Using an eReader is much easier than carrying a bunch of your favorite novels around with you. It means you can flip between books at the press of a button and keep yourself entertained for months at a time. Plus, there are tons of free eBooks available for a bit of light reading too.
The only problem?
You have to buy an eReader and find space for it in your bag or pocket when you’re on the move. Why not keep things simple by using a device you already have?
Thanks to eBook apps, you can access all your favorite tales in seconds from your smartphone. Plus, many of the best eBook reader apps don’t cost anything to download either! It’s a win-win.
What are eBook Apps?
eBook reader or eBook apps are mobile software that helps you read books wherever you are, with just your phone screen. These apps have come a long way since the only ePub reader Android users could access was Google Play Books. Now, there are dozens of tools for iOS and Android users, many of which have a host of convenient features to delight any digital bookworm.
Forget dedicated eReaders. With the best eBook reader apps, you can:
- Store your favorite books: Keep your novels on the cloud or in your offline phone storage for instant entertainment at a tap. No extra hardware necessary.
- Make life a little easier: Kindles and eReaders are more lightweight than carrying a physical book, but they’re still not as convenient as using a tool you already have with you every day. You just need to install one additional app on your smartphone to start reading.
- Unlock handy features: Many of the top eBook reader apps come with magnification and brightness features that help you read in any condition.
- Check out different files: Some eReaders demand that you convert your eBook files into the right format before you can download them onto your device. eReader apps are much more flexible.
- Faster navigation: It’s much easier to sort through the files on your phone (a device you use every day) than to learn how to use a new eReader from scratch.
What are the Best eBook apps?
There’s no one-size-fits-all for the best eBook PDF reader. With so many options out there, you’ll have plenty of options to sort through. If you’re struggling to figure out where to get started, here’s a list of the best ebook reader apps:
1. Amazon Kindle App
Kindle is probably the best-known name in the world of eReaders. The go-to electronic reader for Amazon fans, Kindle gives you access to millions of amazing books, newspapers, and magazines. The good news for those who don’t want to buy new tech is you don’t need a Kindle device to use the app.
Android and iOS users can download the free Kindle app from the Google Play or iOS App Store. It comes with convenient features like the option to sync your last-read page across devices, highlight phrases, and make notes. The app also includes access to Wikipedia if you need to look something up.
Features include:
- Free samples of hundreds of eBooks
- Choose your preferred font style and size
- View textbooks, magazines, and more with color images
- Highlight page information (and share it)
- Adjust screen brightness for better comfort.
- Easily find information on Wikipedia
- Search through books based on trending and popular novels.
Price: Free
2. Wattpad
If you want the best eBook reader app for beginners without a lot of tech knowledge, Wattpad might be ideal for you. This eReader is all about simplicity, allowing users to search for content via book codes or internal browsers. There’s the option to change text and browser color to match your preference, and you can adjust the font size to something more comfortable for you.
Wattpad is great if you’re in search of something new to read too. There are curated lists that you can check out which feature new and upcoming authors or suggestions from the community. You can even write your own content and share it through Wattpad!
Features include:
- Sync your favorite books to any device
- Sync your account to remember your page
- Discuss your favorite novels in a huge community
- Share your library with other readers
- Browse for new content through suggested lists
- Write and share your own stories
Price: Free
3. Kobo Books
Kobo Books is another well-known name and top contender among the best eReader apps. This tool comes with a handy feature called “Reading Life.” The service aims to introduce you to a community that you can share your reading passion with. Through Reading Life, you can discuss books with friends, share quotes, and issue notes too.
Kobo Books has millions of titles to choose from, and you can even download novels to access them offline. When you purchase eBooks and audiobooks from Kobo, they appear instantly in your library, so you can enjoy them anywhere.
Features include:
- Easy-to-use audio player and eReader
- Navigate your audiobooks by touch
- Read thousands of previous for free
- Choose the text style and size
- Keep reading with syncing on all devices
- Night mode for more comfortable night-time reading
- Reading Life for community reading
- More than 6 million titles
Price: Free
4. Libby, by Overdrive
The Libby app is a beautifully designed eReader, perfect for use on a smartphone. Created by Overdrive, Libby lets you search through millions of audiobooks and eBooks. You can even borrow titles rather than buying them, which gives you the ultimate online library experience.
You can download your titles for offline reading and stream them if you don’t want to take up too much space on your phone. There’s also the option to send eBooks through to your Kindle if you’re reading in the US. Plus, Libby includes a wish list option, so you can remind yourself of the books you want to read later.
Features include:
- Millions of books, magazines, and audiobooks
- Download or “borrow” titles
- Stream or read offline depending on your needs
- Create lists of your must-read books
- Keep your reading position on all devices
- Define and search for specific words and phrases
- Add notes, bookmarks, and highlights
- Zoom in or adjust text size, book design, and background color
Price: Free
5. FBReader
FBReader is a brilliant ePub reader app for Android and Apple users. You can use this service on any device that runs Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Android, and even Blackberry, so there’s really no limit to where you can read from. Specially designed to support several eBook formats, this is one of the most versatile ePub reader apps around.
FBReader will organize your library based on title or author for easier searching, and you can read in up to 34 languages. There’s also plenty of functionalities to explore, like synced reading positions, bookmarks, and more.
Features include:
- Several formatting options for your eBooks
- Adjustable font size and style
- Screen brightness and background options
- Up to 34 languages available
- Google cloud-based storage
- Quick access to countless eBooks and magazines
- Sync reading positions across all devices
Price: Free
6. ComiXology
If you love comics, you’ll need a good comic eReader app. And that’s where ComiXology comes into the picture. The app offers a vast collection of manga, graphic novels, and digital comics from publishers like Marvel, Image, DC, and independent publishing companies. While reading, you can leverage the app’s features – including brightness control, zoom, reading modes, and direction – to enhance your overall experience.
ComiXology also has ‘Guided View’ technology that focuses and zooms on every individual panel, making the reading experience intuitive for smartphone and tablet owners. Plus, it lets you create a Wish List of all the titles you dream of buying one day. You can also share the list with your family around the holidays to fulfill your wish to own all the books you desire.
Features include:
- Explore over 100,000 strong comics, manga, and graphic novels
- Sync your purchased comiXology books across your devices (computer, phone, tablet)
- Access with Amazon to read your comics bought in the app
- Save books offline to read while traveling
Price: $5.99/month
7. Scribd
Often called the ‘Netflix for books,’ Scribd offers a wide collection of eBooks to its users. Its library features trending and bestselling titles in various genres, including True Crime, Personal Growth, Children, Science Fiction, Entertainment, Travel, Current Events, and more. The app lets you download titles to read offline, make annotations and notes, and bookmark pages so that you can resume from where you left off.
Having problems reading a particular font? Scribd also provides options to customize your font type, size, and background color. What’s more, you can choose between vertical and horizontal page scrolling depending on how you’d like to navigate an eBook. Plus, the fact that it’s ad-free makes for an enjoyable reading experience.
Features include:
- Several eBook titles and genres
- Download titles for reading on-the-go
- Access an unlimited number of audiobooks
- Read articles from premium magazines
- Download, save or print ePub titles and documents
Price: $9.99/month
8. Bluefire Reader
Bluefire Reader supports most eBook formats. The app allows you to read PDF and ePub books from publishers, retailers and libraries across the globe. After downloading it on your device, you get access to a library containing a user guide and another eBook named Treasure Island. From there, you can simply buy titles or upload your own to start reading.
Bluefire Reader offers plenty of cool features. You can bookmark, annotate, highlight, share experts and search definitions with just a tap. Plus, you can switch between day and night themes, as well as customize the font and size of the layout.
Features include:
- Import and backup eBooks
- iTunes file sharing support
- Orientation lock
- Turn a page by tapping its side
- Integrate with Dropbox
Price: $3.99/month
9. Bookmate
Bookmate makes our list of the best eBook Reader apps due to its social element. It gives you the chance to browse through your friends’ bookshelves and feeds to see what they’re reading. Plus, you can find new friends with similar reading interests, and share your titles to get likes.
Another cool aspect of Bookmate is that it lets you personalize the reading experience. As soon as you install the app, it will ask about your preferred books and genres. The options you select help Bookmate give you suggestions for the eBooks you prefer. The app has a huge collection of ebooks – business books, classics, etc. – in different languages, including English, Spanish, German, Dutch, Portuguese, and Russian.
Features include:
- Over 12 million books from 600+ publishers
- Adjust screen brightness
- Customize font or background color
- Download books to read them offline
- Access themed bookshelves created by experts
- Browse a great comics selection
Price: $9.99/month
Rediscover Your Inner Bookworm with eBook apps
With the best eBook reader app, it’s easier than ever to uncover the joy of reading in a new, digital age. You don’t have to carry clunky books and magazines with you when you’re traveling to and from work each day. You won’t even need your own eReader device. Instead, the best eBook reader app gives you quick access to all the novels you want to read on your smartphone.
eBook apps are one of the best ways to upgrade your reading experience instantly. Why buy yet another device when you can have your books right there on your phone? With the app recommendations on this list, you can expect to have a good time reading your favorite titles on your iPhone or Android device.
Which eBook reader app is your favorite and why? Let us know in the comments below.
