Apple Books is lovely on an iPhone, iPad or Mac. Its page-turn animations, clean design and tight link with the rest of Apple's apps make reading feel effortless. The catch is that it stays inside Apple's world. The moment you pick up an Android phone, a Windows work laptop or an e-ink reader, your Apple Books library can't come with you.
This guide compares the alternatives, explains what happens to the books you already own, and shows how to read across every screen without starting over.
What Apple Books does well
- Design. One of the most polished reading apps on any platform.
- Built in. Already on every iPhone, iPad and Mac, so there's nothing to install.
- Your own files. You can add EPUB and PDF files and read them alongside purchases.
- Audiobooks in the same app as ebooks.
- Syncing of your place, highlights and notes across Apple devices.
If every screen you read on is made by Apple, you may not need an alternative at all. The rest of this guide is for readers whose devices are mixed, or who want a wider choice of books and prices.
Why readers look beyond Apple Books
| Reason | What it means |
|---|---|
| Mixed devices | An Android phone, Windows laptop or Chromebook can't open Apple Books |
| No browser reader | You can't read on a work or shared computer without an Apple device |
| No e-ink | Apple doesn't make an e-reader, so long reading sessions happen on a bright screen |
| Price | No single store always has the lowest price or the best deal |
| Subscriptions | Apple Books has no all-you-can-read plan |
| Independent books | Small presses and independent authors often sell in more than one place |
Apple Books alternatives compared
| Option | iPhone and iPad | Android | Windows | Browser | E-ink device |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Play Books | Yes | Yes | Browser | Yes | No |
| Kindle | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Kobo | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Libby | Yes | Yes | Browser | Yes | Via Kindle (US) or Kobo |
| BooksOasis | Yes | Yes | Browser | Yes | No |
Google Play Books: the Android twin
Google Play Books is the closest thing to Apple Books on Android. It comes with most Android phones, runs on iPhone and iPad too, and reads in a web browser on any computer. Like Apple Books, it lets you upload your own EPUB and PDF files.
It suits readers who have moved from iPhone to Android, or who keep one of each. Our Google Play Books alternatives guide covers its limits.
Kindle: every platform plus e-ink
Kindle runs almost everywhere: iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, a web browser and Amazon's own e-ink readers. It has the largest catalogue and Kindle Unlimited at $11.99 a month in the US.
The trade-off is moving from one company's walled garden into another's. Kindle books stay in Amazon's apps and devices, just as Apple Books purchases stay in Apple's. See Kindle alternatives if that matters to you.
Kobo: e-ink and an open format
Kobo makes well-loved e-ink readers, has apps for phones and computers, and sells in many countries. Kobo e-readers open DRM-free EPUB files, so any DRM-free books you added to Apple Books can be copied across. Kobo Plus adds a subscription option.
There is no Kobo browser reader, so a work computer needs the desktop app. Compare it in Kindle vs Kobo.
Libby: borrow instead of buy
Libby lets you borrow ebooks and audiobooks free with a library card, on iPhone, Android or in a browser. If you buy a lot of books you only read once, borrowing some of them may save more than any store deal.
BooksOasis: independent books in any browser
BooksOasis is an independent bookstore for ebooks, paperbacks and hardcovers. Its ebooks open in Oasis Reader, which runs in Safari, Chrome, Edge or Firefox, so the same book opens on your iPhone, an Android tablet, a Windows work laptop or a Chromebook.
- Add to home screen: on iPhone, it opens like an app.
- Offline: download a book once and read without a connection.
- Comfort: Light, Sepia and Dark themes, text size, fonts and spacing.
- Highlights and notes that follow you across devices.
- Deals: a daily deal, weekly offers and series bundles.
What BooksOasis does not do
- It does not import your Apple Books library.
- It does not send books to Kindle, Kobo or Nook e-readers.
- It has no subscription; you buy once and keep the book.
- Its catalogue is smaller than Apple's, with a focus on independent and house titles.
What happens to your Apple Books library
Nothing changes if you keep your Apple account. Books you bought stay in your library and keep working in Apple Books on your iPhone, iPad and Mac.
Most Apple Books purchases carry Apple's DRM, so they can't be opened in another company's app. Files you added yourself are different: a DRM-free EPUB or PDF you imported can be copied into Google Play Books, onto a Kobo, or into most other readers.
| Book in your library | Can it move? |
|---|---|
| Bought from Apple Books, with DRM | No; read it in Apple Books on Apple devices |
| A DRM-free EPUB you added | Yes, to most other readers |
| A PDF you added | Yes |
| An audiobook bought from Apple | Stays in Apple's apps |
Switching phones: iPhone to Android
This is the most common reason readers search for an Apple Books alternative. A few steps make it painless:
- Keep an Apple device for your old books.An old iPad or a Mac is enough to go on reading what you own.
- Export your own files.Copy any DRM-free EPUBs and PDFs you added before you give up the iPhone.
- Choose a store for new books.Google Play Books, Kindle, Kobo or BooksOasis all work on Android.
- Note your place.Write down where you are in any book you are halfway through.
- Set up your reading comfort again.Pick a theme, text size and font on the new phone.
Reading at work or on a shared computer
Many readers want a chapter at lunch on a work laptop that runs Windows. Apple Books can't help there. A browser reader can: Kindle for web, Google Play Books and Oasis Reader all open in a normal browser tab with nothing to install, which suits locked-down work computers. More in how to read ebooks on a laptop.
What each option costs
Every app in this guide is free to install. What you pay depends on how you get books.
| Option | How you pay |
|---|---|
| Apple Books | Buy each book |
| Google Play Books | Buy each book |
| Kindle | Buy each book, or Kindle Unlimited at $11.99 a month (US) |
| Kobo | Buy each book, or a Kobo Plus plan |
| Libby | Free with a library card |
| BooksOasis | Buy each book, with daily deals, weekly offers and series bundles |
A subscription pays off only if the books you want are included and you read enough each month. If you read two or three books a month, buying the ones you love and borrowing the rest is often cheaper. See Kindle Unlimited alternatives for the sums.
If you listen as well as read
Apple Books keeps ebooks and audiobooks side by side, and that is hard to replace in one app. Kindle pairs with Audible, Kobo sells audiobooks in its own apps, Google Play Books sells both, and Libby lends both free. BooksOasis focuses on ebooks and print, so listeners usually pair it with Libby or another audiobook app.
Reading comfortably on a bright screen
Leaving Apple Books doesn't mean giving up comfortable reading. Whatever app you choose, set a Sepia or Dark theme for the evening, raise the text size a step above what you think you need, and add a little line spacing. On iPhone, Night Shift warms the screen after dark. Oasis Reader saves these settings on each device, so your phone and laptop each stay the way you like them. More tips in reading ebooks on your phone.
Should you switch completely, or add a second store?
| If you... | Consider |
|---|---|
| Use only Apple devices | Stay with Apple Books; add a store for deals or independent books |
| Have an Android phone and a Mac | Google Play Books or a browser reader for everything new |
| Read on a Windows work laptop | A browser reader |
| Want e-ink for long sessions | Kindle or Kobo |
| Read a book a week or more | Kindle Unlimited, Kobo Plus or Libby |
| Love series and bundles | A store with series deals, such as BooksOasis |
Apple Books alternatives by reader type
| Reader | Best alternative |
|---|---|
| Just moved to Android | Google Play Books |
| Wants a paper-like screen | Kobo or Kindle e-reader |
| Library regular | Libby |
| Reads on four different devices | A browser reader such as Oasis Reader, or Kindle |
| Bargain hunter | Daily deals and bundles across two or three stores |
For a wider look at reading apps, see the best ebook reader apps.
Books to start with
The bottom line
Apple Books is excellent as long as you stay on Apple devices. Once your screens are mixed, keep it for the books you own and add a store that follows you everywhere: Google Play Books for Android, Kindle or Kobo for e-ink, Libby for borrowing, and a browser reader like Oasis Reader for any phone, tablet or computer.
Questions
Is Apple Books available on Android or Windows?
No. Apple Books runs on Apple devices such as iPhone, iPad and Mac. If you also read on Android or a Windows computer, you need a second app or a browser reader.
Can I read Apple Books purchases in another app?
Most books bought from Apple Books are protected by Apple's DRM and open only in Apple Books on Apple devices. EPUB and PDF files you added yourself, without DRM, can be opened in other apps.
What is the best Apple Books alternative for Android?
Google Play Books is the most natural choice on Android. Kindle and Kobo apps also run on Android, and browser readers such as Oasis Reader work in Chrome.
Which alternative lets me read in a web browser?
Kindle for web, Google Play Books and Oasis Reader all run in a browser. Apple Books and Kobo do not have a browser reader.
Do I lose my Apple Books library if I switch?
No. Your purchases stay in your Apple account and keep working in Apple Books on your Apple devices. Most readers keep them and buy new books elsewhere.
Is there an e-ink alternative to Apple Books?
Yes. Kindle and Kobo both make e-ink readers, which Apple does not. Kobo e-readers can also open DRM-free EPUB files.
Do BooksOasis ebooks work on iPhone?
Yes. Oasis Reader runs in Safari on iPhone and iPad, and you can add it to your home screen so it opens like an app. It also works on Android, Windows, Mac and Chromebook.
Is there a free alternative to Apple Books?
Every reading app mentioned here is free to install. Libby lets you borrow ebooks free with a library card, and you pay only for books you buy in the other stores.
Does Apple Books have a subscription?
No. Apple Books sells ebooks and audiobooks one at a time. Kindle Unlimited and Kobo Plus are the main all-you-can-read plans.
Can I keep using Apple Books and another store?
Yes. Many readers keep Apple Books for the books they own and add a second store for new books or other devices.
What is the best Apple Books alternative for a Windows PC?
Kindle and Kobo both have Windows apps. If you'd rather not install anything, Kindle for web, Google Play Books and Oasis Reader all open in a browser on Windows.
Read on every screen you own
Buy an ebook and open it on iPhone, Android, Windows or Mac in a web browser.