12 Best Reading Apps for Book Lovers

The hobby of reading has been pursued for leisure and learning by humans for centuries. Today, you can take the passion for reading to heights unthinkable without the aid of digital technology. Reading apps on the smartphone, tablet, e-book readers, and similar devices can store thousands of books in a pocket and bring them with you wherever you travel.

Reading apps have proved to be very convenient to many book lovers due to the features that offer something more than a traditional paper book. This article illustrates the best book apps that work on iPhone and Android. If you are one of those book lovers, continue reading to find out what is the best eBook application for enhancing your experience with reading, organizing the library, and finding the way to appreciate literature differently.

What is a Reading App?

Today’s app marketplaces, like Google Play and the App Store, offer a wide variety of software designed for book lovers. These apps cater to diverse tastes with literature spanning many genres for readers of all ages. Unlike conventional libraries or bookstores, many reading apps also provide audiobooks and text-to-speech options, adding convenience and a deeper level of engagement to the reading experience.

While the term “reading” traditionally implies reading books, modern ebook apps bring much more. These applications offer versatile ways to enjoy literature in various formats on smartphones, tablets, laptops, and other digital devices.

Choosing a favorite reading app comes down to personal preference. For some, the best app is one that replicates the look and feel of a traditional book on a digital screen. For others, the ideal ebook app is a comprehensive suite that supports multiple formats, offers reading and listening options, includes a built-in bookstore, and maintains a library with rating systems and other advanced features.

How Can a Book App Improve Your Reading Experience?

Digital reading apps are a great way to access literature with interesting, sometimes interactive features and even let the reader switch between reading and listening for a fully hands-free experience. This does make it somewhat easier to read from.

With many practical features, book reader applications are also helpful even to traditional readers. Readers are able to adjust such tiny things as font or their size to make it really comfortable and enjoyable reading for them.

In most reader applications, online books have been integrated with those websites specializing in selling rare, unpopular, or hard-to-access books. Such platforms use ratings and user feedback on books to guide them while searching for the required text.

Digital library is another notable feature found in most ebook applications. It stores downloaded books and provides users with a huge collection right on their devices. This would have been unimaginable a few decades ago, but today it is a part of everyday life.

7 Best Reading Apps for Book Lovers: Subscription-Based Choices

Now, let’s explore the top 7 paid reading apps that offer an outstanding reading experience. While some of these apps are technically free to download, most require a subscription to access their full features. Review the pros and cons of each app to find the one that best suits your preferences.

1. Amazon Kindle – Ideal for Amazon Users

A feature-rich app for avid readers.

Platforms: iOS, Android

Subscription Price: Kindle Unlimited – $9.99/month, Amazon Prime – $14.99/month or $139/year

Notable Feature: Syncs and tracks reading progress across devices

Pros: Comprehensive platform for purchasing, borrowing, and reading

Cons: Occasional syncing and performance issues

Amazon Kindle has been a top ebook app for over a decade, providing easy access to books through Amazon’s vast library. Two subscription options offer varying content access levels, allowing seamless shopping and reading on multiple devices.

2. Blinkist – Perfect for Nonfiction Enthusiasts

Best for fans of nonfiction literature seeking concise insights.

Platforms: iOS, Android

Subscription Price: $14.99/month or $89.99/year with a 7-day free trial

Notable Feature: 15-minute book and podcast summaries

Pros: Extensive selection of self-improvement and science topics

Cons: Limited “free” version and high subscription cost

Blinkist is an ideal choice for quick, insightful reads across a broad range of topics. The app offers condensed content, perfect for learning on the go.

3. Bookly – Track Your Reading Sessions

Great for building a reading habit.

Platforms: iOS, Android

Subscription Price: $19.99/six months

Notable Feature: Tracks reading time and sets reading goals

Pros: Motivates and rewards users for reading

Cons: Time tracking may feel distracting for some

Bookly is a motivational tool for readers, tracking session lengths, pages read, and progress toward reading goals. Its tracking features make it perfect for those wanting to develop a consistent reading routine.

4. ComiXology – Best for Comic Book Fans

A top pick for fans of comics and manga.

Platforms: iOS, Android

Subscription Price: $5.99/month with a 30-day free trial

Notable Feature: Links to Kindle Unlimited and Amazon Prime for additional titles

Pros: Extensive library for comics and manga lovers

Cons: Performance issues after recent updates

With over 230,000 comics, graphic novels, and manga titles, ComiXology is an excellent app for comic enthusiasts to access classic and new content from major publishers.

5. Epic: Kids’ Books & Reading – Fun for Young Readers

A kid-friendly reading app for young learners.

Platforms: iOS, Android

Subscription Price: $9.99/month, free for educators and students during school hours

Notable Feature: Dictionary lookup, quizzes, and award badges

Pros: Customizable profiles for up to 4 children; multilingual books

Cons: Some content may be restricted by region

Epic offers over 40,000 books, audiobooks, and learning videos, making it a great choice for parents and educators to encourage kids to read.

6. Scribd – A Massive Library in Your Pocket

An extensive library app well worth the subscription cost.

Platforms: iOS, Android, Fire OS

Subscription Price: $11.99/month with a 30-day free trial

Notable Feature: Offers documents and sheet music alongside books

Pros: Over a million titles, plus 60 million documents and other content

Cons: High battery consumption, especially with audiobooks

Scribd’s vast library of books, magazines, audiobooks, and sheet music makes it a top choice for readers who want a diverse selection of content.

7. Wattpad – Supporting Aspiring Writers

An excellent app for discovering new writers and sharing original content.

Platforms: iOS, Android

Subscription Price: Optional Premium ($4.99/month) or Premium+ ($7.49/month)

Notable Feature: Writing contests with potential publishing partnerships

Pros: Abundant user-generated content

Cons: In-app ads, limited free version

Wattpad is a community for readers and writers alike, allowing aspiring authors to publish their work and potentially gain partnerships with publishers or studios.

Top 5 Free Apps for Book Lovers

1. Goodreads – Discover and Review Books

Join a vast online book community.

Platforms: iOS, Android

Notable Feature: Scan barcodes to add books to your list

Pros: Personalized recommendations, extensive book reviews

Cons: No reading functionality

Goodreads is a must-have for book enthusiasts who enjoy connecting with other readers, discovering new books, and sharing reviews.

2. Hoopla Digital – A Free Library App with Broad Content

A versatile choice for ebooks, audiobooks, and movies.

Platforms: iOS, Android

Notable Feature: Works with Android Auto and Apple Carplay

Pros: Diverse selection in various formats

Cons: No preview option for books

Hoopla makes excellent use of your library card, providing ad-free access to books, comics, magazines, audiobooks, movies, and more.

3. Inkitt – Platform for Independent Authors

A favorite for discovering unique, indie authors.

Platforms: iOS, Android

Notable Feature: Exclusive library of free stories

Pros: Ad-free, completely free access

Cons: Limited to works by independent authors

Inkitt offers a wide selection of free novels, allowing readers to explore hidden gems by modern indie authors and connect with a community.

4. Libby by OverDrive – For Library Cardholders

A fantastic app for accessing local library resources.

Platforms: iOS, Android

Notable Feature: Allows borrowing with a library card

Pros: Extensive free catalog of books and audiobooks

Cons: Limited search functionality

Libby supports local libraries, providing easy access to digital books, magazines, and audiobooks using a library card.

5. Serial Reader – For Classic Literature Lovers

Enjoy classic literature in small, digestible sessions.

Platforms: iOS, Android

Subscription Price: Free, optional one-time payment of $2.99 for additional features

Notable Feature: Syncs reading progress with Goodreads

Pros: Supports DRM-free ebooks in epub format

Cons: Limited to classic literature

Serial Reader breaks down classic novels into 20-minute daily reading sessions, so it is ideal for someone who wants to form a reading habit gradually.

Many choices are available on these apps for bookworms, such as subscription-based libraries or free platforms that support local libraries and independent authors. You will find a reading app that suits your taste for either classic literature or the latest releases.

Conclusion

Ebook reading apps remain one of the most used mobile software applications. Do you want to create an innovative reading application with special features or a new approach? Then Appinventors is here to help. We have experience in iOS and Android app development, so our solutions are supported by successful case studies.

Our team has over 9 years of experience in laying the groundwork for skilled experts. We offer our mobile app development services to cover the entire process from consulting with you on the project requirements to after the release support if you need custom book-reading software. Let us bring your vision to life with a high-quality software product. Contact us today to get started!