eReader alternatives

Alternatives to: Kindle

Kindle is owned by Amazon, a data-hungry exploitative monopoly. Their formats are proprietary (locked in), so break out of their walled garden with these alternatives.


App name Open Source Structure; Business model Features Country of origin Link
Kobo n/a Private company; Paid products Good eReader hardware; uses standard EPUB format Japan KoboBooks.com
PocketBook n/a Private company; Paid products Good eReader hardware Switzerland Pocketbook.ch
Calibre Yes Open Source; Free / Donations Host your own libary of eBooks; Easy built-in server; Read on any device (mobile/tablet/laptop); Plug-in can strip DRM India / Open Source Calibre-ebook.com

RTA's choice

We use Kobo and Calibre. Buy the eBooks at Kobo and strip the DRM using Calibre. Then serve up the eBooks to any device (usually your mobile phone) using Calibre. The UI is better than Kindle!


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➡️ Payment services alternatives