Author: Nicolas | Last update:
Here's the comparison of electronic ebook readers (or ereaders) for the year 2023: Kindle, Kobo, Pocketbook, Meebook, etc.
After years of reviewing e-readers, I'm beginning to know a thing or two about them.
So, every month, I compile the latest information, reviews and rumors and deduce which are the best e-readers to buy.
This guide will be very useful when it comes to (buying) a e-reader. By reading this page you should be able to buy the e-reader that suits you best.
Yes !
A number of new e-readers (6" screen and over) have been released in recent months:
If you want a good, inexpensive 6" e-reader, there's plenty to choose from at Amazon Kindle, Pocketbook and Kobo, with great models like the new Kindle, Kobo Nia or the Pocketbook Verse and Pocketbook Verse Pro.
If you want a large-format Kobo, the Kobo Libra 2 is available. It's a 7-inch, waterproof, touch-sensitive e-reader with lighting. All at an excellent value for money.
But if you're thinking of settling for an 8-inch e-reader, the Pocketbook InkPad 4 is an excellent choice. The same goes for the Kobo Forma, an excellent high-end e-reader.
So don't forget to check for "Bargains" (on e-commerce websites) for the latest discounts and bargains.
Find here all discounts on ereaders at the moment:
9.7" e-reader - 825 x 1200 pixels e ink screen - Ebook formats supported: EPUB, PDF, FB2, FB2.ZIP, TXT, DJVU, HTM, HTML, DOC, DOCX, RTF, CHM, TCR, PRC (MOBI), JPEG, BMP, PNG, TIFF
7.8" e-reader - 1404 x 1872 pixels e ink screen - Ebook formats supported: AZW, EPUB, DOC, DOCX, FB2, CBR, CBZ, HTML, PDF, RTF, RXT (compatible with Adobe DRM), MP3, OGG, M4A
7.8" e-reader - 1404 x 1872 pixels (greyscale) 468 x 624 pixels (color) e ink screen - Ebook formats supported: EPUB, PDF, FB2, FB2.ZIP, TXT, DJVU, HTM, HTML, DOC, DOCX, RTF, CHM, TCR, PRC (MOBI), JPEG, BMP, PNG, TIFF + audio : M4A, M4B, OGG, OGG.ZIP, MP3, MP3.ZIP
Here are the e-readers you should consider if you're looking to make a purchase.
This selection presents the best e-readers of the moment (in my opinion), not necessarily the cheapest or most popular:
| Pocketbook Verse | Pocketbook Inkpad 4 | Kobo Libra 2 | Kobo Clara 2E | Kindle Paperwhite | Kindle | |
| Image |  | |  |  |  |  |
| Screen size | 6" | 7.8" | 7" | 6" | 6.8" | 6" |
| Resolution | 1024 x 768 pixel | 1404 x 1872 pixels | 1680 x 1264 pixels | 1448 x 1072 pixels | 1680 x 1264 pixels | 1448 x 1072 pixels |
| Color | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Backlight | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Waterproof | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Storage | 8 GB | 32 GB | 32 Go | 16 Go | 8 - 32 Go | 16 Go |
| Pen / Stylus | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| SD card | Yes (128 GB) | No | No | No | No | No |
| Ebook formats | EPUB, PDF, FB2, FB2.ZIP, TXT, DJVU, HTM, HTML, DOC, DOCX, RTF, CHM, TCR, PRC (MOBI), JPEG, BMP, PNG, TIFF | AZW, EPUB, DOC, DOCX, FB2, CBR, CBZ, HTML, PDF, RTF, RXT (compatible with Adobe DRM), MP3, OGG, M4A | EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR | EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR | Kindle Format 8 (AZW3), Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, EPUB (converted), MOBI, PRC; HTML, DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP | Kindle Format 8 (AZW3), Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, EPUB, MOBI, PRC; HTML, DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP |
| Blue light filter | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Other | Gyroscope for automatic orientation in landscape or portrait mode. USB-C port. | Speaker, Bluetooth | Can read audio books from Kobo with Bluetooth speaker or headset. | Black or Blue color | ||
| Review | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Very good eReader, a must if you want a bigger screen ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Best value for the money in the Kobo eReaders lineup ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Best value for the money Kindle eReader⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Very good ereader at a good price ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Link (where to buy?) | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com |
Kindle: this e-reader is an entry-level model available from Amazon. It is the best budget ebook reader you can buy.
It's very easy to use, thanks to the system set up by Amazon, and is very reasonably priced, making it a very good e-reader for beginners, with all the classic options, including a useful light for reading at night.
6" e-reader - 1448 x 1072 pixels e ink screen - Ebook formats supported: Kindle Format 8 (AZW3), Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, EPUB, MOBI, PRC; HTML, DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP
The new Amazon Kindle Paperwhite with a large e ink screen (6.8 inches) is simply excellent with its large screen and very affordable price. You can store thousands of books in this ebook reader.
It's a waterproof e-reader with a beautiful, illuminated 6.8-inch touchscreen and a great battery life.
6.8" e-reader - 1680 x 1264 pixels e ink screen - Ebook formats supported: Kindle Format 8 (AZW3), Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, EPUB (converted), MOBI, PRC; HTML, DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP
The Pocketbook Verse offers excellent value for money, with its illuminated touch screen and blue light filter.
It supports EPUB files out of the box and a large quantity of ebook formats.
6" e-reader - 1024 x 768 pixel e ink screen - Ebook formats supported: EPUB, PDF, FB2, FB2.ZIP, TXT, DJVU, HTM, HTML, DOC, DOCX, RTF, CHM, TCR, PRC (MOBI), JPEG, BMP, PNG, TIFF
Slightly more expensive, the Kobo Libra 2 also has a larger 7-inch e ink screen, compared with 6 inches for previous readers. The Kobo Libra 2 ebook reader works perfectly with the Overdrive service, which lets you borrow library books. It can also play Kobo audiobooks from the Kobo store.
It's one of the best e-readers around, and the one I use every day to read novels.
7" e-reader - 1680 x 1264 pixels e ink screen - Ebook formats supported: EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR
The new Kobo Clara 2E e-reader offers great features in a compact 6-inch format. Although it's a little more expensive than the competition, it has everything it takes to be the best 6" available today.
You can listen to audiobooks and it is waterproof.
6" e-reader - 1448 x 1072 pixels e ink screen - Ebook formats supported: EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR
With its large 8-inch e ink screen and numerous functions, this e-reader is one of the best in its category, despite its rather high price. It can play audiobooks.
It has the latest e ink display and offers a very good reading experience.
7.8" e-reader - 1404 x 1872 pixels e ink screen - Ebook formats supported: AZW, EPUB, DOC, DOCX, FB2, CBR, CBZ, HTML, PDF, RTF, RXT (compatible with Adobe DRM), MP3, OGG, M4A
Here's a selection of the leading e-readers on the market.
This is not an exhaustive selection, but rather a selection of today's main and most popular e-reader models (those that sell best and are easy to find).
For this guide, I've selected the best-known brands widely available in USA: Kindle (Amazon), Kobo, Nook and Pocketbook.
E-reader models that are too obsolete but still available for sale on certain sites are deliberately excluded.
Models not officially available from US retailers are also excluded from this selection (such as ReMarkable, Meebook, Likebook, Onyx, Bookeen, Vivlio or Xiaomi e-readers), as are models that are not of good quality (some Chinese e-readers that we know nothing about and that are very expensive, for example).
The different e-readers are grouped by brand.
Rating /Review: this is a general assessment of the e-reader based on my personal opinion, but also on the ratings of users who have bought the e-reader (e-commerce site) and other sites specializing in digital reading and e-readers.
Kindle e-readers are manufactured and distributed by Amazon.
| Kindle Scribe | Kindle Oasis | Kindle Paperwhite | Kindle | |
| Image |  |  | | |
| Screen size | 10.2" | 7" | 6.8" | 6" |
| Resolution | 1860 x 2480 pixels | 1680 x 1264 pixels | 1680 x 1264 pixels | 1448 x 1072 pixels |
| Color | No | No | No | No |
| Backlight | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Waterproof | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Storage | 16 - 64 Go | 8 - 32 Go | 8 - 32 Go | 16 Go |
| Pen / Stylus | Yes | No | No | No |
| SD card | No | No | No | No |
| Ebook formats | Kindle Format 8 (AZW3), Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, MOBI unprotected, PRC ; HTML, DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, EPUB (converted) | Kindle Format 8 (AZW3), Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, MOBI unprotected, PRC ; HTML, DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP converti, EPUB (converted) | Kindle Format 8 (AZW3), Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, EPUB (converted), MOBI, PRC; HTML, DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP | Kindle Format 8 (AZW3), Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, EPUB, MOBI, PRC; HTML, DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP |
| Blue light filter | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Other | Compatible with Microsoft Office Doc and Docx format (Word software) | Black or Blue color | ||
| Review | Expensive eReader with large screen. A device better suited for work as a note taking device ⭐⭐⭐ | Overall good eReader but too expensive now that there is better alternative in the Kindle lineup⭐⭐⭐ | Best value for the money Kindle eReader⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Very good ereader at a good price ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Link (where to buy?) | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com |
The Kindle Scribe is best suited for PDF with a great reading experience because of its larger screen.
Kobo e-readers are manufactured and distributed by Rakuten.
| Kobo Elipsa 2E | Kobo Sage | Kobo Libra 2 | Kobo Clara 2E | Kobo Nia | |
| Image |  |  | | |  |
| Screen size | 10.3" | 8" | 7" | 6" | 6" |
| Resolution | 1872 x 1404 pixels | 1440 x 1920 pixels | 1680 x 1264 pixels | 1448 x 1072 pixels | 1024 x 768 pixels |
| Color | No | No | No | No | No |
| Backlight | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Waterproof | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Storage | 32 Gb | 32 Go | 32 Go | 16 Go | 8 Go |
| Pen / Stylus | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| SD card | No | No | No | ||
| Ebook formats | EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR | EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR | EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR | EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR | EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR |
| Blue light filter | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Other | A bit expensive | Can read audio book from the Kobo library (bluetooth connection). | Can read audio books from Kobo with Bluetooth speaker or headset. | ||
| Review | ⭐⭐⭐ | Too expensive, the Kobo Libra 2 may be a better alternative ⭐⭐⭐ | Very good eReader, a must if you want a bigger screen ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Best value for the money in the Kobo eReaders lineup ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Good affordable Kobo eReader ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Link (where to buy?) | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com |
Kobo e-readers work perfectly with the Overdrive service, which lets you borrow library books.
The Kobo Elipsa 2E is best suited for PDF with a great reading experience because of its larger screen.
Pocketbook e-readers are manufactured and distributed by Poketbook an european company.
6" screen Pocketbook e-readers:
| Pocketbook Verse Pro | Pocketbook Verse | Pocketbook Touch Lux 5 | Pocketbook Color | |
| Image |  | |  |  |
| Screen size | 6" | 6" | 6" | 6" |
| Resolution | 1072 x 1448 pixel | 1024 x 768 pixel | 758 x 1024 pixels | 1072 x 1448 pixels (for greyscale) |
| Color | No | No | No | Yes |
| Backlight | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Waterproof | Yes (IPX8) | No | No | No |
| Storage | 16 GB | 8 GB | 8 GB | 16 GB |
| Pen / Stylus | No | No | No | No |
| SD card | No | Yes (128 GB) | microSD memory card slot (up to 32 GB) | memory card up to 32 GB |
| Ebook formats | EPUB, PDF, FB2, FB2.ZIP, TXT, DJVU, HTM, HTML, DOC, DOCX, RTF, CHM, TCR, PRC (MOBI), JPEG, BMP, PNG, TIFF | EPUB, PDF, FB2, FB2.ZIP, TXT, DJVU, HTM, HTML, DOC, DOCX, RTF, CHM, TCR, PRC (MOBI), JPEG, BMP, PNG, TIFF | EPUB, PDF, FB2, FB2.ZIP, TXT, DJVU, HTM, HTML, DOC, DOCX, RTF, CHM, TCR, PRC (MOBI), JPEG, BMP, PNG, TIFF | EPUB, PDF, FB2, FB2.ZIP, TXT, DJVU, HTM, HTML, DOC, DOCX, RTF, CHM, TCR, PRC (MOBI), JPEG, BMP, PNG, TIFF + audio : M4A, M4B, OGG, OGG.ZIP, MP3, MP3.ZIP |
| Blue light filter | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Other | Text-to-Speech and audio format support (MP3, MP3.zip, OGG, OGG.zip, M4A, M4B) via Bluetooth | Gyroscope for automatic orientation in landscape or portrait mode. USB-C port. | E Ink Kaleido™ HD screen, which displays 4096 colors. Text-to-speech. | |
| Review | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Link (where to buy?) | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com |
7"+ screen Pocketbook e-readers:
| Pocketbook InkPad X | Pocketbook InkPad 3 Pro | Pocketbook InkPad Lite | Pocketbook InkPad Color 2 | |
| Image |  |  | | |
| Screen size | 10.3" | 7.8" | 9.7" | 7.8" |
| Resolution | 1404 x 1872 pixels | 1404 x 1872 pixels | 825 x 1200 pixels | 1404 x 1872 pixels (greyscale) 468 x 624 pixels (color) |
| Color | No | No | No | Yes |
| Backlight | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Waterproof | No | Yes (IPX8) | IPX8 | |
| Storage | 32 GB | 16 GB | 8 GB | 32 GB |
| Pen / Stylus | No | No | No | No |
| SD card | No | No | memory cards up to 32 GB | memory cards up to 32 GB |
| Ebook formats | EPUB, PDF, FB2, FB2.ZIP, TXT, DJVU, HTM, HTML, DOC, DOCX, RTF, CHM, TCR, PRC (MOBI), JPEG, BMP, PNG, TIFF + audio : MP3, M4B, and OGG formats | EPUB, PDF, FB2, FB2.ZIP, TXT, DJVU, HTM, HTML, DOC, DOCX, RTF, CHM, TCR, PRC (MOBI), JPEG, BMP, PNG, TIFF + audio : mp3 and m4b | EPUB, PDF, FB2, FB2.ZIP, TXT, DJVU, HTM, HTML, DOC, DOCX, RTF, CHM, TCR, PRC (MOBI), JPEG, BMP, PNG, TIFF | EPUB, PDF, FB2, FB2.ZIP, TXT, DJVU, HTM, HTML, DOC, DOCX, RTF, CHM, TCR, PRC (MOBI), JPEG, BMP, PNG, TIFF + audio : M4A, M4B, OGG, OGG.ZIP, MP3, MP3.ZIP |
| Blue light filter | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Other | Bluetooth for audio | Color screen : E Ink Kaleido™ Plus color screen capable of displaying 4096 colors. | ||
| Review | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | One of the best color e-reader, but colors are not so good ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Link (where to buy?) | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com |
| Pocketbook Viva | Pocketbook Inkpad 4 | Pocketbook Era | |
| Image |  | |  |
| Screen size | 8" | 7.8" | 7" |
| Resolution | 1440 x 1920 pixels | 1404 x 1872 pixels | 1264 x 1680 pixels |
| Color | Yes | No | No |
| Backlight | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Waterproof | Yes (IPX8) | Yes | Yes (IPX8) |
| Storage | 64 GB | 32 GB | 16 - 64 GB |
| Pen / Stylus | No | No | No |
| SD card | No | No | No |
| Ebook formats | EPUB, PDF, FB2, FB2.ZIP, TXT, DJVU, HTM, HTML, DOC, DOCX, RTF, CHM, TCR, PRC (MOBI), JPEG, BMP, PNG, TIFF | AZW, EPUB, DOC, DOCX, FB2, CBR, CBZ, HTML, PDF, RTF, RXT (compatible with Adobe DRM), MP3, OGG, M4A | EPUB, PDF, FB2, FB2.ZIP, TXT, DJVU, HTM, HTML, DOC, DOCX, RTF, CHM, TCR, PRC (MOBI), JPEG, BMP, PNG, TIFF |
| Blue light filter | Yes | Yes | |
| Other | Bluetooth for Text-to-speech and audio books (M4A, M4B, OGG, OGG.ZIP, MP3, MP3.ZIP) | Speaker, Bluetooth | Built-in speaker & Bluetooth, Text-to-speech |
| Review | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Very good but a little bit expensive) |
| Link (where to buy?) | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com |
Nook is a Barnes&Noble e-reader brand.
| Nook Glowlight 4 Plus | |
| Image |  |
| Screen size | 7.8" |
| Resolution | 1404 x 1872 pixels |
| Color | No |
| Backlight | Yes |
| Waterproof | Yes |
| Storage | 32 GB |
| Pen / Stylus | No |
| SD card | No |
| Ebook formats | EPUB, PDF |
| Blue light filter | Yes |
| Other | Bluetooth, 3.5mm Jack : listen to audiobooks |
| Review | |
| Link (where to buy?) | Nook official Website |
Choosing your e-reader is quite simple:
The standard e-reader screen size is 6 inches, but today you'll find models of 7 inches (or 6.8), 7.8 inches and even 10 inches and more for some professional models.
Today, all e-readers use the same electronic ink technology. The only difference is size.
So this is an important parameter. If you want a screen bigger than 6 inches, you'll have less choice. That's why I advise you to look at the Kobo Libra 2 (7 inches) or the Kindle Paperwhite (6.8 inches) for a good-looking e-reader without breaking the bank.
You can learn more about ereader size here.
All e-readers feature a touch screen, which simplifies use and ergonomics.
Even the cheapest Kindle on Amazon offers lighting.
However, there are a few differences: some readers offer lighting with color temperature adjustment to filter out blue light (see Kobo and Vivlio, or Amazon's Kindle Oasis and Kindle Paperwhite).
Others offer a text-to-speech function (Pocketbook Color, InkPad 4 and Touch HD Plus for example).
If you're planning to take your e-reader everywhere, I'd also advise you to choose a waterproof model that will protect it from water, snow, sand and dust.
Some models also have an expansion port to add a micro-SD card to increase the e-reader's storage capacity (if you only intend to read books like novels, however, this shouldn't be a criterion).
Of course, all these options add a little to the price of the e-reader.
Choosing the brand of e-reader comes down to choosing which file formats the e-reader will support:
All e-reader brands support more or less the same ebook file formats, except that the Kindle cannot read the EPUB format, and other brands cannot read the AZW format.
Since the EPUB format and Kindle e-readers are popular, we can still make the two cohabit in this way:
Buy the e-reader from Amazon, but make sure you buy a large proportion of your ebooks from online stores that offer DRM-free editions in EPUB format (the digital book standard).
You'll then have EPUB ebooks that you can transfer to your e-reader using Calibre software (which converts file formats for you).
So, if in the future you need to change your e-reader and you don't get one from Amazon, your ebooks will be compatible with your Kindle using software like Calibre.
E-readers are devices that allow you to read books on a screen with electronic ink that doesn't tire your eyes.
As a result, reading comfort and ergonomics are similar to those of a paper book. Unlike conventional screens, you can read in direct sunlight without any problem.
E-readers have a large storage capacity, enabling them to carry hundreds of books. They are now all touch-screen, and most (if not 100% of models) have built-in lighting for reading in the dark with blue light filter.
You can see why you should buy a e-reader in this article.
If you want to read your ebooks just about anywhere, you don't have many solutions at hand. You'll have to opt for a e-reader or a tablet.
The e-reader offers greater reading comfort and less eyestrain than the tablet. But the tablet offers more functions (videos) and can display content in color.
The e-reader is therefore the best choice if you intend to read a lot of books.
The choice depends very much on whether you're going to use the e-reader or the tablet.
But one thing is certain: when it comes to reading comfort, only paper can beat the e-reader.
You can learn more on this article : Should you get an ereader or a tablet?.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Recognizing the need for an informed and reliable source for eReader-related content, Nicolas created MyEreader.net, where he currently serves as the lead writer. His well-crafted articles cover a wide range of topics, including eReader reviews, comparisons between various devices, tips for optimizing reading experiences, and discussions on the future of digital reading. Read more here
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