Best EPUB Reader Apps in 2026: iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, Kindle, Kobo
EPUB is the universal ebook format — but the best app to read it depends on your device. Here's the definitive list by platform, with the top pick and the best alternatives for each one.
Quick answer by device
| Device | Best EPUB reader | Also good |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone / iPad | Apple Books (built-in) | Kindle app, Kobo Books |
| Android | Moon+ Reader | ReadEra, Libby |
| Windows | Thorium Reader | Calibre, Sumatra PDF |
| Mac | Apple Books (built-in) | Thorium Reader |
| Linux | Foliate | Calibre, Okular |
| Kindle e-reader | Kindle native reader | Send EPUB via email |
| Kobo e-reader | Kobo native reader | Sideload via USB |
| Chromebook | Thorium Reader (web) | Play Books (Android app) |
iPhone and iPad — Apple Books
Apple Books is pre-installed on every iPhone and iPad and opens EPUB files natively — no download needed. Tap any .epub file in Safari, Mail, or the Files app and it opens automatically in Books.
Highlights: EPUB 3 support, night mode, custom fonts, iCloud sync across all Apple devices, bookmarks and highlights. It also handles library ebooks borrowed via OverDrive.
For Kindle ecosystem users, the Kindle iOS app works alongside Apple Books — send an EPUB to your Kindle email and read it across all devices with Whispersync. Full iPhone EPUB reader guide →
Android — Moon+ Reader
Moon+ Reader is the most feature-complete EPUB reader on Android. The free version covers most readers; the Pro version ($5 one-time) adds TTS, cloud sync, and more.
Highlights: Comprehensive font controls, night mode, scroll or page-flip reading, autoscroll for hands-free reading, EPUB 3 media overlay support, customizable themes.
ReadEra is a strong free alternative — completely ad-free, no registration, opens EPUB from local storage or cloud (Google Drive, Dropbox). Full Android EPUB reader guide →
Windows — Thorium Reader
Thorium Reader is the best free EPUB reader for Windows 10 and 11. Built by EDRLab (the EPUB standards body), it has the most standards-compliant EPUB 3 rendering and excellent accessibility support (NVDA/JAWS screen readers).
Download: Microsoft Store or edrlab.org.
Calibre is better if you also want to manage a large ebook library or convert formats. Sumatra PDF is the lightest option if you just want fast loading. Full Windows EPUB reader guide →
Mac — Apple Books
Apple Books is built into macOS and is the best EPUB reader for Mac. It syncs your library with your iPhone and iPad via iCloud and opens any .epub file by double-click. Full Mac EPUB reader guide →
Linux — Foliate
Foliate is a modern, native GTK app for Linux that reads EPUB 2/3, AZW3, MOBI, and FB2. It supports annotations, bookmarks, dictionary lookup, and has a minimal distraction-free interface. Install via apt, dnf, or Flatpak. Full Linux EPUB reader guide →
Kindle — native, with EPUB since 2022
Kindle devices (Paperwhite, Oasis, Scribe, basic Kindle) read EPUB natively since September 2022. Send an EPUB via the Send to Kindle website, app, or email — Amazon converts it to its internal format and delivers it to your device over Wi-Fi. Can Kindle read EPUB? Full guide →
Kobo — best native EPUB support
Kobo e-readers have the best native EPUB support of any dedicated e-reader. They read EPUB files directly without conversion — drag and drop via USB or sideload via the Kobo desktop app. They also integrate with OverDrive and Libby for library loans. Full Kobo EPUB guide →
For iPad specifically
iPad users have good choices beyond Apple Books: Kindle app, Kobo Books, and Readium (open-source EPUB 3 reader by EDRLab). Full iPad EPUB reader guide →
How to get EPUB files to read
If you have PDFs you want to read on any of these apps, convert them to EPUB first — the text will reflow to your screen and font size:
- Go to toolkit.bot/pdf2epub
- Upload your PDF (academic papers, textbooks, reports, etc.)
- Download the EPUB and open it in your preferred reader
Why EPUB reads better than PDF on screens →
Convert your PDF to EPUB — read it on any device with any reader.
Convert PDF to EPUB →Related guides
- Best EPUB reader apps for iPhone and iOS
- Best EPUB reader apps for Android
- Best EPUB readers for Windows (free)
- Best EPUB readers for Mac
- Best EPUB readers for Linux
- Best EPUB reader apps for iPad
- How to read EPUB on Kobo
- Can Kindle read EPUB files?
- How to open an EPUB file on any device
- EPUB vs PDF: which is better for reading?