Ebook reader apps open, organise and sync digital books on phones, tablets, E Ink devices and desktops.
This guide ranks independent and community-run readers first, then weighs what each costs after the free tier, how reading progress and notes travel between devices, which formats and library protocols open, and whether files can leave again.
Vendors can pay for more visibility on this website, for example a higher place in a ranking or more room on a page. Commercial relationships can also affect which products we feature and how prominently. Every vendor link is marked the same, whatever the arrangement behind it. How that works.
In short
What ebook reader apps software does
Ebook reader apps open EPUB, PDF and comic files, keep bookshelves, and carry reading position, highlights and settings between handhelds, readers with paper-style screens and computers.
In this order: setup effort, what it really costs, how your data comes back out, whether you can leave, and who each ebook reader apps tool is built for. Smaller challengers are placed in the top three wherever the category has them; the well-known brands come after. Reasons for the choice of tests, and for skipping a score out of ten, can be read on the how we work page.
Windows and Linux versions cost nothing; Android has free and premium variants, and the iOS app is free for ten books before a fee for the full version.
—
Readers who own DRM-protected ePub files and use several operating systems
Buyers who insist on inspectable, currently open source code
Paris non-profit lab's EPUB reader with library lending protocols built in
Ranked #1 of 13 in Best Ebook Reader Apps in 2026.
Free tierPublished pricingEurope
EDRLab describes itself as a lab created in 2015 and based in Paris, funded by organisations, grants and donations, which explains why no seat or subscription price exists. Beyond EPUB it handles DAISY 2.02 and 3, Divina publications and audiobooks, adds Media Overlays, Read Aloud and full-text search, and supports accessibility metadata.
OPDS 1 and 2 catalogues work with authentication, and the APIApp lending protocol used by the French PNB platform is supported. Everything runs on desktop operating systems only.
What stands out
Non-profit lab
OPDS catalogues
LCP support
Where it costs you
The page lists only Windows 10 and 11, macOS and Linux, so there is no phone or tablet edition to carry a library around.
No licence is named on the page, which leaves reuse and redistribution terms unconfirmed.
Right for
Desktop readers who borrow library titles or open accessible EPUB and DAISY files
Wrong for
Anyone who wants to read on a phone or tablet
FranceFree to download for Windows, macOS and Linux; the page promises no ads and credits organisations, grants and donations for funding.
Cross-platform EPUB and PDF reader with synced highlights and split screen
Ranked #2 of 13 in Best Ebook Reader Apps in 2026.
Free tierOpen sourcePublished pricingElsewhere
Readest pairs EPUB and PDF reading with highlights, notes, split-screen reading, text-to-speech and cloud sync. The platform list is the widest in this guide: macOS, Windows, Linux, Android, iOS and Web, plus KOReader and CrossPoint devices.
Annotations and progress travel automatically between those devices. The weak spot is the missing commercial detail, because the site mentions a Pricing section without stating any plan, and the country of Bilingify LLC is not given.
What stands out
AGPL-3.0
Cross-device sync
Split-screen reading
Where it costs you
The pricing section is linked but no plans or limits are written on the page, so sync terms stay unverified.
AGPL-3.0 licensing brings share-alike duties for anyone who modifies and hosts the code.
Right for
Readers who move between laptop, phone and E Ink and want notes to follow
Wrong for
Buyers who need confirmed sync limits before committing
Not stated by the vendorListed as free and open source under AGPL-3.0; a Pricing section is linked but no plans or amounts are stated.
Hosted ebook library with tiered storage and Send to Kindle slots
Ranked #3 of 13 in Best Ebook Reader Apps in 2026.
Free tierPricing on requestElsewhere
Plans step up by space and file size: 5 GB with 100 MB files, 20 GB with 1 GB files, and 100 GB with 4 GB files. The entry level allows 3 devices; paid tiers allow unlimited devices.
Send to Kindle slots grow from 1 to 3 on Advanced and 10 on Power. Yearly billing lowers the monthly rate on each paid tier, and the page quotes list prices above the early adopter ones. No free trial is mentioned.
What stands out
Hosted library
Storage tiers
Send to Kindle
Where it costs you
Beyond ten books the entry plan allows only 2 uploads per month, so a growing collection forces an upgrade.
Casual and the other paid tiers carry early adopter labels, so the discounted prices may not last.
Right for
Collectors who want a hosted library reachable from every device, priced by storage
Wrong for
Readers who want a one-off purchase with no recurring fee
Not stated by the vendorFour plans: a zero-cost entry level, then three tiers sold monthly or yearly and sized by library space, file size and Kindle slots.
Document viewer for E Ink devices spanning Kindle, Kobo, PocketBook and Android
Ranked #4 of 13 in Best Ebook Reader Apps in 2026.
Pricing on requestElsewhere
The page presents KOReader as a document viewer rather than a store or service. Named targets are Kindle, Kobo, PocketBook, Android and desktop Linux, and the formats are EPUB, PDF, DjVu, MOBI and CBZ comic archives.
Help comes through a user guide, wiki, forum and bug tracker, with the code on GitHub. What the page does not say matters for buyers: no licence, no statement about price, and no named organisation behind it.
What stands out
E Ink devices
Multi-platform
Comics and DjVu
Where it costs you
The front page names no licence, owner or country, so ownership and terms cannot be confirmed from it.
Support routes are a wiki, forum and bug tracker, with no stated vendor helpdesk.
Right for
Owners of Kindle, Kobo or PocketBook hardware who want one viewer across devices
Wrong for
People who read only on an iPhone or Windows laptop
Not stated by the vendorThe page states neither a price nor a licence; a user guide, wiki, forum and GitHub source are linked.
Linux ebook reader with dictionary lookups and plain JSON annotations
Ranked #5 of 13 in Best Ebook Reader Apps in 2026.
Free tierPublished pricingElsewhere
Packages are listed for Flathub, Snap Store, Arch, Debian, Fedora and openSUSE, with source on GitHub. Reading can be paginated or scrolled, with adjustable font, spacing, margins and colour scheme.
Lookups use Wiktionary and Wikipedia, Google Translate is integrated, and Speech Dispatcher handles read-aloud. Because bookmarks and annotations sit in plain JSON files, they can be exported or synced with other tools. The developer is John Factotum, supported by voluntary tips.
What stands out
Linux reader
Plain JSON notes
Wiktionary lookups
Where it costs you
The page offers only Linux packages, so a Windows or macOS household needs a second reader.
The licence version is not stated, and a single named developer stands behind the project.
Right for
Linux desktop users who want lookups, translation and exportable annotations
Wrong for
Anyone who reads on Windows, macOS or a phone
Not stated by the vendorFree under the GNU General Public License; a voluntary Buy Me A Coffee page accepts tips.
Free desktop library manager that converts, edits and catalogues ebooks
Ranked #6 of 13 in Best Ebook Reader Apps in 2026.
Open sourcePricing on requestElsewhere
In this guide Calibre is the housekeeping tool rather than the reading screen. The repository describes managing, converting, editing and cataloguing books, fetching metadata and talking to e-book reader devices.
Installers exist for Windows, macOS and Linux, plus a Portable version that needs no installation. The code is under GPL-3.0, written by volunteers, and the site lives on contributions from five dollars upward. That makes it a sensible companion to KOReader or Moon+ Reader, not a replacement.
What stands out
GPL-3.0
Format conversion
Donation-funded
Where it costs you
Phone reading gets only a passing mention on the download page, so it works best as the desktop half of a two-app setup.
Donations and a Patreon page fund volunteer work, and no support plan or price list is shown.
Right for
Collectors who convert formats, repair metadata and load several reader devices from one machine
Wrong for
Readers who just want a polished app on their phone
Not stated by the vendorDonation-funded; the site shows contribution buttons and a Patreon page, and no paid plan is listed.
Multi-platform reader with an online library for syncing collections
Ranked #7 of 13 in Best Ebook Reader Apps in 2026.
Published pricingElsewhere
The company, FBReader.ORG Limited, markets 30+ million installs. Android comes in free, premium, beta and plugin variants, Windows and Linux are free, and iOS is free up to ten books. LCP-protected ePub opens, as do fb2, mobi, HTML, RTF and plain text.
The Book Network adds online library storage, sync of collections, positions and bookmarks, and browser access. The country is not stated, and there is no licence name for the closed versions.
What stands out
Six platforms
Readium LCP
Book Network sync
Where it costs you
The free iOS version stops at ten books and the fee for the full version is not stated.
The Linux section says open-source status ended with version 2.0, and no licence name is given.
Right for
Readers who own DRM-protected ePub files and use several operating systems
Wrong for
Buyers who insist on inspectable, currently open source code
Not stated by the vendorWindows and Linux versions cost nothing; Android has free and premium variants, and the iOS app is free for ten books before a fee for the full version.
Self-hosted tool that aligns ebooks with audiobooks for read-along playback
Ranked #8 of 13 in Best Ebook Reader Apps in 2026.
Self-hostablePricing on requestElsewhere
The platform aligns an ebook and an audiobook automatically so listening and reading can be swapped. Output is EPUB 3 with Media Overlays, playable in any reader supporting them, and the page mentions dedicated Storyteller mobile apps.
A read-aloud mode highlights the text as it is spoken. Books stay on the owner's hardware, the repository is MIT-licensed on GitLab, and the price is not stated beyond a donation link.
What stands out
MIT licence
Self-hosted
Audiobook alignment
Where it costs you
It is a server to run yourself, so it will not replace an everyday reading app.
The copyright names one individual, Shane Friedman, and no country or support terms appear on the page.
Right for
Audiobook listeners who own matching ebooks and want synchronised read-along text
Wrong for
Readers who want an app they can install in a minute
Not stated by the vendorMIT-licensed and self-hosted; no price is stated, and an OpenCollective donation page is linked.
Android reader sold as an ad-supported version and a paid Pro edition
Ranked #9 of 13 in Best Ebook Reader Apps in 2026.
Free tierPublished pricingAsia-Pacific
The site says Moon+ Reader is localised in 46 languages and reports more than 50,000 five-star ratings on Google Play. Pro adds ad-free reading, shake-to-speak TTS, multi-touch, startup password protection, headset and Bluetooth key control and home-screen shortcuts for books.
Supported files include azw3, DOCX and Markdown. Reading positions and annotations sync through Dropbox or WebDAV. The page shows no Pro price or currency.
What stands out
Android reader
Ad-free Pro
Dropbox and WebDAV
Where it costs you
Ads appear in the free version and Pro is needed to remove them, at a price the page omits.
Backup runs through Dropbox or WebDAV, which you must set up yourself.
Right for
Android users who want many formats, 46 languages and Dropbox backup
Wrong for
Households that read on iPhones, iPads or desktops
Hong KongFree version with ads, plus a paid Pro edition that removes ads; the page gives neither price nor currency.
DeMarque reading app for ebooks and audiobooks with OPDS library loans
Ranked #10 of 13 in Best Ebook Reader Apps in 2026.
Pricing on requestElsewhere
DeMarque lists offices in Quebec, Barcelona and Paris and does not name a headquarters country; the aldiko.com domain redirects to its page. The app gathers books bought elsewhere onto one bookshelf and borrows from library catalogues via OPDS, including holds and early returns.
Audiobooks offer speed control, sleep timer, background play, bookmarks and Chromecast. The bookstore in the app is stocked in five languages.
What stands out
OPDS library loans
Audiobook player
Built-in bookstore
Where it costs you
No app price or currency is stated on the page, so cost cannot be compared.
Only iOS and Android are named, so desktop readers are not covered.
Right for
Library borrowers who also play audiobooks and import titles bought elsewhere
Wrong for
Buyers who need desktop software or a stated price
Not stated by the vendorNot stated on the product page, which also describes a built-in bookstore.
KDE document viewer that opens EPUB, PDF, DjVu, comics and images
Ranked #11 of 13 in Best Ebook Reader Apps in 2026.
Free tierPublished pricingElsewhere
KDE develops Okular as a community project, and the page identifies KDE e.V. as a non-profit without stating a country. The source is on KDE GitLab under GPLv2 or later.
Format coverage reaches beyond books: PDF, EPub, DjVu, Markdown, CBR and CBZ comics, and JPEG, PNG, GIF, TIFF and WebP images. No price is stated, and nothing on the page describes bookshelves, synchronisation or audio features.
What stands out
KDE community
GPLv2 or later
Comics and images
Where it costs you
The page lists no library, sync or text-to-speech features, so it is a viewer only.
It calls itself multi-platform without naming operating systems.
Right for
People who need one viewer for PDFs, comics and the occasional EPUB
Wrong for
Readers wanting a bookshelf, sync or read-aloud in one app
Not stated by the vendorFree under GPLv2 or later, with source on KDE GitLab; no price is stated.
Cross-platform ebook reader built on the crengine rendering library
Ranked #12 of 13 in Best Ebook Reader Apps in 2026.
Open sourcePricing on requestElsewhere
The repository names crengine, a DOM, XML and CSS rendering library, as the core engine. Frontends cover Android, Linux with Qt5 and wxWidgets, Windows with Qt5, and e-ink.
Dictionary support covers .dict files, and hyphenation patterns include Russian. The sidebar marks GPL-2.0 or later. Because the original domain now serves a different business, a buyer must trust the GitHub repository as the official site.
What stands out
GPL-2.0 or later
crengine
Android and e-ink builds
Where it costs you
The coolreader.org domain redirects to an unrelated site, so the project home moved to GitHub.
macOS and PocketBook builds are listed only under obsolete headings.
Right for
Tinkerers who want a GPL engine, dictionaries and hyphenation on Android or e-ink
Wrong for
Anyone expecting a maintained website or a macOS app
Not stated by the vendorOpen source under GPL-2.0 or later, distributed as a GitHub repository.
Read-later app that pulls articles, newsletters and EPUBs into one queue
Ranked #13 of 13 in Best Ebook Reader Apps in 2026.
Pricing on requestElsewhere
Position fourteen reflects scope. The subscription collects web pages, RSS, PDFs, YouTube transcripts, Twitter threads, EPUBs and newsletters into one queue, with browser extensions, desktop apps and an E Ink mode for BOOX-type devices.
Exports reach Obsidian, Notion, Roam Research, Evernote and Logseq, and a public API and MCP server exist. The cost is a monthly or annual fee after a thirty-day trial, and the page lists no storage or document limits to check.
What stands out
Read-later queue
Highlights export
Subscription
Where it costs you
Books are one input among web pages, RSS, newsletters and videos, so a bookshelf is not the design centre.
The 50% reduction is available only to listed groups who email the vendor.
Right for
Readers who gather articles, newsletters and EPUBs and send highlights to note apps
Wrong for
Owners of purchased books wanting a one-off fee
Not stated by the vendorSubscription inside Readwise, billed monthly or annually, after a 30-day trial that needs no card.
Ebook reader apps open EPUB, PDF and comic files, keep bookshelves, and carry reading position, highlights and settings between handhelds, readers with paper-style screens and computers. What separates these products is rarely a feature. Work through the steps below.
01
Decide whether you need a published price
Only 6 of the 13 print a price; 7 quote per organisation. Comparable without a sales call: Thorium Reader, Readest, Foliate, FBReader, Moon+ Reader, Okular.
02
Ask which country the contract runs through
The 13 companies behind this list are established in 3 countries, by region Elsewhere 11, Europe 1, Asia-Pacific 1. Disclosure obligations attach to the company, so they travel with the vendor even when the servers stay at home.
03
Check the open source options
3 of these are open source: Readest, Calibre E-book, Cool Reader. Hosting one yourself trades a subscription for maintenance.
Ebook reader apps and file formats: what Thorium Reader, FBReader and Okular open
Format coverage decides more than appearance, because a reader that refuses your file is useless. Thorium Reader reads fixed-layout books and DAISY alongside plain EPUB, and supports LCP-protected publications. FBReader opens DRM-protected ePub through Readium LCP, plus fb2, mobi, HTML, RTF and text. Okular covers PDF, EPub, DjVu, Markdown and comics, but is a viewer without a bookshelf.
Moon+ Reader on Android opens txt, html, epub, pdf, djvu, mobi, azw3, fb2, CBZ, DOCX and Markdown. Gather ten real files from your collection, including one protected title and one comic, and test each candidate before you sync a single shelf to it, because a reader that cannot open the awkward ten percent of your files will keep sending you back to a second app and a second library.
Test one protected file and one comic archive in each candidate
Check that fixed-layout EPUB renders as the publisher intended
Confirm the reader can export or leave the files in their original format
Syncing between devices: Readest, BookFusion and Moon+ Reader trade different things
Sync is where free readers diverge. Readest syncs highlights, notes and progress across macOS, Windows, Linux, Android, iOS and the web, yet its page states no plans or limits. BookFusion sells hosted space in steps from 10 books on the entry plan to a 100 GB library, with unlimited devices on paid tiers.
Moon+ Reader backs up reading positions and annotations through Dropbox or WebDAV. Foliate keeps annotations in plain JSON files you can move yourself. Decide whether you want a vendor to hold your library, your own cloud account, or files you control, then compare device counts and upload caps. Remember that a reader without sync, such as Okular, never carries notes anywhere at all.
Write down every device you read on before choosing a sync route
Ask where annotations live and whether you can export them
Check upload and device caps on the plan you would actually use
Library loans and audiobooks: Aldiko, Thorium Reader and Storyteller
Borrowing and listening need protocols, not just formats. Aldiko connects to compatible library catalogues via OPDS with checkout, holds and early returns, and plays audiobooks with speed control, a sleep timer and Chromecast. Thorium Reader browses OPDS 1 and 2 catalogues with authentication and supports the APIApp lending protocol used by the PNB platform in France.
Storyteller takes another route: it aligns an ebook with its audiobook on your own hardware and outputs EPUB 3 with Media Overlays for compatible readers. If you borrow, confirm that your library system is among the catalogues the app reaches; if you own both versions of a title, test alignment on one book first, since long files take time to process and the output only helps if your reading device understands it.
Ask your library which catalogue protocols and apps it supports
Test audiobook playback features such as sleep timer and speed control
Align one owned title before processing an entire shelf
E Ink and Linux readers: KOReader, Foliate and Cool Reader
Hardware shapes the shortlist. KOReader names Kindle, Kobo, PocketBook, Android and desktop Linux as targets, and reads EPUB, PDF, DjVu, MOBI and CBZ. Foliate is a Linux reader listed on Flathub, Snap Store and several distribution repositories, with Wiktionary and Wikipedia lookups. Cool Reader offers Android, Linux, Windows and e-ink builds on the crengine engine, though its old domain now redirects to an unrelated site.
Calibre Ebook Manager sits beside them as the tool that converts and loads files onto devices from Windows, macOS or Linux. Match the reader to the screen you own, and keep a library manager for conversions rather than expecting the reader to do both. Mobile apps matter too: Moon+ Reader is an Android product, so an iPhone household needs a different route.
Name your exact device model before comparing reader builds
Verify the project home is the official repository, not a redirect
Keep a conversion tool for formats your device rejects
What goes wrong most often when buying ebook reader apps software
Assuming a reader opens purchased books because it lists EPUB, when DRM-protected files need Readium LCP support as Thorium Reader and FBReader list.
Counting the free tier as the price, then meeting BookFusion's limit of ten books and 2 uploads a month, or the ads in the free version of Moon+ Reader.
Choosing a reader for its Linux package or E Ink build without checking that your phone or laptop can also open the same library.
Treating a read-later subscription such as Readwise Reader as a book shelf, or a viewer such as Okular as a library with sync.
07
Frequently asked questions
8 answers
What is the best ebook reader apps in 2026?
Thorium Reader takes first place among the 13 we reviewed. Thorium Reader comes from EDRLab, a non-profit development lab in Paris, and is built on the Readium Desktop toolkit.
It reads EPUB 2 and 3, fixed-layout EPUB, PDF, DAISY and audiobooks, browses OPDS catalogues with authentication and handles LCP-protected publications. The page lists only Windows, macOS and Linux, so phone and tablet readers must look elsewhere, and it names no licence.
Which ebook reader apps tools publish their pricing?
6 out of 13 state a price model on their own site:
Thorium Reader: Free to download for Windows, macOS and Linux; the page promises no ads and credits organisations, grants and donations for funding..
Readest: Listed as free and open source under AGPL-3.0; a Pricing section is linked but no plans or amounts are stated..
Foliate: Free under the GNU General Public License; a voluntary Buy Me A Coffee page accepts tips..
FBReader: Windows and Linux versions cost nothing; Android has free and premium variants, and the iOS app is free for ten books before a fee for the full version..
Moon+ Reader: Free version with ads, plus a paid Pro edition that removes ads; the page gives neither price nor currency..
Okular: Free under GPLv2 or later, with source on KDE GitLab; no price is stated..
Everything else on the list is priced on request.
Is there a free ebook reader apps tool?
Thorium Reader, Readest, BookFusion, Foliate, Moon+ Reader, Okular come with a no-cost entry point, a free plan or a self-hosted edition.
Where are these ebook reader apps vendors established?
In 3 countries across 3 regions: Elsewhere 11, Europe 1, Asia-Pacific 1.
Thorium Reader: France.
Readest: Not stated by the vendor.
BookFusion: Not stated by the vendor.
KOReader: Not stated by the vendor.
Foliate: Not stated by the vendor.
Calibre E-book: Not stated by the vendor.
FBReader: Not stated by the vendor.
Storyteller: Not stated by the vendor.
Moon+ Reader: Hong Kong.
Aldiko: Not stated by the vendor.
Okular: Not stated by the vendor.
Cool Reader: Not stated by the vendor.
Readwise Reader: Not stated by the vendor.
Which ebook reader apps tools are open source?
Readest, Calibre E-book, Cool Reader.
Which ebook reader apps tools can you host yourself?
Storyteller. The other 12 are hosted by the vendor only.
What should you use instead of Thorium Reader?
Look at Readest (made for Readers who move between laptop, phone and E Ink and want notes to follow) and BookFusion (made for Collectors who want a hosted library reachable from every device, priced by storage), which hold places two and three.
Who should not buy Thorium Reader?
Anyone who wants to read on a phone or tablet. The page lists only Windows 10 and 11, macOS and Linux, so there is no phone or tablet edition to carry a library around..
If your ebook reader apps product belongs among these 13, tell us what it does and who it is for. Inclusion is an editorial call; what a listing is and is not is set out under software advice.
