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Comparison of iOS e-reader software

{{short description|None}}

{{Only primary sources|date=October 2022}}

The following tables compare general and technical features for a number of iOS e-book reader software. Each section corresponds to a major area of functionality in an e-book reader software. The comparisons are based on the latest released version.{{When|date=October 2022}}

Navigation features

{{sort-under}}

class="wikitable sortable sort-under" style="font-size:85%; width:99%; text-align:center;"
Product

! Developer

! Pagination

! Rotation Lock

! Auto-scroll

! Progress indicator

! Backward/forward

! Table of Contents

! Bookmarks

! Resume

! Cloud synchronisation

! Go To

! Full text search

Blio{{cite web|url=http://www.blio.com/ |title=Blio |publisher=KNFB Reading Technology, Inc |access-date=2011-10-25}}

| K-NFB Reading Technology, Inc.

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes2|In-book only}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes|Unlimited}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

Bluefire Reader{{cite web|url=http://www.bluefirereader.com/ |title=Bluefire Reader |publisher=Bluefire Productions, LLC |access-date=2011-10-20}}

| Bluefire Productions

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes2|In-book only}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes|Unlimited}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

Apple Books{{cite web|url=https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ibooks/id364709193?ls=1%2F |title=iBooks |publisher=Apple |access-date=2011-10-20}}

| Apple

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{no2|Manual}}

| {{yes2|In-book only}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes|Unlimited}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

Kindle{{cite web|url=https://apps.apple.com/app/kindle/id302584613?mt=8%2F |title=Kindle |publisher=AMZN Mobile LLC |access-date=2011-10-20}}

| AMZN Mobile LLC

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes|In library and in-book}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes|Unlimited}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

Kobo Reading App{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/de/app/kobo-ebooks/id429710234?mt=8&ls=1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716234726/http://itunes.apple.com/de/app/kobo-ebooks/id429710234?mt=8&ls=1 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 16, 2011 |title=Kobo eBooks |publisher=Kobo Inc. |access-date=2011-10-20}}

| Kobo Inc.

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes2|In-book only}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no2|Last place marker only}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

Stanza{{cite web |url=http://www.lexcycle.com/ |title=Stanza |publisher=Lexcycle |access-date=2011-10-20 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111019171930/http://www.lexcycle.com/ |archive-date=2011-10-19 }}

| Lexcycle

| {{yes|Configurable}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes|In library and in-book}}

| {{yes|Configurable}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes|Unlimited}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

Product

! Developer

! Pagination

! Rotation Lock

! Auto-scroll

! Progress indicator

! Backward/forward

! Table of Contents

! Bookmarks

! Resume

! Cloud synchronisation

! Go To

! Full text search

Display features

class="wikitable sortable sort-under" style="font-size:85%; width:99%; text-align:center;"
Product

! Multi-column mode

! Styles (bold/italic/etc.)

! Page Turn Effects

! Themes

! Day/Night mode

! Enable/Disable sleep mode

! Brightness Control

! Indent paragraph

! Enable/Disable CSS

! Enable/Disable hyphenation

! Customize margins

! Customize text alignment

! Customize font

! Customize spacing: line/paragraph

Blio

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes2|Justification only}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

Bluefire Reader

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes|Vertical swipe}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes2|Pre-set choices only}}

| {{yes2|Justification only}}

| {{yes}}

| Line only

Apple Books

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

Kindle

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes2|Pre-set choices only}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes2|Line; pre-set choices only}}

Kobo Reading App

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes|Vertical swipe}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

Stanza

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes|Configurable}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes|Vertical swipe}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

Product

! Multi-column mode

! Styles (bold/italic/etc.)

! Page Turn Effects

! Themes

! Day/Night mode

! Enable/Disable sleep mode

! Brightness Control

! Indent paragraph

! Enable/Disable CSS

! Enable/Disable hyphenation

! Customize margins

! Customize text alignment

! Customize font

! Customize spacing: line/paragraph

Edit/tool features

class="wikitable sortable sort-under" style="font-size:85%; width:99%; text-align:center;"
Product

! Highlight

! Annotate

! Edit meta-data

! Online dictionary

! Offline dictionary

! Lookup Wikipedia

! Translate

! Share

! TTS support (read aloud)

! DRM support

! Export to iTunes

Blio

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

Bluefire Reader

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes|Author, Title, Publisher}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes|Facebook, Twitter, eMail}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

Apple Books

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes|Facebook, Twitter, eMail, SMS}}

| {{yes| yes, via VoiceOver}}

| {{yes|Apple FairPlay}}

| {{yes}}

Kindle

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes|Facebook, Twitter}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

Kobo Reading App

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes|Facebook, Twitter}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

Stanza

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes|Facebook, Twitter, eMail}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

Product

! Highlight

! Annotate

! Edit meta-data

! Online dictionary

! Offline dictionary

! Lookup Wikipedia

! Translate

! Share

! TTS support (read aloud)

! DRM support

! Export to iTunes

Book source management features

class="wikitable sortable sort-under" style="font-size:85%; width:99%; text-align:center;"
Product

! Book store(s)

! Book search

! In-app Epub import

! Import via in-app Browser

! OPDS catalog

! Other import via

! Tag books

! Sort books

Blio

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| eMail (MIME type)

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

Bluefire Reader

| {{yes2|Free ebook libraries only}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| eMail (MIME type)

iTunes File Sharing

Built-in Web Server

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

Apple Books

| {{yes|Apple Books Store}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| eMail (MIME type)

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

Kindle

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| iTunes File Sharing

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

Kobo Reading App

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| eMail (MIME type)

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

Stanza

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| Calibre (Bonjour)

eMail (MIME type)

iTunes File Sharing

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

Product

! Book store(s)

! Book search

! In-app Epub import

! Import via in-app Browser

! OPDS catalog

! Other import via

! Tag books

! Sort books

Supported File Formats

See Comparison of e-book formats for details on the file formats.

class="wikitable sortable sort-under" style="font-size:85%; width:99%; text-align:center;"
Product

! total # of formats

! .cbr/.cbz

! .chm

! .djvu

! .epub

! .fb2

! .html

! .mobi

! .pdb

! .pdf

! .rtf

! .txt

Blio

| 2

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

Bluefire Reader

| 2

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

Apple Books

| 2

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

Kindle

| 2

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

Kobo Reading App

| 2

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

Stanza

| 5+

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{no}}

Product

! total # of formats

! .cbr/.cbz

! .chm

! .djvu

! .epub

! .fb2

! .html

! .mobi

! .pdb

! .pdf

! .rtf

! .txt

License

class="wikitable sortable sort-under" style="font-size:85%; width:50%; text-align:left;"
Product

! Free

! License

Blio

| {{partial}} (voices cost)

|

Bluefire Reader

| {{partial}} (Cloudshelf edition is free)

| Proprietary

Apple Books

| {{yes}}

| Proprietary

Kindle

| {{yes}}

|

Kobo Reading App

| {{yes}}

|

Stanza

| {{yes}}

| Proprietary

Special features

class="wikitable sortable sort-under" style="font-size:85%; width:50%; text-align:left;"
Product

! Special features

Blio

| Support for the visually impaired

Bluefire Reader

| Optional PDF password protection

Localized in English, French, German, Norwegian, Icelandic, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Danish

Support for Chinese, Japanese, and Korean language epub3 format including Vertical writing mode and R2L page order

Supports multiple concurrent Adobe user account activations, both Adobe ID and Vendor ID accounts

Export notes and highlights to email

Collections Feature for organizing user Library

Apple Books

| Apple Books can read text aloud to the user.

Kindle

| Ebooks can be emailed to an auto-generated Amazon email address

Kobo Reading App

| Strictly enforces registration with Kobo

Support for magazine subscriptions.

Extensive social media support via Facebook.

Reading statistics and achievements.

Stanza

| Cover FlowNot on the iPad

Extensive options for library sorting

Customizable background picture & transparency settings

Has some stability problems on iOS >= 5.0

Stanza is not being updated any more

Product

! Special features

Discontinued software

  • The Readmill app, introduced in February 2011, read numerous formats on Android and iOS devices but shut down on July 1, 2014.{{cite news|url=http://www.tuaw.com/2014/06/24/readmill-is-closing-its-doors-on-july-1-2014-needs-picture/?ncid=rss_truncated|date=June 24, 2014| work=The Unofficial Apple Weblog|author= Bond, John-Michael | title=Readmill is closing its doors on July 1, 2014}}
  • Also the Blio,{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/blio/id409370678?mt=8 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723210246/http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/blio/id409370678?mt=8 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 23, 2011 |title=Connecting to the iTunes Store. |publisher=Apple |access-date=2020-03-02}} DL Reader{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dl-reader/id447700560?mt=8 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111119201036/http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dl-reader/id447700560?mt=8 |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 19, 2011 |title=Connecting to the iTunes Store. |publisher=Apple |access-date=2020-03-02}} and Stanza app are no longer available.

See also

References

{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

{{Ebooks}}

iOS e-book reader software

Category:IOS software

Category:Ebooks