Kindle vs Kobo vs BooksOasis: Which Ebook Store Suits You?

Kindle vs Kobo is the classic e-reader debate, and both sides have a strong case. This guide compares them honestly on the things that actually affect your reading, then explains where a third option fits.

The quick comparison

Features as generally offered at the time of writing. Availability varies by country.

Devices: both make excellent e-readers

If you want an e-ink reader, you can't really go wrong with either. Both offer sharp screens, warm front lights, waterproof models and weeks of battery life.

Kindle devices are often cheaper, particularly during Amazon sales. The range runs from the basic Kindle to the Paperwhite, the Oasis-style premium models and the Scribe for handwriting.

Kobo devices, such as the Clara, Libra, Sage and Elipsa, are loved for physical page-turn buttons on some models, colour screens on newer ones, and note-taking on larger ones.

The device choice matters less than it seems. The real decision is which ecosystem you want your books to live in, because your library stays with that brand.

Catalog: Amazon is bigger, Kobo is very close for most readers

Amazon's store is the largest in the world, and Kindle Unlimited has a very large selection of independent genre fiction, much of it exclusive to Amazon.

Kobo's catalog is also huge, and for most mainstream books you will find both stores stock the same titles. The gap shows up mainly with Amazon-exclusive independent books.

If you read a lot of independent romance, thrillers or fantasy published only in Kindle Unlimited, Kindle has a real edge. If you read mostly traditionally published books, the difference is small.

Subscriptions: Kindle Unlimited vs Kobo Plus

US prices at the time of writing (Engadget, Kobo).

Both suit heavy readers. If you read one or two books a month, buying on offer usually costs less and you keep the books. Our Kindle Unlimited alternatives guide works through the numbers.

Library borrowing: Kobo's quiet advantage

This is where Kobo shines. In many countries, Kobo e-readers connect to OverDrive, so you can search your library's catalog, borrow and read on the device itself.

Kindle's library support is more limited. In the US, Libby can send many library ebooks to a Kindle; in most other countries, it can't.

If free library reading is a big part of your life, especially outside the US, Kobo is the stronger choice.

Freedom: what you can do with your books

Both stores protect most ebooks with DRM, so books bought in one store open only in that store's apps and devices. Neither will let you move your library to the other.

The difference is what comes in from outside:

• Kobo reads EPUB, the standard ebook format, so DRM-free books from authors and classics sites can be copied straight onto the device.
• Kindle accepts EPUB through Amazon's Send to Kindle service, which converts the file. Since February 2025, you can no longer download your Kindle purchases to a computer for transfer over USB.

If you buy books from many sources, Kobo is the more open home for them.

Reading on phones and computers

Both have good apps for Android and Apple phones and tablets. On a computer, Kindle offers Kindle for web, while Kobo has no web reader.

If most of your reading happens away from an e-reader, on a phone at lunch or a laptop in the evening, the e-reader debate matters less, and a store built for any screen may suit you better.

Reading features: highlights, notes and comfort

Day to day, the reading experience matters more than the spec sheet. Here is how the three compare on the features people actually use.

On features, all three are close. The bigger differences are the screen you read on and where your books live.

What each costs over three years

Device and subscription costs add up, so it helps to look beyond the first purchase. This example assumes you read one ebook a month.

Example figures only. Subscription prices are US prices at the time of writing; $6.50 assumes a $9.99 ebook at roughly a third off.

The e-reader itself is usually the biggest single cost. If you enjoy reading on your phone or tablet, skipping it saves more than any subscription choice.

Where BooksOasis fits

BooksOasis isn't trying to be a Kindle or a Kobo. It has no e-reader to sell. It is an ebook-first bookstore for independent authors and publishers, with a reading app that runs on the screens you already use.

Oasis Reader opens in any modern browser and can be added to your home screen like an app. You can download books to read offline, choose Light, Sepia or Dark themes, highlight in four colours, add notes, and pick up on another device exactly where you stopped.

Which should you choose?

Kindle and Kobo outside the US

Much of the Kindle vs Kobo debate is written from an American point of view. Where you live can change the answer.

• Store availability. Both sell in many countries, but catalogs and prices differ from one country to the next.
• Library borrowing. Kobo's built-in OverDrive borrowing works in many countries; Kindle's library support through Libby is mainly a US feature.
• Subscriptions. Kindle Unlimited and Kobo Plus are offered in some countries and not others, at different prices.
• Device prices. Sales and availability of e-readers vary a lot by region.

If you live outside the US, check your own country's store for both before deciding. Library borrowing in particular often tips the balance toward Kobo.

Who should skip both

An e-reader is a lovely thing, but it isn't for everyone. You may be better off without either if:

• You read in short bursts. A few pages on a bus or in a queue happen on the phone already in your pocket.
• You read on a laptop for work or study. A browser-based reader keeps your book next to your other tabs.
• You read a book or two a month. The device costs more than a year of books.
• You share devices at home. A reader that works on any screen with a sign-in is easier to share than one e-reader.

If that sounds like you, read do you need an e-reader? before buying one.

Can you use both?

Yes, and many readers do. There is no rule that you must pick one store. A common setup is an e-reader from one brand for most reading, the other brand's app on your phone for books only it sells, and a library app for free borrowing.

The only thing you can't do is merge the libraries. Each store's books stay in that store's apps.

Switching from one to the other

If you are moving from Kindle to Kobo, or the other way, keep these points in mind:

1. Your old library stays put.Keep the old store's free app on your phone to read what you already own.
2. Don't rebuy everything.Rebuy only the few books you re-read often, and only when they are on offer.
3. Move your reading lists.Wishlists and series you follow need to be recreated in the new store.
4. Set up library borrowing.On Kobo, sign in to OverDrive on the device; on Kindle in the US, link Libby.

Popular with BooksOasis readers

If you'd like to try reading without an e-reader, start with one of these. Prices are live and include any current offer.

Browse all books →

Mistakes to avoid when choosing

• Choosing on device price alone. The cheaper e-reader ties you to a store for years; pick the ecosystem first.
• Assuming you can move books later. You can't move protected books between Kindle and Kobo.
• Subscribing by default. Only subscribe if you read enough from the catalog to beat buying on offer.
• Forgetting the library. Free borrowing can matter more than any feature, so check how each works where you live.

The verdict

Kindle is the safe, big-store choice with the best subscription for heavy genre readers. Kobo is the open, library-friendly choice that respects your files. Both are excellent.

If you don't want to buy a device at all, or you want your money to go further toward independent authors, read on the screens you already own and keep a store like BooksOasis alongside whichever e-reader, if any, you choose.