Top 8 Kindle Alternatives iPhone

I, like so many people, own an Amazon Kindle and use it often to read books while on the train or in bed at night, often buying digital copies directly through the device and reading them on the go. The Kindle app is great in that it is also available for a range of different platforms including iOS, but is it really the be all and end all. I mean, I like it because I also own a Kindle so it makes perfect sense to have the same app on both Kindle and iPhone, but there are other options out there that may suit you better. We recently took a look at some of these and came up with a Top 8 Kindle alternatives list, which could be construed as some kind of hardware list but we’re really looking at alternatives to the Kindle app. Given the power of Amazon when it comes to choice and variety and of course price, it’s a big ask for any app to compete with what they offer these days, but there are big companies doing so. When you have the likes of Apple’s built in iBooks to compete with, and of course Google’s Play service and the Barnes and Nobile created NOOK, that top spot shouldn’t be viewed with too much security.

8. iBooks (Free)

I mentioned iBooks above and so it is probably best to elaborate on that, since why would you want to look elsewhere when you already have a nice eBook or reader app installed on your iPhone? Well, choice for one, but the catalogue for avid readers has gotten bigger and biggers in recent years so there is a lot of variety these days. I guess the main thing about this app, or at least the plus point is that it syncs with the iCloud meaning that if you own an iPad and a Mac then all your book purchases will immediately be synced across devices so that you can keep up with your reading no matter where you are and what device you are using. The interface itself is not as simple or easy on the eye as what we’ve seen with Kindle, but it’s a nice basic alternative nonetheless. – Download from iTunes

7. GoodReader ($4.99)

Speaking of nice interfaces, GoodReader provides one of the best in the business these days and is less an ebook app and more of a general reader. This means that no matter the format of document you choose to open and view, GoodReader should have you covered. If you’re looking for a tool that is a lot more professional than Kindle, and something you want to use for work as well as at home and when travelling, this app could be the one for you. It’s particularly useful when it comes to reading and modifying PDF documents, which most of us will have encountered at some point or another! – Download from iTunes

6. Bluefire Reader (Free)

We haven’t yet mentioned it, but many of the apps here are also available on the Kindle Fire HD and other Kindle devices. One of these is Bluefire Reader, which may be desirable for Kindle owners in that it allows you to access your PDF files. Bluefire is also available for a range of devices and platforms, including both iOS and Android, so it’s a nice choice if you own both a Kindle and an iPhone like myself and would like to keep your collections updated.  – Download from iTunes

5. Marvin ($3.99)

Marvin may well be one of the best ePub readers on the iPhone at present, with a nice AI engine that reads your books along with you and helps you discover different things about each one, then points you in the direction of discovering new content. I actually downloaded Marvin when the app was still free to the public, and wasn’t at all surprised to see the price go up to something more realistic recently. For all those who haven’t yet taken a look, it’s well worth the current price and a whole lot more for what it brings to the table. – Download from iTunes

4. Google Play Books (Free)

Google Play Books is an app that should perhaps be more associated with Android devices than it is with the iOS platform, though there is an app available and it does do a good job. There is a decent sized library to choose from, but I think that perhaps the biggest selling point fo this one is the integration, for it links with not just other Google apps like Translate and Maps but also Wikipedia. It also has one of the cleanest and nicest interfaces in the business when it comes to eBooks apps, so is well worth checking out of all these Kindle alternatives. – Download from iTunes

3. NOOK (Free)

We love Barnes & Noble, so NOOK is certainly one of those that left us with a positive impression. It is also a good alternative to the Kindle since B&N’s approach seems to be very similar to that of Amazon: meaning that you can purchase books through the store website and then make them accessible on just about any device through the app itself, and on a range of different platforms including Macs and PCs as well. There is also ePub compatibility which some users will be looking for since Kindle typicall uses the Mobi alternative. – Download from iTunes

2. Scribd (Free)

When it comes to Scribd as a service, I guess the easiest way to describe it would be Netflix for eBooks. You pay a flat monthly fee of around $10 a month which is admittedly rather expensive, but that gives you unlimited access to the library of 500,000 plus books. And as with Bluefire above, this one works not just with iPhone and Android devices but also on Kindle Fires. So for anyone who reads at least a couple of books a month and is looking for variety as perhaps the main selling point, Scribd may well be worth checking out. There are also a huge array of audiobooks to choose from, with over 30,000 titles at the time of writing. – Download from iTunes

1. Kobo (Free)

Kobo seems to be gaining more of a follwing each and every day, and it’s easy to see why. While you have to register for a (free) account on their website in order to access and download their catalogue of (free) books, this is well worth it since there’s an excellent selection available. The app supports the ePub format and is great at detecting different chapters and other such information that some reader apps tend to overlook. There is also a nice social side to the app since it actively rewards you for completing books, turning the process of absorbing information through books into something of a game. The app is also great in terms of customization, since you can easily alter the font size and colors and all that kind of stuff. Kobo also has dedicated apps on a range of different platforms including desktop computers meaning that you can continue your reading no matter what screen you are currently sitting in front of! – Download from iTunes