Alternatives to KOReader
A reader you install on a Kindle, Kobo or PocketBook that opens the formats the stock software refuses. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
KOReader
A reader you install on a Kindle, Kobo or PocketBook that opens the formats the stock software refuses.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as KOReader.
Koodo Reader
A modern ebook reader for fifteen-plus formats that syncs your library and reading progress through storage you already own.
Koodo Reader targets desktop, Android, iOS and web rather than e-ink hardware, with password locking and note export to Readwise, Notion and Obsidian.
FBReader
Cross-platform ebook reader supporting EPUB, FB2 and Readium LCP.
FBReader covers desktop, Android and iOS with OPDS support, but it is not open source, does not install on e-readers, and some formats need paid add-ons.
Readest
A modern ebook reader for EPUB, PDF, MOBI and comics, with highlights, notes, translation, text to speech and sync across every platform.
Readest runs on desktop, Android and web with highlights and translation, but does not install on e-ink devices and its cloud sync has paid tiers.
Plato
An open-source document reader that runs on Kobo e-readers alongside or in place of the stock reading app.
Plato is an AGPL-licensed reader that runs only on Kobo e-readers with firmware 4.6 or later, using MuPDF for rendering, and is installed manually onto the device.
Librera Reader
A customizable Android reader for PDF, EPUB, MOBI, DjVu, FB2 and comic book files.
Librera Reader is a GPL-3.0 Android reader with DjVu, comic and PDF support plus offline dictionaries, but it does not run on Kindle, Kobo or PocketBook hardware.
Moon+ Reader
A configurable Android ebook reader for EPUB, PDF, MOBI, comics and many other formats.
Moon+ Reader is a closed-source Android reader with wide format support and OPDS catalogs, with some features requiring the paid Pro version and no e-reader firmware builds.
ReadEra
An ad-free reader for Android and iOS that opens ebooks, PDFs, office documents and comics.
ReadEra is a free, closed-source reader for Android and iOS that opens ebooks, PDFs, DjVu and comics, but it does not install on dedicated e-readers.
Also worth comparing
These listings name KOReader as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.
Foliate
A calm, well-made GTK ebook reader for Linux that stores your notes as plain JSON you can sync yourself.
KOReader is aimed at e-ink devices like Kindle and Kobo plus Android, opens more formats such as DjVu and CHM, and reflows scanned PDFs.
Komelia
A client app for reading comics, manga and books from a Komga media server.
KOReader is an AGPL-3.0 reader for Android and e-ink devices that connects to OPDS catalogs and opens CBZ, EPUB, PDF and many other formats.
Thorium Reader
Read EPUB books with an accessible desktop reader.
KOReader targets e-ink hardware and Android rather than desktop, opening formats like PDF, DjVu and CHM with a deliberately plain interface.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
Calibre
The ebook library manager: view, convert, edit and catalogue books in every major format, and talk to e-readers.
Kavita
A self-hosted reading server for ebooks, comics and manga, with readers built for each format and OPDS for everything else.
Push to Kindle
Sends web articles to a Kindle or other e-reader in readable form.
kepubify
A fast standalone tool that converts EPUB files into Kobo's enhanced KEPUB format.
Kindle Comic Converter
A desktop and command-line converter that optimizes comics and manga for e-ink ebook readers.
