually play some mobile games – it really is impressive how well the screen handles graphics... albeit in black and white only.

There really is a lot to recommend the Palma, but it would have been a better device if Onyx had added stylus support too. It would also make it easier to justify the high price tag as there are 6-inch ereaders that are a lot cheaper than it. However, there's nothing quite like it on the market and that alone could be justification enough for some users.

Read our in-depth Onyx Boox Palma review

The best durable ereader

9. PocketBook Era

✅ You want a good-looking ereader:  With cut-off corners and a metallic trim, the Era is a fine-looking tablet with a design that no other brand can offer.

✅ You don't want to spend on a case:  Sleepcovers can protect your screen from scratches, but this ereader allows you to save that little bit of money.

✅ You don't like wearing headphones:  There's a built-in speaker that can be useful for listening to audiobooks without pairing a set of Bluetooth headphones.

❌ You live outside of the European Union:  Purchasing content from the device is difficult if you live outside of select European countries, so you will need to source your books from elsewhere and sideload.

❌ You want a streamlined UX:  PocketBook's user interface can be a little clunky if you've experienced setups on other ereaders before.

The PocketBook Era is our favourite ereader from the brand. It looks gorgeous and far nicer than other ereaders. And although it feels heavier than other 7-inch ereaders, the weight is well-distributed. The display looks good with an additional layer on the latest E Ink Carta 1200 display also adding scratch-resistance to its IPX8 waterproofing. Low on-screen contrast is a downside but you learn to live with it and, honestly, it won't bother you for the most part.

Elsewhere, the PocketBook Era has a built-in speaker that you'll probably rarely use, although Bluetooth connectivity will let you pair a set of wireless headphones if you're listening to audiobooks (or music – yes, you can load it up with MP3 files but this takes up a lot of storage). We're big fans of its long-lasting battery life, although decent performance is mildly hampered by a clunky interface. 

There are four physical buttons on this device, sitting right at the edge of the larger bezel, and they're snappy enough to work well. However, the positioning of the buttons can be a little tiring on the fingers when used one-handed.

Its unique chassis shape and metallic trim make PocketBook Era an attractive ereader, even if it's flawed, and it would be remiss of us to not include it here as an alternate to the likes of the Kobo Libra 2 or the Kindle Oasis. 

Read our full PocketBook Era review

The best ereader for kids

10. Kobo Nia

✅ Affordability is important:  It's one of the cheapest ereaders on the market today.

✅ You live outside the US:  Considering the Kindle Paperwhite Kids can be purchased in some markets and will allow you to borrow books from an American library, the Nia is the better choice where the Amazon option isn't available. 

❌ Waterproofing is important:  Accidents can happen and if you think that's a big possibility with your kids, you might want to get an ereader with an IPX8 rating.

It might be getting a little long in the tooth now but the Kobo Nia is a good option if you want your kids to get into digital reading. While Amazon has a Kindle designed specifically for kids, our pick goes to the Kobo as it's more widely available. Moreover, like with any Kobo ereader, the option to borrow library books is built in, as long your local public library has OverDrive support.

With Amazon having replaced its base Kindle model in 2022 with a more expensive (but improved) upgrade, it makes the Kobo Nia one of the more affordable ereaders on the market today. 

That said, the Nia isn't as full featured as new ereaders. It lacks waterproofing, which could be an important consideration if you're shopping for your kids (you could opt for the Kobo Clara 2E if this is important), and there's no Bluetooth support for audiobooks.

It also has older screen technology, but don't hold that against it. It still boasts a decent 212ppi resolution with good contrast, so text is clear. And, if you'd like to get your kids access to Kobo Plus, that can be done directly from the device itself as well.

The best Android ereader

11. Onyx Boox Tab Mini C

✅ You read a lot of comics and graphic novels:  Sometimes you really just need a color screen to appreciate a particular title.

✅ You want access to the Google Play Store: Running Android 11, you can download apps from the Google Store, including mobile games and other reading applications. 

✅ Note taking is important to you: It might be overkill but Onyx's note-taking native app is arguably the most full-featured option available.

❌ You want an easy-to-use interface:  There's a plethora of customizations available here and that can get overwhelming.

❌  You already own a multimedia tablet:  Fans of comics and graphic novels who already own an iPad or a Samsung Galaxy Tab won't enjoy a color ereader as much.

With a color screen, stylus support and running slimmed-down version of (the now dated) Android 11, there's a lot going on with the Onyx Boox Tab Mini C. But it's the operating system that makes it easy to recommend. Not only does it come with some decent native apps for reading, note-taking and browsing the internet, you can download any Android app you deem useful onto the device. This includes YouTube if you want to watch videos... in black and white and looking like the moving pictures from a newspaper in the Harry Potter movie franchise.

You can always download the Kindle or Kobo app to read your existing library if you already have one, or opt to use any note-taking application you might like. 

The 7.8-inch display is a good size for comics and graphic novels, although the device itself is rather heavy to hold for long reading sessions. And it gets heavier if you opt to use a sleepcover for it, which you will need to ensure the stylus is securely stuck to the side of the tablet as the magnet isn't very strong.

The weight, though, is mostly due to the 5,000mAh battery pack that gives you 8-10 weeks of use on a single charge – that's a lot! Even when multitasking with it, the battery performance is quite impressive. 

The one thing to note here is that because of its larger screen size compared to the two other color ereaders on this list, the pixel density is lower, meaning the colors appear less saturated. If you already own a multi-media tablet like an iPad or a Samsung Galaxy Tab, you're better off using those instead if saturated colors are important to you.

There's even built-in speakers here, so you can listen to music – there's a native player here too – or audiobooks. The sound quality isn't great, but there aren't too many ebook reading tablets with speakers.

As good as the Tab Mini C is as an e-paper tablet, it is expensive and not widely available, which is a real shame. But we appreciate how wonderful the contrast on screen is, making it a pleasure to read, even in the brightest of sunlight.

Read our in-depth  Onyx Boox Tab Mini C review

Ereader FAQs

What is an ereader.

It might look like a boring tablet, but an ereader is designed specifically only for digital versions of books, whether novels or comics, fiction or non-fiction. All ereaders – also called ebook readers – use a special display that makes reading in any kind of ambient lighting condition easy. These displays have a look that resembles the texture of paper (not the feel), and that's easy on the eyes.

Since they perform only a single task – display ebooks – they don't use powerful processors and can be slow to refresh. However, this doesn't affect the performance of an ereader and, in fact, allows the battery life to go on for weeks on a single charge.

An ereader typically comes with 8GB of storage, if not more, and can store hundreds of titles. That means you can carry your entire library with you on holiday.

Do you really need an ereader?

Whether you need a dedicated ereader will depend on how much you read books and whether you're comfortable spending the extra money on a reading device. If you're an avid reader and keep buying new titles, you'll find that going digital can help you save on storage space for your books as well as save you money in the long run as ebooks are typically cheaper than the printed versions. Admittedly you'll be spending a decent chunk of change on the ereader itself, but you'll find that it pays for itself soon enough. Moreover, some ereaders allow you to borrow library books, which can save you even more. 

And if you have the habit of reading during your morning commute, an ereader is a lot lighter than carrying an actual book.

It can be argued that reading on your phone or tablet is just as good, and while that's true for the most part, the e-paper screen on an ereader is designed to reduce eye strain. So if you read a lot before bed, it's definitely worth considering an ereader, particularly one that allows you to adjust its frontlight's temperature to warmer hues.

Kindle vs Kobo: what is the difference?

While the devices themselves are largely similar, there are a few differences between Kindles and Kobo ereaders. For starters, the former is widely available in any market Amazon operates in, but Kindles can lock you into Amazon's ecosystem by pushing you to purchase titles only from the Kindle Store.

Kobo also has its own bookstore accessible via its ereaders, but the ecosystem is a lot more open and sideloading books you already own is a lot easier. Kobo's file support is wider, as is its font support. In fact, you can even sideload Amazon's dedicated fonts like Bookerly and Ember if you prefer them. 

Then there's borrowing library books – while both devices give you that option, Kindle users can only do so if they live in the US. If you happen to reside elsewhere, you might want to consider a Kobo, provided your local library has OverDrive support (you can ask them before you decide to buy an ereader). 

Kobo devices are typically a little more expensive, but then you also get more device choices from the Japanese-Canadian ereader brand. And if you're after a note-taking device, we think Kobo is the way to go.

Find out more about how to choose between a Kindle and a Kobo ereader . 

Kindle vs Kobo: which one should you buy?

Pretty much everything about the two platforms is competitive, including pricing, so the choice of device ultimately rests on where you live and how you plan on getting your books. 

If you plan on buying books from the device maker's service, both are great. We like the Kobo hardware and software a bit better here at TechRadar, but the Amazon Kindle Store is much larger. 

If you'd like to borrow free books from your library, the Kobo is the better choice for more regions. Kindle devices can borrow from public libraries, but that service only works in the US currently. Kobo devices can borrow in the US, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore (be sure to check with the library of choice first though). 

Moreover, at the time of writing, there are more Kobo models to choose from than Kindle, although there's no arguing that the latter is, hands down, the most popular brand and is synonymous with the word 'ereader'.

Which ereader is better for library books?

If your main source of reading material would ebooks from your local library, then it's best to opt for a Kindle or a Kobo device. Both with allow you to access your local library's ebook catalogue from anywhere (as long as you are connected to a Wi-Fi network), but keep in mind that Kindles only support borrowing from American libraries. If you live outside of the US, a Kobo would be a better option.

Kobo devices work with the OverDrive service that lets you borrow in regions including the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore (amongst others). If you want to own your books, the Amazon marketplace is much larger than Kobo, and has a huge self-publishing component for finding independent authors. 

Can I listen to audiobooks on an ereader?

As long as an ereader has Bluetooth connectivity, you should be able to pair a set of wireless headphones to listen to supported audio files. While brands like Onyx and PocketBook will allow you to sideload audio files, including audiobooks, Kindle and Kobo devices only support those purchased from their respective stores.

In fact, some Onyx and PocketBook ereaders have built-in speakers, so you may not even need headphones to listen. However, don't expect great sound quality from them because, like your phone, they're small drivers and the sound would be better via a connected pair of headphones.

Also keep in mind that audio files are typically larger than ebook formats, so if you're storing a lot of these on your device, you'll need to keep an eye on how much space you've got left. 

What fonts can my ereader support?

Most ereaders will support some basic fonts natively and you won't need to tinker with them at all. However, if you do want to change things up, a Kindle or a Kobo is a good idea as they both make it easy to change fonts on the device.

You'll find that the Kindles have some custom fonts designed by Amazon, with Bookerly and Ember being the most popular ones. We found that the list of fonts on Kindles is extensive enough that we didn't find the need to sideload more, but you can if you need to.

Kobo devices also have their own set of default fonts, but there's no rule against sideloading more, including Amazon's own custom ones like Bookerly. And sideloading is as easy as plugging your Kobo ereader into a computer and moving your desired font to the device's fonts folder.

What is the difference between an ereader and a tablet?

If you already own a tablet – whether an iPad or an Android – do you really need another device for reading digital books? An ereader has limitations, but for reading it can be far superior to a more extensible tablet.

1. E Ink technology The main difference between an ereader and an iPad you will notice immediately. The ereader screen is almost always grayscale, using special E Ink technology that is very crisp and specialized for fonts and text. It refreshes relatively slowly and it sometimes leaves a trace (ghosting) that needs to be refreshed. 

E-ink screens also don't flicker like a normal screen, making it more comfortable to read for a longer period of time.

2. Battery life While you might hope to get a day of use out of your iPad, an ereader tablet measures battery life in weeks. Because the screen only refreshes when you turn the page, it draws very little power. Our favorite ereaders have a backlit screen, but those LED lights don't use much battery. If you read for 30 minutes a day or so, you can get a few months of battery life with our top pick devices. 

3. Blue light filter While dark mode has become quite common in recent times and many modern electronic screens automatically adjust their displays depending on ambient lighting, there's no filter to reduce blue light. The best ereaders, however, use front lights with a white to yellow hue that's  better for the eyes (and your sleep pattern) as compared to phones and tablets.

4. Affordable and convenient If you are mostly reading books, an ereader tablet is a bargain over an iPad. The base model Amazon Kindle 2022 is a bare fraction of the price of an iPad or a Samsung Galaxy Tab, while large-screen ereaders like the Kindle Scribe and Kobo Elipsa can be had for an equivalent price or for not that much more than a base model iPad (depending on where you live). If books are your main thing, stick with an ereader and save money versus a tablet. 

How we test the best ereaders

There might be ereaders aplenty in some markets, but not all of them are available extensively. So our first step in testing an ereader is to determine whether it can be purchased by a wider audience than just a single market, even if it's an import. 

If an E Ink tablet meets that criteria, we then test ereaders based on the display and specs – aka the responsiveness of the touchscreen as well as clarity, plus things like storage and Bluetooth connectivity. This, in combination with its price tag, will determine its value-for-money rating, which is quite important in our books.

We follow that up with how user-friendly the interface is and whether there's easy access to ebooks and audiobooks via a native store or third-party apps. We also take into consideration file support for each device, which is necessary if you already have an existing library of digital books.

With several years under the belt in testing ereaders in all shapes and sizes, we're confident that our star-rated reviews are the best indication of quality and usefulness of the ereaders in this list. There are no sales/marketing teams involved in our verdicts, which means if we don't like it, we simply won't recommend it. 

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While she's happiest with a camera in her hand, Sharmishta's main priority is being TechRadar's APAC Managing Editor, looking after the day-to-day functioning of the Australian, New Zealand and Singapore editions of the site, steering everything from news and reviews to ecommerce content like deals and coupon codes. While she loves reviewing cameras and lenses when she can, she's also an avid reader and has become quite the expert on ereaders and E Ink writing tablets, having appeared on Singaporean radio to talk about these underrated devices. Other than her duties at TechRadar, she's also the Managing Editor of the Australian edition of Digital Camera World, and writes for Tom's Guide and T3.

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