Top Android E-Book Readers

Android offers apps for all the major e-book marketplaces

By
Marziah Karch
Marziah Karch
Marziah Karch
Writer
  • Michigan State University
  • Emporia State University
Marziah Karch is a former writer for Lifewire who also excels at Serious Game Design and develops online help systems, manuals, and interactive training modules.
lifewire's editorial guidelines
Updated on May 4, 2020
Android

Because e-books are mostly platform independent, a variety of apps—some of which work with various e-book vendor ecosystems—work great with the Android platform so you can browse your books in the perfect app that meets your needs.

All of the apps below should be equally available no matter which company makes your Android phone: Samsung, Google, Huawei, Xiaomi, etc.

01
of 04

The Kindle App

Man using Kindle at a Frankfurt Book Fair

Hannelore Foerster/Getty Images
What We Like

  • Minimal and easy-to-use design.

  • Compatible with other devices.

  • Several viewing and sorting options.

What We Don't Like

  • Difficult to export books to other readers.

  • Can be slow to load books.

  • No direct support for EPUB files.

Amazon.com's Kindle reader is a huge hit. One of the things that make it so popular, aside from access to a huge library of Kindle books on Amazon.com, is that Amazon offers an app for just about any device you own, and it remembers where you left off from any internet-connected device, so you can start reading on your iPhone and finish on your Android tablet. Now that isn't true of some sideloaded books, but it is true of your Amazon purchases.

Amazon's books are meant to stay in Kindle readers. It's a walled garden. They mainly use a proprietary format (azw or mobi) rather than the industry-standard ePub format used by all the other readers, and that locks you into staying with Amazon. You can convert non-protected book files, but it's an extra step. All of these other readers allow you greater freedom in moving your libraries around. 

Kindle Unlimited

Amazon offers a rental option called Kindle Unlimited that allows you to read from a large selection of the books available from Amazon (not all of them) for $9.99 per month. The deal also includes Audible narration for some books and a selection of e-magazines, and you can read through the Kindle app—no Kindle device required. If you find yourself buying more than one book or magazine per month, this option may be the most cost effective. Not all authors participate in Kindle Unlimited. Some see the service as less than beneficial for writers, as author John Scalzi explains.

Books you download with Kindle Unlimited expire when you stop paying for the service. 

02
of 04

Google Play Books

Google Play Books

Screenshot
What We Like

  • Well-organized store.

  • Sorting options.

  • Very easy to use.

What We Don't Like

  • Includes other Google Play services.

  • Unable to save downloaded books to external drives.

"Google Play Books" refers to both an app and a store. You buy books from the books section of Google Play (or any other ePub seller) and then read them on your Android phone or tablet or on Google Play's website. You can also upload ePub books you've purchased elsewhere. It makes for a great, centralized library space, and it transfers from device to device, so long as you can install the Google Play Books app. Google Play also allows you to rent select textbooks. 

You cannot install the Google Play app on Kindle Fire devices, so you will have to use an alternate reader, such as the Nook or Kobo app on Kindle Fires. 

03
of 04

The Nook App

Dracula ebook on nook ereader app

 Screenshot
What We Like

  • Smooth page transitions.

  • Unique features.

  • Several sorting choices.

  • Lots of customizable settings.

What We Don't Like

  • Cannot purchase books directly through the app.

  • The app is sometimes buggy.

The Nook Reader is Barns & Noble's baby, but it suffers an uncertain future as Barns & Noble shuts down portions of the store. The Nook reader is actually a pretty nice tablet, but it uses a modified version of Android that excludes you from Google Play. You're not locked into the Nook tablet to read Nook books. You can download the Nook app and still access your library on Android devices (and even the Kindle Fire). Nook books use the ePub standard, so they are compatible with most reading apps. 

04
of 04

The Kobo App

Kobo Reader

Screenshot
What We Like

  • No user account required to browse.

  • Lots of filtering options.

  • Helpful organization techniques.

  • Unique page-flipping options.

What We Don't Like

  • Limited category selection.

  • Poor browsing experience.

The Kobo reader was loosely affiliated with Borders, but not tightly enough to collapse when Borders did. Kobo was ultimately purchased by Rakuten. Kobo offers a separate bookstore and sells books and magazines in ePUB format. However, it's at a disadvantage to the other more popular stores when it comes to content. It's actually superior to both of them when it comes to importing content. You can get separately purchased DRM-free books onto the Kobo reader with a lot less fussing than you can on the Nook or Kindle app. 

Other Options

To avoid Amazon, Nook, or Kindle, use one of many paid and free alternative options, such as Moon Reader or Aldiko. Nearly all readers are compatible with the ePub standard, so you can read DRM-free books you have purchased from bookstores other than Kindle.

You should also ask your local public library about their digital book selections. Many allow you to check out and read digital library books without having to visit the library in person. You may need to install a separate app, such as Overdrive, to take advantage of the service.

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