There are a lot of great e-readers out there. I tested them all... and I have thoughts. (Rick Broida/Yahoo)
E-books rule. As far back as PalmPilot PDA days, I've loved having novels in my pocket for anytime, anywhere reading. Now my phone affords me that privilege, but it's not my preferred e-reading device. The screen is narrow and, at night, hard on the eyes. Its battery struggles already without long stretches of page-flipping. And the distractions, oy: e-mail, text messages, TikTok, Wordle. That's why I prefer a dedicated e-reader, something that's easy on the peepers, free of glare outdoors and devoid of distractions, with a battery that lasts for weeks instead of hours.
The best e-reader is probably an Amazon Kindle, right? Maybe, maybe not. I tested some very interesting alternatives; see below to figure out which book tablet belongs on your nightstand — or in your pocket. (Speaking of tablets, be sure to also check out our roundup of the best tablets and the best tablets for kids.)
Beyond hardware, features and price, the single most important consideration for an e-reader is its ecosystem: Where do the books come from? For example, when you buy an e-book from Amazon, it's immediately added to your Kindle library, which is accessible on your Kindle e-reader. Same goes for the Kobo eBooks store and Kobo eReaders. A key question is whether you want to lock yourself into a single ecosystem — and the answer may depend on whether you're already part of one.
You can learn more about all that (and more) below the reviews. Just note that for this list we intentionally bypassed products that have limited or non-mainstream e-book ecosystems, often requiring you to "side-load" books — a task we suspect most readers will find unwelcome. Convenience is a big part of the joy of e-reading; it shouldn't require more than a tap or two to find and download a new book.
Table of contents:
Update, Aug. 11, 2025: We checked all product prices and availability and made small updates to our Kobo and Kindle Colorsoft reviews. Our number-one pick for the best e-reader remains unchanged.
Weight: 7.4 ounces | Screen size and resolution: 7 inches, 300 PPI | Water resistance: IPX8 | Rated battery life: 10 weeks | Ecosystem: Amazon | Storage: 16GB | Supports audiobooks: Yes
It's hard to argue with success. Amazon all but pioneered the e-reader, and this 2024 model — the 11th-generation Paperwhite, if you can believe that — approaches perfection. Great design, great screen, plenty of storage and Amazon's virtually unrivaled book selection, all for a reasonable $160.
There's no larger e-bookstore than the one Amazon hosts for the Kindle; you can find pretty much anything and everything, from bestsellers to self-published works to all that lives in between. As with print books, Amazon often discounts Kindle titles.
Meanwhile, an optional Kindle Unlimited subscription ($12 monthly, with a free three-month trial included here) affords access to a sizable collection of e-books, audiobooks, magazines and more. Even better, you can check out public-library books (for free, of course, courtesy of the Libby app) and read them on your Kindle as well. (Alas, you have to do this off-device; the Kindle doesn't integrate with Libby the way Kobo's e-readers do.)
I like the Paperwhite's 7-inch screen, which is a touch larger than the previous-gen's 6.8-incher, but without any increase to overall device size. It strikes me as just about the ideal size for comfortable reading, and while the 2024 Paperwhite is a smidgen heavier than its predecessor, it's still comfortable to hold for long stretches.
If you often read at bedtime, you'll appreciate the "warmth" slider as well; it shifts the white cast of the screen to a more evening-friendly amber. Or you can switch to Dark Mode, which turns the background black and makes the text white. (This is my preferred mode for reading in bed with the lights off.)
Why the Paperwhite over the baseline Kindle, which costs $50 less? That's an excellent choice as well (and it's our favorite budget e-reader, as you'll see below), but ultimately I chose the Paperwhite due to its larger screen and flush-front design, which makes page-turn swipes just a little more comfortable. (Even so, I miss having physical page-turn buttons. Amazon no longer offers even one Kindle model that has them.)
The Paperwhite is also waterproof, an important consideration for those who like to read poolside or in the tub. Finally, Amazon promises up to 12 weeks of battery life, a huge boost over the stock Kindle's six weeks. You'll cruise through an awful lot of books before needing to even look at a charging cable.
I'm still waiting for Amazon to add some basic library-organization tools to the Kindle ecosystem, and maybe streamline the overall UI as well. Even so, after all these years I'm used to it and comfortable with it, so those are just wish-list items at this point.
Ultimately, the Kindle Paperwhite was a pretty easy pick as our top e-reader overall. It already has legions of fans, and it's easy to see why.
Weight: 5.5 ounces | Screen size and resolution: 6 inches, 300 PPI | Water resistance: None | Rated battery life: 6 weeks | Ecosystem: Amazon | Storage: 16GB | Supports audiobooks: Yes
I came very, very close to naming the baseline Kindle our top pick overall, because it's less expensive than the Paperwhite but just as capable. The Kindle ecosystem, the optional Unlimited subscription, the Libby library compatibility — it's all here. Only a few relatively minor features separate this model from the Paperwhite.
For starters, it's a bit smaller and lighter, which might actually be preferable for some users. Of course, that means a slightly smaller battery as well, though a rated battery of life of six weeks (instead of 12) is hardly a deal breaker. Quite the opposite: It's splendid.
Unlike the Paperwhite's, this Kindle's screen doesn't sit flush with the plastic bezel surrounding it, meaning that when you swipe to turn pages, your finger often grazes that bezel. Ideal? No. More than a tiny annoyance? Also no.
This model is much brighter than its predecessor, and in fact it's actually a little brighter than the 2024 Paperwhite (as discussed in my review, linked below).
Arguably the only real shortcoming here is a lack of waterproofing, something to consider if you like to read near — or in — water. Assuming that's not of importance to you, this Kindle is an excellent choice.
To learn more, read my complete Amazon Kindle 11th Generation review.
Weight: 6.1 ounces | Screen size and resolution: 6 inches, 300 PPI (150 PPI color) | Water resistance: IPX8 | Rated battery life: 5 weeks | Ecosystem: Kobo | Storage: 16GB | Supports audiobooks: Yes
As a longtime Kindle user, I didn't think I could be swayed by a non-Kindle e-reader. I was wrong — very, very wrong. The Kobo Clara Color impressed me at every turn, to the point where if I didn't already have such a substantial Kindle library, I'd give serious consideration to switching.
Why? For starters, I like the interface better. It's streamlined and intuitive; I immediately felt comfortable using it. If someone were brand-new to e-readers and not particularly tech-savvy, I'd steer them to a Kobo over a Kindle.
Then, of course, there's the color screen. Is color really necessary in an e-reader? I'd say it's simply nice to have, especially for browsing book covers or reading books or PDFs that have color photos or illustrations. (Think: cookbooks.)
Just remember that this isn't the same screen technology used by phones and tablets; color e-ink looks quite muted in comparison. The Clara isn't great for the likes of magazines and comic books (which I find too cramped on a screen of this size anyway), especially considering the color content is rendered at a slightly fuzzy 150 PPI, half the resolution of grayscale content.
The good news is that with the front-light active, the screen actually appears brighter and whiter than the Kindle Paperwhite's; the latter seems gray and a little drab when viewed alongside it.
One huge Kobo plus is OverDrive integration: If there's an e-book available for checkout from your library, you can borrow it directly via the Clara. Compare that with the Kindle, where you need to take the extra step of checking out the book using the Libby library app on your phone or PC. (Note: Although OverDrive now operates as Libby, Kobo still employs the former's nomenclature. According to a company rep, users will still be able to able to check out library books, name discrepancy notwithstanding.)
Another interesting integration: Instapaper, a web-clipping service that allows web pages to be saved for later, offline, reading. This takes the place of Pocket, which shut down in mid-2025. At this writing, Kobo had yet to complete the transition to Instapaper, but it should work similarly and will therefore remain a nice perk for those who use it.
All that's missing is Hoopla, the library e-book and audiobook service I use almost as often as Libby. I was briefly hopeful the Clara's web browser — currently available in the Beta Features section — would give me access, but the Hoopla site simply wouldn't load properly. (For what it's worth, the Kindle's browser can't load it, either.)
That aside, I think the only real downside here is the Kobo bookstore, which, perhaps unsurprisingly, has fewer selections than Amazon's Kindle store. That's in part due to the latter's robust exclusives and indie-publishing arms. For example, if you're looking for current sensation Freida McFadden, you won't find her e-books on Kobo. (Her audiobooks are there, though.) And because Kobo's store draws considerably less user traffic, there are fewer book ratings and reviews.
It's worth noting that you can get the Kobo Clara BW for $30 less. Save for its black-and-white screen, it's identical — and another excellent budget e-reader choice. But while the Clara Colour's color may not be dazzling, for just a few bucks more it's definitely nice to have.
Weight: 7.1 ounces | Screen size and resolution: 7 inches, 300 PPI (150 PPI color) | Water resistance: IPX8 | Rated battery life: 5 weeks | Ecosystem: Kobo | Storage: 32GB | Supports audiobooks: Yes
Shots fired, Amazon. The Kobo Libra Colour brings not only a color screen to the e-reader wars but also physical page-turn buttons and an optional stylus. That means it challenges both the discontinued Kindle Oasis and the note-minded Kindle Scribe, respectively.
Speaking of the Oasis, the Libra's design is quite similar. Available in black or a snazzy off-white, it sports a slightly larger version of the Kobo Clara's color e-ink screen. (See the above review for my thoughts on color's importance — or lack thereof — in an e-reader.)
The Libra is comfortable to hold in just about any orientation, thanks in part to the thicker bezel along one side and the auto-rotating screen. Within that bezel are two roomy page-turn buttons, a feature that's hard to live without once you start using it. (Why Amazon no longer offers it on any Kindle is a mystery.)
As with the Clara BW and Colour, I like the fast, intuitive Kobo interface, particularly the built-in OverDrive and Instapaper support. The Libra Colour goes a step further here by also integrating Dropbox and Google Drive, making it easy to access existing documents and sync new ones.
The value of this device increases significantly if you add the Kobo Stylus 2 ($70). It's a comfortable metal pen with an inline function button, an "eraser" up top and magnets that securely snap it to the side of the reader. It allows you to create all manner of documents (to-do lists, sheet music, monthly planners, etc.), and to my surprise, the Libra can do basic OCR (optical character recognition): It will convert your handwritten notes to text. In my tests, it did surprisingly well recognizing my chicken scratch.
That puts it well ahead of the Kindle Scribe's comparatively limited OCR capabilities, but here's the real news: You can write notes directly on book pages. Underline a passage, draw an illustration, scribble in the margins, you name it. The Scribe doesn't allow that (except in a very limited number of books).
Granted, with the screen spanning just seven inches, you don't have a ton of room for all this writing. And while the stylus experience is fast and pleasant overall, the tip lacks that slight pencil-on-paper resistance you get writing on the Scribe.
That's a minor nit-pick, though. The reality is the Libra Colour is a more capable device than either the Paperwhite or Scribe. It simply shares the same limitation as the Claras: A bookstore with a smaller (though hardly small) catalog.
Given that Amazon doesn't even offer a color Kindle right now, there's no question this is the top pick if you want a color e-reader — especially one with robust note-taking capabilities as well. I like the Libra Colour a lot, and I'm damn close to loving it.
Weight: 6 ounces | Screen size and resolution: 6.1 inches, 300 PPI | Water resistance: Not rated | Rated battery life: Not provided | Ecosystem: Google Play | Storage: 128GB (expandable) | Supports audiobooks: Yes
Want the distraction-free e-ink goodness of a Kindle but the pocket-friendly form factor of a phone? That's the Boox Palma 2 in a nutshell. It's so phone-like, in fact, it even runs a specialized version of Android 13, complete with Google Play Store access to apps like Kindle, Kobo, Audible, Hoopla, Libby and more. That makes this one of the most versatile e-readers in the roundup.
It's also one of the more complex, with no thanks to the tiny quick-start guide. For example, it's not immediately clear which button turns on the device. Once you do power up, the OS walks you through basic setup — including the gestures used for navigation — but doesn't help you get connected to Wi-Fi or set up the fingerprint reader.
The latter, a new feature in the Palma 2, is integrated into the power button, much like on some phones and tablets. Honestly it seems a bit superfluous on an e-reader.
The learning curve continues with the various display settings, which includes options like Dark Color Enhancement and Light Color Filter. What's the difference? And this is not a color screen, by the way. Even though I'm reasonably familiar with Android, I found the Palma rather confusing in places.
That said, once I installed my preferred reading and listening apps, everything was smooth sailing. It was nice to have access to Hoopla, Audible and the like on a device that wasn't my phone. I liked the additional right-side buttons that can be used for volume, scrolling or page-turning, and set independently for specific apps. (Example: volume for Audible, page-turning for Hoopla.) And I especially liked the built-in speaker, nice for those times you want to listen to an audiobook without headphones.
There's even a camera built in, though it's used primarily for document scanning. The Palma can convert pages to PDFs and even perform OCR (turning those pages into raw text). It works reasonably well, and it's definitely a feature not found in any Kindle.
What I struggle with here is the price. At $280, this costs more than anything in Amazon's Kindle lineup, despite having a smaller screen. Granted, it offers considerably more storage, a camera, an LED flashlight and so on, but I can't shake the feeling that this should be a sub-$200 device.
I also feel like if I'm going to carry something the size of my phone, maybe it should just be my phone. Nevertheless, I'm truly impressed by the Boox Palma 2, a slick and versatile e-reader that's uniquely portable.
Weight: 15.3 ounces | Screen size and resolution: 10.2 inches, 300 PPI | Water resistance: None | Rated battery life: 12 weeks | Ecosystem: Amazon | Storage: 16GB | Supports audiobooks: Yes
It may seem questionable to lump the Kindle Scribe in with other e-readers, because it's also a stylus-powered notetaking device. But if we're proceeding from the assumption that you prefer Amazon's ecosystem and want the largest possible screen for reading books, this is your Kindle.
As an e-reader the Scribe has much in common with the Kindle Paperwhite Special Edition, including automatic brightness adjustment and an adjustable "warm" light that tones down the whiteness of the screen in favor of a more evening-friendly amber cast.
It can also automatically rotate the screen when you turn it 180 degrees, nice for lefties who want to hold the thicker end of the bezel in their dominant hand. However, I wish it would auto-rotate 90 degrees as well for landscape, two-column reading. To get that view, you have to venture into any given book's layout settings.
I also wish Amazon had added page-turn buttons, which seem like a no-brainer in a premium e-reader. Alas, you either have to swipe with your finger or tap with the stylus.
The Scribe makes a particularly good choice for readers who have vision issues, as you can increase the font size significantly and still fit a decent amount of text onscreen. (Do that on a smaller Kindle and you're lucky to fit a few sentences at a time.)
There's a huge secondary benefit here as well, and that's the included plastic stylus that allows you to add handwritten notes to your books and create all manner of digital notebooks: lists, storyboards, monthly planners, sheet music and so on. The writing experience is superb; it really feels like putting pencil to paper, and all the Scribe's writing tools are pressure- and angle-sensitive: Lines get thicker when you press a little harder with the stylus or write at an angle.
Those are the broad, er, strokes. If you want to know more, read my complete Kindle Scribe review.
Amazon Fire HD 8: This is a full-on tablet, not an e-reader, but I think it deserves a mention because it's affordably priced ($100, and frequently discounted) and perfectly serviceable for e-book duty. It's a de facto Kindle, of course, but also compatible with apps like Libby and Hoopla. The screen isn't as sharp or paper-like as a proper e-reader's, and it's on the heavier side at 12 ounces. There's less freedom from distraction, too. Read my Fire HD 8 review to learn more about this option.
Boox Go Color 7: I love the Boox Go Color 7 on paper, but less as paper. Stocked with a color e-ink screen, it's thin and light, with physical page-turn buttons, a speaker and the same Google Play Store access as the Boox Palma. But its user interface is even more perplexing, and I encountered several problems with the Hoopla app. Screen flashes and ghosting proved an annoyance as well, despite a lot of tweaking of the e-ink settings. Mostly, though, color just doesn't add much to the experience. Comics didn't look good, and the relatively small screen felt confining. That screen also looked a bit dark and grainy compared with the Palma's.
Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition: Amazon's first-ever color Kindle will undoubtedly appeal to die-hard fans, especially those with big existing libraries they want to maintain. But it's expensive. It lacks page-turn buttons. It produces the same muted colors as its above brethren. While this is undoubtedly the best color e-reader for Kindle users, the price tag suggests a more premium device than what you're getting. Read my complete Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition review to learn more. Similarly...
Amazon Kindle Colorsoft: The newest addition to the Colorsoft lineup is slightly more affordable — $30 less than the Signature Edition — but equipped with half the storage and missing a couple other amenities. In all other respects it's the same device, and with the same disappointments. Amazon should have priced this much lower. Read all about it in my full Kindle Colorsoft review.
Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition: For some extra cash on top of the Paperwhite's price, the SE doubles the storage (to 32GB), adds wireless charging (wholly unnecessary for a device that lasts 12 weeks on a charge) and automatically adjusts the screen brightness based on ambient lighting conditions. These are nice features to have but hardly essential. If I'm spending that much, how about physical page-turn buttons and cellular connectivity for when Wi-Fi isn't available? The Paperwhite SE is a great e-reader, no question, but I think the vast majority of buyers will be very happy with the non-SE model — if not the stock Kindle.
Kobo Clara BW: This is the Clara Colour's grayscale sibling, priced just a bit higher than the stock Kindle but offering the benefits of OverDrive and Pocket integrations. It's also waterproof, with an available "warm light" setting, two features not included with that Kindle. To get them, you'd need the Kindle Paperwhite, which costs $30 more (but also has a larger screen). So, yeah, the genuinely excellent Clara BW occupies a weird "middle space" between the Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite — but also between the Kindle and Clara Colour. All else being equal, I'd choose the latter. (See review, above.)
Remarkable Paper Pro: Although it has a large, color e-ink screen, the Paper Pro isn't really an e-reader; it's a dedicated writing tablet. An excellent one, but if you want books as well, you'll be disappointed: It doesn't support Kindle or Hoopla or any other such apps. The better-of-both-worlds options include the Boox Note Air 4 C and Kindle Scribe. To learn more, read my Remarkable Paper Pro review.
Audiobook support: If you like to listen as well as read, be sure to investigate an e-reader's audiobook capabilities. As with e-books, there's the ecosystem to consider — Kindles can play Audible and Libby content, for example — but you're also likely to need headphones or a speaker. All the e-readers here have Bluetooth capabilities for connecting to such devices. Only the Boox Palma has a built-in speaker as well.
Battery life: As noted earlier, most e-readers can run for weeks on a charge — provided you use them primarily for reading. That means you should be able to take a trip without having to bring along a charging cord. However, if you listen to audiobooks, the battery will drain much more quickly. Keep in mind too that rated battery life is often based on relatively low screen brightness, with wireless features turned off. For example, the Kobo Libra Colour "lasts up to 40 days, based on 30 minutes of reading per day with the front light at 30% brightness and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless technology off."
Dark mode: If you're reading in bed with the lights off, an e-reader still glows a fair bit, which may be a nuisance to your partner. Enter dark mode, which turns the background black and makes the text white. All Kindle models offer this desirable option, and the Kobos do as well. Unfortunately, the otherwise great Boox Palma doesn't have a global dark-mode setting; only its native reader app supports it.
E-book ecosystem: Although most e-readers can open PDF, ePUB and other e-book formats, it's important to consider the core ecosystem. If you're looking to buy mainstream books for a Kindle, for example, you'll need to shop Amazon's bookstore. Kobo eReaders are similarly limited to the Kobo bookstore. So if you've already purchased some Kindle books and decide to buy, say, a Kobo Clara Colour, you won't be have access to those Kindle titles. That's the advantage to something like a Boox e-reader, which runs Android apps and can therefore access nearly all e-book ecosystems, same as a phone or tablet.
Screen resolution: Unlike phone and tablet screens, e-reader screens are typically measured in pixels per inch (PPI). The higher the number, the sharper text will look. Interestingly, nearly every e-reader in this roundup has a 300-PPI display — including Kobo's color models, though those downshift to 150 PPI when displaying color content.
Storage: E-books are mostly text, and therefore consume precious little memory. The baseline Amazon Kindle has 16GB of storage, enough to hold literally thousands of books. Audiobooks are larger — the average 10-hour book consumes around 300MB — but even so, you could fit a dozen of them and still have storage to spare. A handful of models, namely those in the Boox lineup, have microSD expansion slots for expanding the available space. That's a nice option but not essential if you're just reading books.
Water resistance: Do you like to read in the tub? Or by the pool? Make sure to choose an e-reader that can withstand splashes, if not an inadvertent full dunk. That leaves out the standard Amazon Kindle; it offers no water resistance to speak of. The Kindle Paperwhite, on the other hand, is fully waterproof, as is the Kobo Clara.
I consider color a fairly superfluous feature for an e-reader, as most books are just straight text. That said, it's nice to have if you like to read comics or add multicolor highlights to book passages. Just be prepared: Color e-ink is a far cry from a typical phone or tablet screen; it's nowhere near as sharp or vibrant.
Two reasons: comfort and battery life. The popular iPad 10.9 (which is our pick for the best tablet, in case you're interested) weighs just over a pound; the Amazon Kindle weighs 5.5 ounces, meaning it's much easier to hold for long periods of time (and much lighter in your carry-on bag). Even the iPad Mini is 10.3 ounces, nearly double the weight of a Kindle.
Meanwhile, tablets often tout "all-day" battery life, but most e-readers (thanks to their e-ink screens) can last well over a week on a charge, if not several weeks. (Amazon promises up to 10 weeks on the Kindle Paperwhite.)
That depends on your library, of course, but many, if not most, work with digital e-book lending services like Hoopla and Libby. The question is whether those books can be viewed on your e-reader. When you check out a title using Libby, for example, there's a "read on Kindle" option that makes it available in your Kindle library. Hoopla doesn't have that option; you have to read those e-books in the Hoopla app. That's where something like the Boox comes in; it can run the Hoopla app and countless others.
Using Wi-Fi. Much like your phone and computer, e-readers can connect to Wi-Fi networks to download e-books and audiobooks. Once you've downloaded something, you can extend battery life by disabling Wi-Fi until you need it again. (If you use multiple devices, however, leave it turned on so your book progress will synchronize between them.)