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First thing, check with your local public library.
They are most likely going to already have a free app to use with your library card. (If you don't have a library card, get one. They are free and it is very illegal for libraries to give your data to anyone without a court ordered warrant).
My library uses Libby, and it's great for the most part on any smart device.
If you do end up licensing (and it's a license, not a purchase). Amazon's Kindle store is good and has some exclusives.
This is what I do. First thing I do is check the library through Libby and if they donβt have it Iβll buy it for Kindle.
ReadEra.
The free app is so bloody good and adfree already, I bought it just to support the developer after using it for 8 years or so.
Tried several others before and nothing comes even close.
Yes, I use that app too, it's stylish and exactly what I need from an ereader app
Annas-archive.org to get books, ereader prestigio to read them on my phone.
Thank you for this
I love libraries but their ebook services are crippled by publisher nonsense pretending there are limited copies of a file.
How do you like Prestigio? Have you tried Moon Reader? Curious to hear what makes Prestigio a good choice (i personally switch between both every now and then)
I use the Android app Librera Reader, since it's the best one I could find that is officially distributed outside of the Play Store (de-google, anyone?).
You can find the APK on both F-Droid and GitHub.
For ebooks, since Librera doesn't seem to be able to validate DRM (thankfully), I buy ebooks in DRM free formats, meaning I usually pend to Itchio, IndieGala, Fanatical, Humble Bundle, Story Bundle, etc.
Best Android reader!
Depends on the platform.
If you're on an Apple device at least, the built-in Books app works great for reading ePub files.
Can you just read local epub files using the books app?
I think so, I believe you can open them in Books via the Files app on iOS.
Yes
Which country do you live in? That'll help with recommendations.
On Android I like Moon+ Reader, on my Kobo I installed koreader
What made you switch to a different app on the Kobo?
I didn't completely switch, koreader is installed side by side with the official software but it has a lot more feature and it suite my needs. Eg. I'm a developer and I wrote an Obsidian plugin to retrieve all my highlights and notes from koreader
Depends on what I'm reading, but I prefer side-loading to my Kobo Libra via Calibre-web. I'm currently taking advantage of a Kindle Unlimited sale and that means I'm reading on an older Android tablet, my phone, or if I'm feeling organized, a Kindle Oasis.
When I do read on my phone, maybe something from Project Gutenberg or Smashwords, it's Librera Reader FD - it's on F-Droid and it's awesome.
If you can, try and find a semi-dedicated reading device as it'll let you focus on what you're reading. The biggest downside to your phone is that you can do other things - like checking Lemmy.
I used to read Moon Reader on Android before I switched to a dedicated e-ink book reader in the Kobo Clara HD.
If you're going to be doing anything more than very casual reading, do yourself a favor and get an e-ink reader like the Kobo or a Paperwhite or something. You really won't regret it.
I'll throw a shoutout to Onyx Boox, rather than Kobo or Kindle. It runs Android, can run literally any file type, doesn't lock you into an ecosystem with DRM where you don't really own the books you buy. I despise Kobo and Kindle for that reason.
But I totally agree about how nice e-ink is. It's literally as good as paper. Maybe better. Soooo nice.
I have the Boox Max, and it's expensive as shit compared to the smaller ereaders, but I use it more than enough to justify. You can't fit a textbook or coding book on a Kindle (probably the scribe you can now), but you can fit two pages comfortably with the 13.3 inch max.
Android is a huge value add, too. I can't take it for my phone, but for an ereader, it means I can use multiple library apps and scribd to borrow books to supplement my purchases from whatever platforms.
It's very trivial to sideload EPUBs on a Kobo using Calibre. I think it is similarly easy on a Kindle. You're not really locked into any ecosystem you don't want to be with either, tbh.
Libby is an online library, so you can borrow books from them. They also have audio books. All you need is a library card (which iirc you can sign up through libby).
You can read the books in the libby app itself (not bad, maybe a little clunky) or if you use something like a Kindle, you can have it sent to that, and read like normal. I believe it does others than kindle, but that's what I use, so that's all i know.
I dedrm my eBooks with calibre and store them on my own NAS. But thatβs just for archiving purposes. I read my eBooks on my iPhone with whatever app I bought them, that can be kindle or Apple Books, whatever is more convenient. In the rare case that I actually load one from my archive, or from the Gutenberg archives, or wherever, itβs usually ePub, and therefore Apple Books as a reader.
I also own a kindle device, but find that often more cumbersome, so I use that only in places where I donβt want to take my phone, ie beach or other public spaces where I want to move without much clothing.
Another vote for using your library. I mostly use BorrowBox as that's what my library hosts their eBooks on. I have used Libby in the past though.
Bookbub is a site that has low cost ebooks that might be worth checking out.
I have all my book stored in Google Books, and I like it.
Kindle. Itβs a physical device but itβs got an app too.
I got an Onyx Boox Leaf 2 e-reader, and it's fantastic, I'd highly recommend it. The great thing about it, is that it runs Android, which means you can get Hoopla, Libby, Overdrive, the Barnes and Noble app, the Kindle app, etc, so all your ebooks are in one place and can be read on your device.
https://onyxboox.com/boox_leaf2
I get all my ebooks for free, by getting public domain stuff from these two places. PG has more selection but Standard has better formatting and is just generally higher quality. This ereader has paid itself off in like 6 months with the money I saved on buying books.
I rent ebooks from the library using both Hoopla, and Libby.
I've been eyeing these, thanks for the tip!
Lithium on android, I set it so I can scroll down the book rather than flip the pages. Then I get my books on lib gen for free.
Our public library has the function to borrow e-books (called onleihe, but this counts only for some libraries in germany). I use this a lot.
I use a Kobo Nia it was pretty cheap and I have no complaints at all about it. You can easily copy epubs over yourself with the cable.
On Android I use moon+ but it's easier using the Kobo.
Iphone - Libby with local library card number
Try moon reader pro for android, it got project Gutenberg and feedbooks built in and you can configure your own source also it has a lot of necessary feature like darkmode for books and stuff.