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I do a lot of reading and I’m a big fan of the digital revolution in the world of publishing. Nothing beats the feel and smell of a fresh new book, but on the other side of the spectrum, nothing beats the portability and convenience of an eBook The Kindle was mocked when it first debuted, but now it has become a staple for next generation readers.
You can start collecting the library of Kindle books even before buying a Kindle e-reader. There are many free Kindle apps available for computers and smartphones/tablets, including Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, and BlackBerry operating systems. The Kindle reader on Mac is ideal for people that purchase, rent or borrow books from Amazon, which supplies the largest digital book collection. When you sign in to your Amazon account, you can access all Amazon books in your library.
I’ll say it up front: the Kindle app for Android is pretty nice. The text is extremely readable, the preferences aren’t too rigid, and it aids in immersing the reader into the story. However, it has its own set of flaws (get around it with DRM removalHow To Break The DRM On Kindle eBooks So You Can Enjoy Them AnywhereHow To Break The DRM On Kindle eBooks So You Can Enjoy Them AnywhereWhen you pay Amazon some money for a Kindle eBook, you probably think it’s yours now. I mean, you paid some money, you got some content, and now you have it, just like any other...Read More) that send readers looking for an alternative that’s just as good.
Looking to get away from Amazon, the Kindle, and DRM? Here are some of the best ebook reading apps that I’ve found on Android over the years. I’ve used each of them at some point in my life and I’ve been satisfied with all of them. Hopefully they work well for you, too.
Mantano Reader
Mantano Reader has been my favorite Android ebook reading appMantano Reader: Effortlessly Read Ebooks On Your Android For Free!Mantano Reader: Effortlessly Read Ebooks On Your Android For Free!A few months back, I wrote an article about Aldiko Book Reader, an ebook reading app for Android. I thought it was a great app that could’ve used a few more features. I think I’ve...Read More for a long time – almost a year now. If I had to sum up in one word why I love this app so much, it would have to be polish. Everything from the main screen to the book selection to the actual reading, the whole experience just feels top notch and clean. This reader is capable of displaying both EPUB and PDF files. I get that Amazon’s ebooks are in the MOBI format with DRM on top, but if you can find a program to convert to EPUBCalibre: Hands-Down, The Best eBook Manager AvailableCalibre: Hands-Down, The Best eBook Manager AvailableElectronic media is no doubt more prevalent today than it ever has been. The Internet is at the core of it all, and because of it we have eBooks, web articles, and news from electronic...Read More, you will have a great time with Mantano.
Once you’ve transferred your EPUBs onto your device, Mantano has a quick and easy scan-and-import system that’ll get you ready in mere minutes. The free version has enough customization to satisfy you but not much beyond that. However, just the organization of it all and the design of its interface is enough to win me over. A few additional features include book sorting, annotation (marking with notes), and tagging your ebooks for filtering. The free version is ad-supported and the Pro version costs $7 USD.
FBReader
FBReader is a huge contender in the free ebook reader category for Android – that much is obvious when you see that it has a 4.5 stars rating with more than 42,000 votes on Google Play. I’ve rarely seen an app get such high praise from so many users, which can only mean that this app is doing something right. FBReader supports more formats than a usual reader would, including EPUB, RTF, FB2, and MOBI.
The app also allows for a good deal of customization: fonts, paragraph settings, text margins, color themes, and more. Yet with all of that available, it’s still blazing fast and doesn’t bog down my phone or drain my battery. If you want to make use of FBReader, you’ll need to transfer your ebook files to your device. The great thing is that if you can strip your Amazon ebooks of DRM, FBReader can read them just fine.
Moon+ Reader
There was a brief period of time when I used Moon+ Reader as my default reader. Feature-wise, it’s fantastic. Aesthetics-wise, it’s beautiful. But something about it just doesn’t click with me, so I prefer to use one of the two readers listed above. With that said, Moon+ Reader is probably the absolute best free ebook reader on the market right now. It supports the most number of formats that I’ve ever seen: EPUB, MOBI, CHM, CBR, CBZ, UMD, FB2, ZIP, RAR, HTML, and TXT.
You can customize almost any aspect of the reading experience, including 10 different themes, paragraphs and margins, page flipping style, swipe gestures, and more. The interface design is smart and efficient, too. Moon+ Reader is free and supported with ads, but you can upgrade to Pro for $5 USD and unlock a whole slew of advanced-but-not-necessary features like reading statistics, Bluetooth control, password protection, etc.
Aldiko Book Reader
Aldiko Book Reader was my first ebook reader on AndroidNeed An eBook Reader For Android? Try Aldiko Book Reader!Need An eBook Reader For Android? Try Aldiko Book Reader!As someone who has recently been getting sucked into reading more and more novels, I’ve been on the prowl for the best ebook readers on Android. So far, nothing has matched the sheer power and...Read More and, as such, it will always hold a special place in my heart. For a few months, Aldiko underwent a stagnant period of no updates and its reputation suffered a bit, but it seems like the development team has brought everything back on its feet. Here’s why Aldiko is so superb: it supports EPUBs, PDFs, and DRM-protected MOBIs from Amazon.
Yes, that’s right – with Aldiko, you can actually read your Amazon-purchased ebooks without having to convert them or strip away DRM (which can violate your Amazon terms of service). On top of that, Aldiko has a fantastic interface, lots of customization, and good performance. The free version of Aldiko is great but supported by ads. You can upgrade to the Premium version for $3 USD, which has a few more features, no ads, and receives updates faster than the free version.
Conclusion
Amazon is without a doubt the market master when it comes to digital books. No other retailer is as large or comprehensive as they are, yet there exist alternatives that aren’t too shabby. Most non-Amazon retailers will sell their ebooks in the EPUB format, and for those you can use the free Android ebook readers listed above. They’re all great and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with any of them. That said, if there are any other apps that can give Amazon a run for its money on the Android, please share them. I, personally, would benefit greatly from it and I know there are other readers who would benefit as well.
Image Credits: Ebook Phone Via Shutterstock
Ebooks are a great way to enjoy literature – they’re cheaper than print books due to the lack of print and distribution costs (and completely free if the work is in the public domain), and you start reading seconds after buying one.
You don’t need a specialist device like a Kindle either thanks to the many free ebook readers available for your desktop. These are particularly good for students who want to reference texts in their work, add annotations, or refer to online resources.
So what makes a good ebook reader? For general use, a clear layout and the ability to sync your bookshelf across multiple devices are essential; for students, note-taking and bookmarks are essential; and for anyone who sometimes struggles with their eyesight, text-to-speech and one-click font customization are welcome additions.
- Thinking of buying a Kindle? Find the right one for you
1. Kindle for PC
The best free ebook reader, whether you use Amazon or not
Amazon’s official Kindle app for Windows (as well as Mac and mobile devices) is smart and stylish, and although it tempts you with reading suggestions from the Kindle store, the sales pitch isn’t too in-your-face.
There’s no setup necessary if you already have an Amazon account. Just log in with your usual username and password and your virtual shelves will be populated automatically (though you’ll have to click a book’s cover to download it, so bear this in mind if you’re planning some offline reading). Notes and bookmarks are synced across devices automatically, as are flashcards – an extremely useful addition for students using digital textbooks for revision.
Kindle for Windows also includes text-to-speech function, and changing font sizes and color schemes is as simple as clicking or tapping a button.
2. Freda
Premium features for free – Freda is a real rival to Amazon’s crown
Freda (from the delightfully-named Turnipsoft) is a superb ebook reader that integrates with Project Gutenberg, giving you access to thousands of free ebooks, and Smashwords, where you can find works from independent authors and publishers. Importing your own ebooks is a piece of cake too, with support for all the most popular formats. You can even connect Freda to your Dropbox account enabling you to access books from multiple devices.
Freda supports bookmarks, annotations and highlighting, making it a good choice for students. There’s also text-to-speech for anyone who has trouble with text on screens, as well as auto-scroll and speed-read – a tool that works much like Spritz, displaying words in quick succession so you can read without moving your eyes.
Freda is funded by ads, but these are discreet and are only visible on the bookshelf screen; they won’t interrupt your reading.
3. Calibre
An open source ebook reader that’s a great choice for students
Calibre is an open source ebook reader and manager that’s lightweight and lightning-fast. Unlike many free ebook readers, Calibre supports Amazon’s AWZ format (though it won’t open DRM-protected files) as well as all the other popular ebook file types, and if any metadata is missing (such as genre or cover art), you can add it yourself using the bookshelf’s options menu.
One of Calibre’s best features is Reference Mode, which displays the current chapter and paragraph number in the top left – ideal if you need to cite references in an essay. We also like Flow Mode, where text is shown as a continuous scrolling stream without page breaks; not as pleasant as simulated page-turning for recreational reading, but a handy time-saver to avoid flicking backwards and forwards through a textbook.
4. Sumatra PDF
A PDF, ebook and comic reader that's ideal for multiple PCs
Kindle App For Macbook
Kindle Reader For Pc
Despite its name, Sumatra PDF is a great little ebook reader, capable of displaying books in EPUB and MOBI format, as well as comic books in CBZ and CBR comic books.
Sumatra PDF is a portable app, so you can save it to a USB stick or cloud storage service and use it on any PC. You can save your ebooks in the same place too, eliminating the need to sync your library.
It’s easy to adjust basic settings like font size, but Sumatra PDF’s advanced options can only be edited by opening a text file and typing in new values. If you want to change the page color, for example, you’ll need to find the hex code for your preferred shade and enter it on the appropriate line. It’s not difficult, but we’d prefer a graphical interface.
There’s no way to add notes or highlights, but the convenience of carrying your ebook library and reader anywhere might outweigh those drawbacks for you.
5. Icecream Ebook Reader
A stylish free ebook reader, but lacking advanced features
Download Kindle For Macbook Air
Icecream specializes in smart, no-frills software, and Icecream Ebook Reader is no exception. It supports EPUB, MOBI, PDF and FB2 ebook formats, and once you’ve imported your books they’re arranged in a neat bookshelf with a choice of viewing options. One particularly handy feature is the ability to archive and export your ebooks; ideal if you use more than one PC and don’t want the hassle of importing your books twice. There’s no cloud syncing though.
The reader itself is similar to the Kindle app in appearance, with one-click (or tap) buttons for changing font size, color theme (day, night, or sepia), and viewing the table of contents.
Unfortunately, some of the options you can see in the menus are only available if you hand over US$19.95 (about £15, AU$25) for the Pro version. Premium features include importing multiple ebooks simultaneously, adding notes, editing metadata, and copying text.
Kindle Reader Download For Pc
The free version of Icecream Ebook Reader is quick and very easy to use, but only really suitable for recreational reading. Students will find the lack of note-taking and copying frustrating.
- Want to write your own ebook? Check out the best free software for writers