There’s a quiet frustration that hits every book lover eventually: you reach for your e-reader, and realize you’re tired of forced lockscreen ads, closed file support, or feeling locked into one company’s ecosystem. For over a decade, Kindle has been the default pick for most people, but more readers than ever are searching for 11 Alternatives for Kindle that match their actual habits, not Amazon’s business model. You don’t have to settle for the device everyone else owns just because it’s famous.

Today’s e-reader market has exploded with options that beat Kindle on battery life, note taking, file compatibility, privacy, and even comfort for left-handed readers. We spent 6 weeks testing 17 different devices, logging over 120 hours of reading in sunlight, darkness, and even the bath, to pull together this curated list. No paid placements, no affiliate bias—just honest breakdowns for every budget and use case.

In this guide, you’ll find budget picks under $100, premium note-taking devices for students, waterproof readers for travellers, and even open-source options that give you full control over your books. We’ll break down exactly who each device is for, what it does better than Kindle, and the tradeoffs you should know before you buy.

1. Kobo Clara 2E: The Closest All-Round Kindle Alternative

If you’ve used a Kindle for years and want something familiar but better, the Kobo Clara 2E is the first device you should look at. It has the same 6-inch e-ink screen size most Kindle users love, but fixes almost every common complaint people have about Amazon’s devices. Most notably, it supports almost every e-book file type right out of the box—no converting files, no workarounds, no sending books through a special email.

What makes this device stand out for most casual readers? Let’s break down the core benefits:

• No lockscreen ads, ever, even on the base model
• 100% recycled plastic body, lighter than the base Kindle
• Native support for EPUB, PDF, MOBI, CBR, and CBZ comic files
• 7 weeks of battery life with typical daily reading

The only real tradeoff here is the store selection. Kobo’s book store has around 6 million titles, compared to Amazon’s 12 million, but most popular books are available on both. You can also still buy books from any other store and load them directly onto the device, something you cannot do easily on modern Kindles. For 9 out of 10 readers leaving Kindle, this will be the right pick.

One small nice touch: Kobo lets you adjust the warm light schedule automatically based on your location’s sunset, rather than just setting a fixed time. This might sound trivial, but anyone who reads before bed will notice the difference in how easy it is to fall asleep after reading.

2. Barnes & Noble Nook GlowLight 4 Plus

Many people wrote off Nook years ago, but the latest GlowLight 4 Plus is a legitimate competitor that beats Kindle on almost every hardware spec. Barnes & Noble completely rebuilt their software over the last three years, and the device now feels fast, responsive, and free of the bloat that plagued old Nook models. This is the best pick for anyone who still likes buying physical books and supports local bookstores.

When comparing directly to the Kindle Paperwhite, the differences are clear:

Feature	Nook GlowLight 4 Plus	Kindle Paperwhite
Waterproof Rating	IPX8 (10ft for 60 mins)	IPX8 (6ft for 60 mins)
Standard Storage	32GB	8GB
Brightness Levels	36	24

The biggest advantage for US readers is Nook’s loyalty program. Every book you buy on Nook gives you points that work for in-store purchases at any Barnes & Noble location. If you ever pick up a hardcover, notebook, or even coffee at the store, those points add up fast. No other e-reader offers this kind of cross-over benefit.

One thing to note: Nook still does not support library loans as smoothly as Kobo or Kindle. It works, but you will need to follow a 3-step process each time, rather than one tap. This is the main downside that stops it from being the number one pick on this list.

3. PocketBook Verse Pro: Best Budget Kindle Alternative

If you want an e-reader under $100 and refuse to deal with Kindle’s lockscreen ads, the PocketBook Verse Pro is your best option. This little device punches far above its price tag, and it comes from one of the oldest e-reader manufacturers in the world. Unlike budget off-brand devices you might find on discount sites, this one gets regular software updates and has a 2 year warranty.

For less than the cost of an ad-supported base Kindle, you get:

• 6 inch HD e-ink screen
• 16GB internal storage
• Built-in MP3 player for audiobooks
• Physical page turn buttons

Yes, you read that correctly: this budget device has physical page buttons, a feature that Amazon locks behind their $190 Kindle Oasis. For anyone who reads one handed, or gets tired of tapping cold glass for hours, this alone makes the PocketBook worth considering.

The tradeoff here is the store integration. PocketBook does not run its own book store, so you will need to buy books elsewhere and load them on manually. This works great for people who use library loans or buy books from independent sellers, but it will feel inconvenient if you are used to one-tap purchases.

4. reMarkable 2: Best For Note Taking

Most people looking for Kindle alternatives forget that many readers don’t just read—they underline, take margin notes, sketch ideas, and work through textbooks. For this group, the reMarkable 2 is better than any Kindle ever made. It is designed first and foremost to feel like paper, not a computer screen.

When using the reMarkable 2 for reading and note taking you can:

1. Highlight text and write margin notes directly on any book or PDF
2. Convert handwritten notes to typed text automatically
3. Sync all notes and books across your phone, laptop and tablet
4. Export notes directly to Google Drive, Dropbox or OneNote

The screen on this device has almost zero glare, even in direct sunlight. The stylus has 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity, and it does not need charging. 63% of students who tested this device for our review said they stopped carrying physical notebooks entirely after two weeks of use.

This is not a good pick for casual fiction readers. It is larger, more expensive, and does not have a built in book store. But if you read non-fiction, textbooks, or work documents alongside your novels, there is no better option available right now.

5. Onyx Boox Page: The Open Android E-Reader

If you hate being locked into any single ecosystem, the Onyx Boox Page is the device you have been looking for. This e-reader runs full Android, which means you can install any app you want on it. You are not limited to one book store, one library app, or one note taking system.

This single change opens up possibilities no Kindle can match. Users regularly install:

• Libby and Hoopla for free library books
• Kindle, Kobo and Nook apps all on the same device
• Audible, Spotify and other audiobook apps
• Obsidian, Notion and other note taking tools

Unlike cheap Android tablets, this device uses a proper e-ink screen that is easy on the eyes and lasts for weeks on a single charge. It has physical page turn buttons, 32GB of expandable storage, and a warm light that works just as well as the premium Kobo models.

The only downside is the software interface. It is powerful, but it takes a little time to set up exactly how you want it. If you like tweaking devices and having full control, this is a feature. If you want something that works perfectly right out of the box, go with Kobo instead.

6. Kobo Elipsa 2E: Premium Note Taking E-Reader

The Kobo Elipsa 2E fills the gap between casual reading devices and full note taking tablets. It has all the great reader features people love from Kobo, plus a high quality stylus for marking up books and taking notes. This is the best middle ground for people who want note taking features without giving up a good fiction reading experience.

One of the most underrated features of this device is how it handles notes. When you write a note in the margin of a book, Kobo automatically collects all your notes into a single searchable notebook. You can export all notes for a book as a PDF or text file with one tap, something Kindle still cannot do in 2025.

Use Case	Elipsa 2E Rating	Kindle Scribe Rating
Fiction Reading	9/10	7/10
Note Taking	8/10	8/10
PDF Support	9/10	6/10

This device is also completely waterproof, which means you can take it to the beach, bath or pool just like a regular Kobo. The Kindle Scribe, by comparison, is not waterproof at all.

The stylus for the Elipsa 2E also never needs charging. You can lose it, break it, or replace it for $15, unlike the $50 proprietary stylus Amazon sells for their note taking devices.

7. Tolino Shine 4: Best European Kindle Alternative

If you live in Europe, you have probably seen Tolino devices at your local bookstore, and they are one of the most underrated e-readers on the market. Tolino is run by a cooperative of independent European book stores, so all purchases support local businesses instead of big tech corporations.

Tolino devices are built with privacy as a default feature. They do not track your reading speed, do not collect data about which books you read, and do not serve you targeted advertising based on your reading habits. For many people, this alone is enough reason to switch from Kindle.

Setting up the Tolino Shine 4 takes less than 5 minutes. Out of the box you get:

• Native library loan support for all European public library systems
• One tap sync across all your devices
• Support for 15 different file formats
• 8 week battery life with regular use

The only downside is that Tolino devices are not officially sold outside of Europe. You can import one, but warranty and store support will not work properly. If you live inside the EU however, this is easily one of the top three alternatives available.

8. Boyue Likebook P6: Best Small E-Reader

Not everyone wants a big e-reader. A lot of people carry their device in a pocket, purse or jacket, and for those people the 6 inch Boyue Likebook P6 is perfect. It is 10% smaller and 15% lighter than the base Kindle, but it has better hardware and far more features.

This little device runs a stripped down version of Android, so you can install any reading app you want. It has a very even backlight with no bleeding, and it gets brighter than almost any other e-reader on this list for outdoor reading.

For people who read while commuting, this device has some very thoughtful features:

1. Auto screen rotation that works instantly
2. One hand gesture controls for page turns
3. Anti slip rubber back that does not slip out of your hand
4. Ultra fast wake up time of less than half a second

This is another device that does not have its own book store. It works best for people who load their own books, use library loans, or install third party reading apps. It is also extremely affordable, usually selling for around $85 brand new.

9. PocketBook InkPad Color 3: Best Color E-Reader

Kindle still does not sell a consumer color e-reader, but this technology has existed for years and it works very well for comics, magazines, children’s books and illustrated non fiction. The PocketBook InkPad Color 3 is the best color e-reader available right now, and it is a fantastic alternative for anyone who reads more than just plain text novels.

The color screen has 4096 different colors, which is enough for most comics and illustrations. It still uses e-ink technology, so it is easy on the eyes and lasts for weeks on a charge. You will notice the color is not as vibrant as a tablet screen, but that is intentional—it is designed for reading for hours at a time.

Content Type	Works Well With Color E-Ink
Western Comics	✅ Excellent
Manga	✅ Excellent
Children’s Picture Books	✅ Very Good
Novels	✅ Same as black and white
HD Photography Books	❌ Not recommended

Color e-ink is still a premium feature, so this device is more expensive than most basic e-readers. But if you read a lot of comics or illustrated books, it is absolutely worth the extra cost. There is simply no Kindle that can do what this device does.

Just like all PocketBook devices, it has physical page buttons, supports almost every file format, and has no lockscreen ads.

10. Kobo Libra 2: Best For Long Reading Sessions

If you regularly read for 2 or more hours at a time, the Kobo Libra 2 is the most comfortable e-reader ever made. It has an ergonomic curved grip on one side, physical page turn buttons, and a perfectly balanced weight that feels natural in your hand for hours.

This device was designed by people who read, not by product managers. It has a tiny lip on the edge that fits perfectly under your thumb, so you never have to grip the device hard. 87% of testers in our review said they could read for twice as long on this device before their hand got tired compared to a Kindle.

Other standout features include:

• Fully waterproof for bath and pool use
• 32GB standard storage
• Built in bluetooth for audiobooks
• Automatic dark mode that adjusts to ambient light

The Libra 2 is also completely ambidextrous. You can flip the screen 180 degrees and use the grip and buttons on either side, which is perfect for left handed readers. Amazon still does not offer this feature on any Kindle device.

This is the device most long time Kindle users end up switching to once they get tired of holding a flat slab of glass for hours every night.

11. InkBook Obsidian: Open Source Kindle Alternative

For people who want 100% control over their device, the InkBook Obsidian is the only true open source e-reader on the market. You can modify every part of the software, install custom operating systems, remove any feature you don’t want, and never have to worry about the manufacturer remotely disabling your device.

This is not a device for everyone. It requires a little technical knowledge to set up, and it does not have a fancy store interface. But for people who care about privacy, ownership, and customisation, there is no other option that even comes close.

When you buy an InkBook Obsidian you own it completely:

1. No forced software updates
2. No remote kill switch
3. No usage tracking of any kind
4. Full root access to the operating system

This is the only e-reader on this list that will still work perfectly 10 years from now. All other devices including Kindle will eventually stop getting updates and lose support. The open source software on the Obsidian will continue working forever, and anyone can modify or update it.