An eBook reader app is best termed as a computing program that makes it possible for you to access and read e-books properly. The said e-books come in a wide variety of formats, ranging from plain text to the good old PDF, and onto ePUB, mobi, and HTML as well as the Comic Book format among others. So that people can be able to read such e-books, specialized programs have been made available. Read on, to learn the 12 best free eBook reader app programs you can use, as of 2024. And if you want to explore the conversion of e-books to PDF further, read more.
Part 1. 4 Best Free eBook Reader App for Android
People who have Android devices often have the need to read e-books on them. That is what creates the need for an eBook reader app for Android. Thankfully, there are many such applications. As such, when looking for the best free ebook reader app for Android, there will be many to choose from. Here then are the 4 best ebook reader app free for Android:
1. PocketBook Reader
This app allows you to access books that are saved locally on your Android device. With it, you get to access books on the cloud as well. The e-book formats that are accessible through this particular app include PDF, mobi, and ePUB among many others.
Features
- Allows you to easily jump to particular chapters: You just click on a particular chapter on the sidebar, and PocketBook Reader instantly takes you there.
- Capable of defining words: All you need to do is simply highlight the word, and PocketBook Reader defines it for you
- Capable of reading the e-books aloud: Thus, with this app, you can effectively change a text-only ebook into an audiobook.
Pros
- Accesses both books saved locally and those on the cloud
- Available free of charge
- Allows you to tweak the book format for easier reading
Cons
- Some may find the interface a bit complex at first
2. FBReader
With this app, it is possible for you to either access those that are on the FBReader library or those that you get from other places. That is what earns it a spot in our list of the best free ebook reader app for Android programs. Besides the popular PDF and ePUB formats, others you can access via FBReader include plain text and HTML.
Features
- Allows for theme switching: So, you get to move from, say, dark themes to light themes
- Orientation changing: Makes you read any given book either in landscape or in portrait orientation
- Zooming: While reading an e-book through FBReader, you can either zoom in or out
Pros
- Allows you to read even books that are not in its library network
- Supports many e-book formats
- The interface feels clean
Cons
- Though this app is free, there are premium features for which you may need to pay.
3. Google Play Books
With this particular app, you can read books that are available on Google Books, as well as those that you obtain elsewhere and download onto your computer (as long as the latter are in PDF). It comes with all the capabilities that most people would need in a basic e-book reader.
Features
- Bookmarking: Allows you to bookmark items that you can read later.
- Word definitions: Capable of connecting to offline dictionaries to find word definitions.
- Audiobook capabilities: Google Play Books can read text-only books aloud for you.
Pros
- The interface is very simple
- Comes with the ability to turn into dark mode
- This is an absolutely free app
Cons
- Supports only a few e-book formats
4. Kobo Books
Through Kobo Books, you can access, open, and read e-books that are either in ePUB or in PDF formats. The eBooks are readable via Kobo Books including both those that are found on the Kobo store as well as those that you import from other sources and save locally on your device.
Features
- Layout configuration: Allows you to change the layout of an ebook so that you read it exactly as you want
- Theme changing capability: With Kobo books, you can alter the book themes
- Audio book reading: Allows you to read not just textbooks, but also those that come in the form of audiobooks
Pros
- Allows for annotation of the books you happen to be reading
- Capable of defining words
- Comes with a chapter list for easy navigation
Cons
- Only seems to be capable of supporting ePUB and PDF formats
Part 2. 4 Best Free ebook Reader App for iPhone
When you are using the iPhones, the eBook reader apps are different with unique features. In opening and reading e-books using your iPhone, here then are what we consider to be the best free ebook reader app for iPhone programs:
1. Apple Books
This is an app you can easily find and download from Apple’s App Store. There are many who view it as the best free ebook reader app for iPhone: thanks to the fact that it is made by the makers of the devices and is actually found on the devices by default. The e-book formats that are accessible via Apple Books include PDF and ePUB.
Features
- Syncing capabilities: Allows you to sync, so that you can continue what you did on one device on another
- Easy navigation: Apple Books makes it possible for you to move across pages by simply swiping
- Advanced settings: Allows you to change many things, including brightness and the size of the text
Pros
- This is an app you can download for free as long as you have an iPhone (or iPad)
- The interface is extremely user-friendly
- Comes with absolutely no irritating ads
Cons
- Reading (outside) in sunlit areas may be slightly challenging
2. Hyphen
When Hyphen Editor is in charge, you can only read e-books that are in ePUB format. Thus, it is a basic e-book reader that you can use. However, it does have some unique features that include it in our best ebook reader app free list.
Features
- Multi-device usage: This e-book reader is capable of syncing, making it possible for you to seamlessly continue with your reading on different devices
- Display control: Allows you to change how the e-book is displayed in terms of fonts, layout, and so on
- Commenting capabilities: With Hyphen, you can add comments on the texts you happen to be reading
Pros
- Very highly customizable
- The user interface is quite sophisticated
- Allows for advanced things like highlighting and commenting
Cons
- After the free trial, you are expected to pay $2.99 to use the app fully
3. Gerty
Here, iPhone users will find a simple, no-frills app. Therefore, for those whose explicit desire is for an e-book reader with no superfluous features, Gerty fits the bill well.
Features
- Diary: With this in-built feature, you can take down notes on whatever you are reading as you go along
- Photo Upload: Gerty makes it possible to take photos related to your reading with the iPhone you are using and store them within its diary
- Choice of orientation: With Gerty, you can choose between profile and landscape
Pros
- Simple app with no frills
- Truly free of charge
- Capable of scrolling automatically as you proceed with your reading
Cons
- Supports a limited number of ebook formats
4. Libby
This particular app is very ideal if what you are seeking to is mainly borrowing e-books from online libraries. It is also capable of reading audiobooks.
Features
- Comes with advanced settings: Allowing you to change things like the size of fonts, book background colors, layouts, and so on
- Audiobook speed customization: You can get Libby to either speed up or slow down while reading audiobooks
- Bookmarking and highlighting: Libby makes it possible to add bookmarks as well as highlight important areas in texts being read
Pros
- Very easy to use
- Uses computing resources economically
- Allows you to even borrow books for free
Cons
- Limited syncing capabilities
Part 3. 4 Best Free ebook Reader App for Windows
If yours is a Windows device, it is still possible for you to access, open, and read e-books using it. The best free ebook reader app programs for Windows include:
1. Afirstsoft PDF
With this particular modern, AI-powered program, you can read all e-books that are available in PDF format. Afirstsoft PDF is a comparatively new yet powerful tool that is available for free and works on all Windows devices.
Features
- Advanced annotation: This Free PDF Editor allows you to add notes (not just text notes but also graphic stickers) to whatever you happen to be reading
- E-Book Conversion: With Afirstsoft PDF converter, you can convert e-books that were originally in PDF into other formats
- E-book polishing: Having accessed and opened e-books through Afirstsoft PDF, you can proceed to polish and fully customize them with the power of AI PDF summarizer.
Pros
- Capable of summarizing e-books via AI
- Not just an e-book reader, but also a full-featured e-book editor
- Also allows you to create your own well-organized eBooks
Cons
- Supports just a few e-book formats
2. Sumatra PDF
This is a simple and the best free eBook reader app for reading e-books. With Sumatra PDF, you will not only be able to read ePUB and PDF e-books but also those in compiled HTML, Comic Books, DjVU among many others.
Features
- High speed: Sumatra PDF opens and renders e-books very fast.
- Easy download: Since Sumatra PDF editor is light in weight, it downloads effortlessly and almost instantaneously
- Clean interface: The area meant for reading e-books on Sumatra PDF is free of any clutter
Pros
- Loads extremely fast on Windows devices
- Supports almost every imaginable e-book format
- Doesn’t use too much computer storage space (the app is less than 5 mb)
Cons
- Users face annotation limitations
3. Freda
This is a keenly designed e-book reader meant specifically for Windows devices. With Freda, you can read ePUB, HTML, Mobi as well as plain text e-books.
Features
- E-book loud reading: With Freda, you can be able to have text-only e-books read aloud
- Bookmarking: With Freda, you not only get to bookmark the text but also annotate
- Definition lookup: Freda makes it possible for you to easily check the meaning of new words/phrases you encounter in the course of your reading
Pros
- Allows you easy access to the free public domain books
- Makes it possible to customize things like text color as well as fonts
- Free and easy to download/install
Cons
- Some may find that it performs certain tasks a bit slowly
4. Total eBook Reader
This app was developed by the folks at Lis App Studio and has become one of the best free eBook readers for Windows devices. With Total eBook Reader, you can access a wide variety of e-book formats, ranging from ePUB to PDF and onto Mobi as well as Comic Books.
Features
- Navigation view: Makes it possible for you to easily jump to specific book sections as per your needs
- Advanced search: You can search any e-book via keyword
- Advanced printing capabilities: With Total eBook Reader, it is possible for you to print either specific parts of an e-book or the whole of it
Pros
- Capable of making conversions across different e-book formats
- Intuitive book navigation
- Truly free Windows app
Cons
- Takes a while to download/install
Part 4. How to Pick Up the Best Free eBook Reader
Having looked at the best free eBook reader app programs for various platforms, we now turn to the question of how to pick the best. This, then, is how to pick the best eBook reader app free:
- Consider the types of e-books you will usually be reading: Are those public domain free e-books? Or are those e-books borrowed from libraries? Go for an e-book reader that is designed to facilitate the reading of the types of e-books you will usually be reading.
- Check the features you really need: For instance, if you are reading for academic purposes, things like the capability to look up words and annotation would be very key.
- Consider the supported e-book formats: Ensure that the e-book reader you opt for is one that supports the formats you usually use – whether those are the likes of PDF, ePUB, Mobi, Comic Book, and so on.
- Check the extent to which the e-book reader allows you to customize the books: A good e-book reader should allow you to change things like font size, background color, layout, and so on.
Part 5: Conclusion
As we have seen, there are plenty of free ebook reader apps you can use in 2024. Thus, Picking the best free ebook reader app shouldn’t be hard: whether yours is an Android, iOS, or Windows device. The most important thing is to choose an app with just the features you need.
On our part, we recommend the Afirstsoft PDF, especially if the eBooks you will be reading are those that come in PDF format. That is because Afirstsoft PDF is a modern e-book reader with sophisticated features, yet it is also rather simply designed and easy to use.
