Love reading and want to read the latest books on your iPad? This article features a curated list of the best e-reader apps for iPad.
If you are someone who loves to read, then your iPad is the only device you’ll ever need to read all your favorite books. iPads have larger vibrant screens that let you get fully immersed when reading. They also have excellent battery life.
While the iPad hardware is excellent for reading books, you will need good software to have the best reducing experience on your iPad. E-reader apps for iPad will help you buy books, read or listen to them and organize your library among other things.
There are tons of e-reader apps out there, but here are some of the best e-reader apps for your iPad that will make sure you have an awesome time reading your next book. Check them out below.
Best e-reader Apps for iPad | Features |
Amazon Kindle | Huge catalog of books and audiobooks Tons of free/cheap content Feature-rich with excellent customization options |
Apple Books | Buy books inside the app Support across all Apple devices Feature-rich and easy to use |
Bluefire Reader | Simple UI Completely free to download and use Add your books from multiple libraries |
Google Play Books | Huge library of books and audiobooks Clean interface and easy to use Support across all Apple devices, CarPlay, and other devices |
Libby, by OverDrive | Borrow books from local libraries for free Support for multiple libraries Completely free to use |
Scribd – Audiobooks & ebooks | Tons of content across all genres Affordable subscription pricing Compatible with all Apple devices |
Related: Best iOS App for Audiobooks
Best e-reader Apps for iPad
How did we rate the Best ebook Reader Apps
With the number of e-reader apps on the App Store, it can be tough to choose the best one. But there are always some apps that are better than others. The best e-reader apps for iPad are the ones that get the basics right and offer some extra.
The basics include a large library of books, good UI, and readability features. Features like cloud sync, customization options, affordable pricing, and more make some apps stand out. The e-reader apps in this list get the basics right and offer you more, so you will be pleasantly surprised to try them out.
Best e-reader Apps for iPad
Amazon Kindle
Amazon Kindle is the most popular e-reader app out there. It is popular in pretty much any platform iOS, Android, and others. The reason for its popularity is that the app and its service are exceptional. You get everything you need and want with Kindle.
Kindle features millions of books and audiobooks. It also has comics and magazines. What makes Kindle special apart from the huge library of books is its User Interface (UI) and features. You can customize the text, font, alignment, and orientation of the book to your liking.
You can look up words, people, and places in the book you are reading. There’s a built-in dictionary, Wikipedia lookup, an X-Ray feature, and more. You can track your progress, bookmark pages, and zoom in on pictures for better visibility.
Kindle is easily one of the best e-reader apps for iPad. It works flawlessly on iPad, but it also works well on other devices and you can sync your progress meaning you start where you left off.
It is free to download and use and offers tons of books for free. If you have an Amazon Prime or Kindle Unlimited subscription, you will get access to millions of books.
Pros
- One of the largest libraries of books and audiobooks
- Excellent UI, service, and support
- Affordable ebooks
- Great accessibility options
- Highly customizable
Cons
- Organizing your personal library is not possible
Apple Books
All Apple iPads come preloaded with Apple Books, Apple’s in-house e-reader app. Apple Books is an excellent e-reader app as it gets everything right. It has a huge library of books with good features and an intuitive UI.
Apple Books features millions of books and audiobooks across categories like fiction, nonfiction, mysteries, thrillers, romance, kids’ books, comics, and more. The books store is also organized well so that you can easily find the books you need.
Apple Books offers free samples for you to preview books and audiobooks and make a choice. You can add books to the Want to Read section, customize fonts and themes. The app uses iCloud to track progress and sync data between devices and your family if Family Sharing is on.
Finally, you can add PDFs and books that are not from the Book Store, but they have to be DRM-free. The app is preloaded onto your iPad, if you have deleted it, then you can download it from the App Store. There is no subscription, so you’ll have to buy the books one by one which can be pricey.
Pros
- Buys books directly, no subscription needed
- Read and sync across all your Apple devices including CarPlay
- Buy books directly in the app
- Read across all Apple devices
- Family sharing
Cons
- Not supported in all countries and the iOS 15 update has issues
Bluefire Reader
Bluefire Reader is an excellent app for reading books, pdfs from external sources. It is one of the best ways to access Adobe Content Server books from your other devices. You can use Bluefire Reader to read PDFs, EPUBs, and more from different retailers and publishers.
Bluefire Reader has features like bookmarking, note-taking, search function, import and export in batches, and customizing options. All of these make it one of the best e-reader apps for iPad if you have saved content on your device.
Bluefire Reader has a clean and intuitive interface, you can find your downloaded books easily and read them conveniently. The app is completely free with no in-app purchases. So there is no harm in trying it, and I am sure when you try it you will love it.
Pros
- Completely free to download and use
- Simple UI and access to multiple libraries on one app
- Read Adobe digital editions
- Add your EPUB and PDF files
Cons
- Importing books is a bit complicated
Google Play Books
Google might be Apple’s biggest competitor when it comes to smartphone and tablet services, both hardware and software. While you can’t find Apple apps/services on Android, you can find Google’s services on iPhones and iPads. And one such app is Google Play Books.
Google Play Books is similar to Amazon Kindle and Apple Books. It has a large collection of books and audiobooks that span many categories. It is a clean interface making it easy to navigate the app and read books. It supports sync across all your devices with support for CarPlay too.
Google Play Books also has Siri shortcuts support, you can check previews, and access books offline too. Google Books is free to download and there are no subscriptions, so you will have to download books individually. Google runs many sales so you can find goods for cheap.
It is one of the most complete e-readers apps for iPad and its support across multiple devices makes it a great choice for everyone.
Pros
- Large collection of books and audiobooks
- Support across many devices including Apple CarPlay
- No subscription required
- Works in browsers
Cons
- Have to buy from a browser because of Play Store policies
Libby, by OverDrive
Libby is a unique e-reader app for your iPad. It doesn’t sell you books but rather lets you borrow them. Libby works with local libraries to let you borrow books for free. You will need a library card to borrow books though.
If you have a local library card then you can use Libby to borrow books and audiobooks to your iPad for free. The app itself features an excellent UI, that can be customized depending on your needs. You can text, zoom, search for phrases and words, add bookmarks, make notes, and do more.
The audiobook player works flawlessly too, with features like a time multiplier, sleep timer, bookmarks, and more. Libby is easily one of the coolest and best e-reader apps for iPad. If you have a local library card, then it costs nothing to use so I highly recommend trying it out.
Pros
- Borrow books and audiobooks for free
- Access to multiple libraries
Cons
- Need a library card and content can be limited depending on your local library
Scribd – audiobooks & ebooks
If you are looking for a low-cost yet large library inside your iPad then Scribd might delight you. You can find millions of books, audiobooks, magazines, comics, and more across all genres. And the best part is that all of it will cost under 10$ per month.
Scribd also features over 60 million documents and articles like reports, research papers, guides, and more. The app lets you read books offline, take notes and add annotations, add bookmarks, customize the interface, and more.
When it comes to audiobooks you can listen to them offline, change the narration speed, set sleep timers, and more. You can also access downloaded PDFs and EPUB from your iPad. All of the above features and the low subscription cost make Scribd one of the best e-reader apps for iPad.
Pros
- One of the largest online libraries
- Excellent UI for both books and audiobooks
- Affordable subscription
- Customizable reader
- Apple Watch-compatible
Cons
- Only subscription model available
Best ebook Reader App for iOS – FAQs
Can I get free books to read on my iPad?
Project Gutenberg is a service that lets you download classic books for free from their website. You can use apps like Bluefire Reader, Apple Books, and Scribd to open and read the downloaded book files.
Is the iPad good as an e-reader?
Yes, it is one of the best ways you can read a book thanks to the backlit, high-resolution screen, along with an unlimited library of books from multiple sources. Choose any app from above to start reading books on your iPad.
Can I use my iPad as an e-reader?
Yes, you can use your iPad as an e-reader. In fact, it is one of the best ways to read books thanks to the large, bright, and sharp screen. I use my iPad as an e-reader all the time. I use apps like Amazon Kindle and Apple Books to read books. Check out our list of the best ebook reader for iPad in this article.
Do I need an eReader if I have an iPad?
No, you don’t need to get an e-reader if you have an iPad. The iPad is an excellent device for a number of things and reading books is also one of them. Check out our list of the best ebook reader apps for iPad in this article.
What is the best free book app for iPad?
Amazon Kindle is currently our pick for the best free ebook reader app. It has a large library of books with excellent UI and customization options. Books are generally cheaper on the Amazon Kindle app making it great for students and users on a budget. For other options, check our list of the Best e-reader Apps for iPad.
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Should I, Do I, How to – these are some of the topics I would love to cover to share what I know about All apple products.
Amazon Kindle
Check out our list of the Best e-reader Apps for iPad. Amazon Kindle is one of the Best ebook Reader Apps.
Product Price: Free
Price Valid Until: 2023-08-24
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4.7
Pros
- One of the largest libraries of books and audiobooks
- Excellent UI, service, and support
- Affordable ebooks
- Great accessibility options
- Highly customizable
Cons
- Organizing your personal library is not possible