Book lovers no longer lack choices when it comes to 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
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 there are so many niche and indie titles available, but there are also a large number of mainstream books available like the entire Harry Potter book series.
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.
The Media 365 library stores eBooks in 15 different 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 own ebooks, with EPUB, PDF, AZW3, CBC, CBR, CBZ, CHM, FB2, LIT, MOBI, TCR, AI, and PUB formats all being supported.
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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.
Best eBook Reader for Comic Book Fans: Comixology
- The ComiXology Unlimited service is limited to the United States only.
- Closing a comic book isn’t as smooth as it could be.
The digital comic books can be downloaded to the iOS, Android, or Kinde Fire apps and read in the traditional fullscreen view or in a new animated panel-by-panel style called Cinematic Guided View. The latter method is ideal for smaller screens, as it zooms in on each panel individually, making the script easier to read.
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The Windows app is incredibly outdated, and the Facebook login doesn’t work.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.
Along with these, the Kobo app is 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 on a more regular basis and offers more features. The desktop app also works on Macs.
Best Reading App for Kids: Epic!
Epic! is kind of 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 then customize their profiles based on their personal tastes.
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.
While a lot of the classic children’s books are available to download, there are also a lot of modern releases as well, such as one series of books covering famous pop culture icons. Children can also choose from a selection of family-friendly comic books, such as Snoopy and The Smurfs, and numerous short video clips created by DreamWorksTV.
Best iPhone eBook Reader App: Yomu EBook Reader
The Yomu EBook Reader is a fantastic app for iPhone and iPad users who download their ebooks in a variety of file formats and want to bring them all together for a cohesive reading experience.
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.
PDF eBook Reading App: Foxit PDF Reader
Foxit PDF Reader Mobile is one of the better PDF apps out there and is an ideal solution for those who prefer to consume ebooks in the PDF file format. Unlike many similar apps that simply 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 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.
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 will be able to import downloaded files directly from the share feature while using other apps as well. A monthly subscription is needed to take advantage of a lot of the 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
AIReader is a very popular reading app on Android due to its support for older Android smartphones and tablets that are running operating systems as out-of-date as Android 2.3. It should be mentioned that a lot 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 and most major file types will work no matter which Android device you’re on.
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.
Best Reading App on Nintendo Switch: Inky Pen
Most would think the Nintendo Switch is just for playing games, but its library of non-game apps has been slowly growing since launch. One of these apps, Inky Pen, is a full-fledged comic book reading app, which lets anyone read full digital issues from popular comic book series right on their Switch.
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.
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 particularly cool is the app works when the Nintendo Switch is docked so comics can be read on a TV by a group.
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.
The good thing is Google Play Books doesn’t need a subscription service to use. It can be used to enjoy a purchased ebook or audiobook one weekend, then ignored for a week or so without feeling any 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 also has some of the best page turn animations out of all of the book reading apps out there.
Google Play Books is a very solid reading app, especially for those immersed in the Google ecosystem.
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