AllApps

The best reading and ebook apps.

Amazon Kindle is the top pick for anyone already buying ebooks or listening through Audible who wants one app across phone and tablet. If you borrow from a public library instead of buying, Libby is the better fit, and Hoopla is worth adding if your library carries it for free audiobooks and comics. Skip Goodreads and Wattpad if you actually want to read books inside the app — neither is built for that.

The filter. Every app here is rated 4.2 or better, has been updated in the last eighteen months, and has no significant number of reviewers reporting it broken. Price is not the rule on this list — some are free, some are not.
Top pick

Amazon Kindle: Reading App

AMZN Mobile LLC
View on the App Store ›
Free4.9★ (5,833,634)Updated Sep 8, 2026unverified
Verdict
Kindle is easy to use and works well for people already invested in Amazon's ebook and audiobook ecosystem, but review evidence shows sync between devices and stability can break down for some users.
Best for
Someone already reading through Kindle Unlimited or buying Amazon ebooks who wants one app across phone and tablet for that library.
The catch
Some reviewers report syncing between devices and Audible no longer working, and a smaller group describes crashes that close books or delete downloaded files.
Native app

Libby, the library app

OverDrive, Inc.
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Free4.9★ (4,502,956)Updated Aug 4, 2026unverified
Verdict
Libby lets you borrow ebooks and audiobooks from your local library and most reviewers find it easy to use, though a few say managing holds is genuinely confusing.
Best for
Someone with an active public library card who wants to borrow ebooks and audiobooks through the library system rather than buy them.
The catch
You need a library card and your library's participation in OverDrive's catalog; a handful of users also report the hold-management flow stays confusing even after months of use.
Native app

Hoopla: Your Library Anywhere

Midwest Tape, LLC
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Free4.8★ (1,381,438)Updated Aug 28, 2026unverified
Verdict
Hoopla lets you borrow books, audio, and comics through your library card with no subscription fee, but access depends entirely on whether your library participates and how many monthly borrows it allots.
Best for
Someone whose local library already subscribes to Hoopla and who wants free audiobooks and comics without paying for a separate reading app.
The catch
Borrows are capped per month (some reviewers mention as few as four), so heavy readers will hit a wall well before the month is over.
Native app

Goodreads: Book Tracker & More

Goodreads
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Free4.8★ (752,461)Updated Aug 17, 2026unverified
Verdict
Goodreads is a book-tracking and social app, not an ebook reader — it links out to Kindle or Amazon rather than letting you read inside it. People value it for logging what they've read and seeing what friends are reading, but reviewers report a slow, glitchy, and confusing interface.
Best for
Someone who wants to log reading progress, join reading challenges, and see friends' recommendations, and who already reads on Kindle or elsewhere.
The catch
This isn't an ebook reader at all — you won't read books inside the app — and multiple reviewers describe it as slow to update, glitchy, and hard to navigate.
Native app

Wattpad - Read & Write Stories

Wattpad Corp
View on the App Store ›
Free4.7★ (706,040)Updated Sep 10, 2026unverified
Verdict
Wattpad is a community fiction platform, not a clean reading experience: reviewers describe ads persisting even after paying to remove them, plus crashes and freezes that interrupt reading.
Best for
Someone who wants access to a huge library of user-written serialized fiction and community features, and is willing to tolerate ads and occasional instability to get it.
The catch
Multiple reviewers say they paid for an ad-free subscription and still got ads after every chapter, and several report crashes or freezing mid-read.
Native app

Who should skip this entirely.

If you don't read enough to need a dedicated app — a book or two a year — skip this whole category and just use whatever's built into your phone or tablet, or read on the Kindle or library website directly. Also skip buying anything if your local library doesn't participate in OverDrive or Hoopla; check that first, because Libby and Hoopla are worthless without it. And if you want a place to log books and talk about them, know that Goodreads won't let you read inside it at all — that's a different purchase decision entirely.

Questions.

What's the difference between Kindle and Libby?Kindle is for books you buy or access through Kindle Unlimited, tied to Amazon's ecosystem. Libby is for borrowing ebooks and audiobooks free through your public library card. You can use both side by side for different parts of your reading.
Do I need a library card for Hoopla and Libby?Yes, both require an active card from a library that participates in their systems. Without that, neither app gives you access to anything.
Can I read books inside Goodreads?No. Goodreads is a tracking and social app that links out to Kindle or Amazon for the actual reading. Use it alongside a reader app, not instead of one.
Is Wattpad worth it if I don't want ads?Be cautious. Reviewers report ads persisting even after paying for an ad-free subscription, plus crashes during reading. It suits people mainly after the free serialized fiction library who can tolerate some instability.