Once upon a time, if you wanted a good ereader, you simply had to buy a Kindle. When it came to electronic reading devices, Amazon’s Kindle lineup ruled the roost. Nowadays, the market has opened up, and Amazon has made a few moves that have done nothing to boost the general public’s opinion of Kindles.
The latest Kindle update sparking complaints is the introduction of tougher DRM (digital rights management) rules and the closing of a book-borrowing loophole. Now, we’re not sure this particular outrage is particularly justified — as TechRadar’s Lance points out, “writers gotta get paid”, and authors’ ability to make money off their work should take priority, whatever annoyances it might throw up for individual readers.
Less easy to justify, however, is Amazon’s April decision to end support for Kindles made in 2012 or earlier. That meant these perfectly usable devices would lose access to the Kindle Store and become completely defunct if you ever tried a factory reset. Overall, Kindles are starting to look a little less enticing to many people.
If you’ve decided it’s time to embrace a different ereader brand, there are a number of great options open to you nowadays, with models from Kobo leading the charge, and Onyx Boox also coming up with some intriguing alternatives. I’ve rounded up our top-rated Kindle alternatives below — hit the ‘More details’ button to see the main pros and cons of each, and for a link to our full review.
Kindle alternatives
Pros
- Good size for portability and usability
- Relatively affordable for a color ereader
- Full writing features
- Repair kits available
Cons
- Couple of functions suffer from lag
- Stylus sold separately
Pros
- New E Ink Carta 1300 screen
- Compact, lightweight and waterproof
- Affordable and repairable
Cons
- No cloud file transfer support
- Dated, plastic design
- 6-inch screen can be small for some
Pros
- Responsive color display
- Compact and lightweight
- Good battery life
- Relatively affordable
Cons
- 6 inches can be too small for some users
- Black-and-white text lacks contrast
Pros
- Winning asymmetric design
- 32GB storage
- Audiobook support
Cons
- Battery charging can be erratic
Pros
- Android 13-based operating system
- Excellent E Ink Carta 1300 display
- 64GB storage
- Page-turn buttons
- Snappy performance
- Stylus support
Cons
- Lacks waterproofing
- Complicated menu system
- Excessive battery drain
- Subpar writing experience
Pros
- Pocket-friendly color E Ink design
- More versatile than the Palma 2
- Excellent case accessory
Cons
- Expensive for an ereader
- Text isn’t as crisp as on the Palma 2
- Stylus sold separately
Pros
- Pocket-friendly color E Ink design
- More versatile than the Palma 2
- Excellent case accessory
Cons
- Expensive for an ereader
- Text isn’t as crisp as on the Palma 2
- Stylus sold separately
What’s the best Kindle alternative?
The key rival nipping at Amazon’s heels is Kobo. The Kobo Libra Colour is the best ereader we’ve tested, from any brand (including Amazon Kindle), and we also rate the Kobo Clara Colour highly. For those happy to stick with black and white, and looking for a budget-friendly option, the Kobo Clara BW is a winner.
Outside of Kobo, the Onyx Boox lineup is also worth checking out. Its e-ink tablets run on an Android OS, making them nice and versatile. The Boox Palma 2 and Palma 2 Pro are phone-sized ereaders that can be slipped into a pocket for reading on the go.
If you’d like an ereader that also supports note-taking, there are a few more brands worth considering. We’re huge fans of the reMarkable Paper Pure, and we also rate the ViWoods AiPaper highly. I’m assuming reading is your main priority, so I haven’t included these options here.
