We independently review all recommendations. Purchases made through our links may earn us an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
The short answer: the best e-reader for most people is the Kindle Paperwhite, now in its thinner 2026 version at $199.99. If you borrow library books or want physical page buttons, the Kobo Libra Colour is the better pick, and the Kobo Clara BW gives you most of that for less. For color, note-taking or Android apps, the Colorsoft, the Kindle Scribe and the BOOX Palma 2 Pro each lead their category.
Amazon refreshed its whole Kindle lineup for fall 2026, so this guide covers the new models, which ship from October 28, and tells you when a 2024 model on sale is still the smarter buy.
How we pick these: we don't run lab tests, and we don't claim hands-on use unless we say so. Specs come from manufacturer and retailer pages, and real-world notes come from owner reports on MobileRead and Reddit. Prices are pulled live from our Amazon price tracker and can change at any time, so confirm them on Amazon before you buy. Our method
Quick picks
7-inch waterproof screen, warm light and up to 12 weeks of battery.
7-inch color screen for covers, comics and color highlights.
11-inch screen with a pen in the box that never needs charging.
1. Kindle Paperwhite (2026): best for most people
The Paperwhite is Amazon’s best-selling Kindle, and the 2026 version keeps what made it the default pick: a 7-inch glare-free screen, an adjustable warm light and waterproofing, with up to 12 weeks of battery on a charge, according to Amazon. The new model is thinner and lighter, and Amazon says its display has the highest contrast ratio of any Kindle.
The Signature Edition adds 32GB, an auto-adjusting light, an aluminum back, double-tap page turns and dock charging for $249.99. For most readers, the standard 16GB model is enough.
What to know: it ships on October 28, 2026, so there are no owner reports on the new model yet. Kindles also don’t open EPUB files directly: you send them through Amazon’s Send to Kindle service. Library borrowing works through Libby in the US.
Should you buy the 2024 Paperwhite instead? Only on a good discount. While stock lasts, the 2024 model is $199.99, with the same 7-inch size, waterproofing and 12-week battery rating.
Best for: anyone who buys from Amazon or uses Kindle Unlimited and wants a reader that just works.
2. Kobo Libra Colour: best Kobo
The Libra Colour is the reader we’d pick if you don’t want to be tied to Amazon. According to Kobo, it has a 7-inch E Ink Kaleido 3 screen (300 ppi in black and white, 150 ppi in color), physical page-turn buttons, IPX8 waterproofing and 32GB of storage. It reads EPUB, CBZ and CBR files natively, and OverDrive and Libby are built in, so you can borrow library ebooks straight from the device.
It also works with the Kobo Stylus 2 for notes, but the pen is sold separately. Kobo rates the battery at up to 40 days (30 minutes of reading a day, light at 30%, wireless off).
What owners say: on MobileRead, owners praise it for color comics and manga, and some report palm-rejection issues when reading one-handed. The color layer also makes the screen slightly darker than a black-and-white panel.
Best for: library borrowers, readers who load their own EPUB files, and anyone who wants buttons. For a closer look at the trade-offs, see our Kindle vs Kobo vs Boox comparison.
3. Kobo Clara BW: best value
The Clara BW gives you Kobo’s open formats and built-in Libby in a smaller, cheaper body. Kobo lists a 6-inch E Ink Carta 1300 screen, ComfortLight PRO with adjustable warmth, 16GB of storage, IPX8 waterproofing and up to 53 days of battery (light at 10%).
What to know: there are no page-turn buttons, and Kobo says Libby audiobooks can’t be played on its e-readers.
Best for: readers who want a capable, waterproof e-reader without paying for a 7-inch model. If price is your main concern, our guide to the best cheap e-readers compares it with every model under $200.
4. Kindle Colorsoft (2026): best color e-reader
The Colorsoft brings a 7-inch paper-like color screen to the Kindle range. Amazon says the 2026 version is thinner and lighter, waterproof, rated at up to 8 weeks of battery, and adds color highlights in five shades. The Signature Edition adds 32GB, an auto-adjusting light and dock charging for $319.99.
What to know: like every color E Ink screen, colors look muted next to a tablet, closer to newsprint. It also ships on October 28, 2026. If you mainly read manga or comics, our best e-readers for manga guide compares it with the Kobo color models.
Best for: Kindle readers who want color covers, comics and color-coded highlights.
5. Kindle Scribe (11-inch): best for notes and PDFs
The Scribe is the Kindle to buy if you write as much as you read. Amazon’s listing describes an 11-inch glare-free display with a front light, a pen that never needs charging, a built-in notebook with AI summaries, and PDF import from Google Drive and OneDrive. It’s 5.4mm thin and weighs 400g, according to Amazon.
What to know: it costs far more than a reading-only Kindle at $499.99. Amazon also lists a Scribe without a front light from $429.99 and a color Scribe Colorsoft at $679.99.
Best for: students and professionals who mark up PDFs and take handwritten notes. Our best e-readers for students guide compares it with the Kobo Elipsa 2E.
6. Kindle (2026): most pocketable
The entry Kindle is Amazon’s smallest and lightest. The 2026 model keeps a 6-inch glare-free screen with 16GB of storage, and Amazon says books open 30% faster than on the previous Kindle and the battery lasts up to 6 weeks. An aluminum version with 32GB costs $189.99.
What to know: Amazon doesn’t list waterproofing or a warm light for this model, which are the main reasons to step up to the Paperwhite.
Best for: commuters and light readers who want a Kindle that fits in a coat pocket.
7. BOOX Palma 2 Pro: best Android e-reader
The Palma 2 Pro is a phone-shaped E Ink device that runs Android 15 with Google Play, so the Kindle, Kobo and Libby apps can all live on one screen. Its Amazon listing shows a 6.13-inch Kaleido 3 color screen (300 ppi in black and white, 150 ppi in color), 128GB of storage, page-turn buttons and a 3,950mAh battery, at about 175g.
What to know: Boox lists no waterproof rating, and owners report shorter battery life than on a Kindle or Kobo. It also costs much more than a dedicated reader.
Best for: readers who want every store and app on one pocketable device and accept a higher price.
Specs side by side
Specs come from Amazon and Kobo product pages. Battery figures are the makers’ own ratings and use different test conditions.
| Our pick | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | ||||
| Screen | 7-inch | 7-inch color | 6-inch | 7-inch color |
| Waterproof | ||||
| Waterproof | Yes (Amazon) | IPX8 (Kobo) | IPX8 (Kobo) | Yes (Amazon) |
| Page-turn buttons | ||||
| Page-turn buttons | No | Yes | No | No |
| Pen | ||||
| Pen | No | Stylus 2, sold separately | No | No |
| Opens EPUB | ||||
| Opens EPUB | Via Send to Kindle | Yes | Yes | Via Send to Kindle |
| Library borrowing | ||||
| Library borrowing | Libby in the US | Built-in Libby | Built-in Libby | Libby in the US |
| Storage | ||||
| Storage | 16GB | 32GB | 16GB | 16GB |
| Battery (maker) | ||||
| Battery (maker) | Up to 12 weeks | Up to 40 days | Up to 53 days | Up to 8 weeks |
| Price | ||||
| Price | $199.99 as of Oct 18, 11:21 am |
$258.09 as of Oct 18, 11:05 am |
$159.99 as of Oct 18, 3:21 pm |
$289.99 as of Oct 18, 11:05 am |
What’s new in 2026
Amazon replaced most of its Kindle range this fall. According to Amazon, the new lineup is:
- Kindle (6-inch, 16GB) and a 32GB Kindle Aluminum, available now
- Kindle Paperwhite and Paperwhite Signature Edition, shipping October 28
- Kindle Colorsoft and Colorsoft Signature Edition, shipping October 28
- Kids versions of the Kindle, Paperwhite and Colorsoft, now with 12 months of Amazon Kids+
- Kindle Click, a $34.99 wireless page-turn remote that works with any Kindle from 2024 or later
Kobo didn’t release new hardware in 2026. Its Clara BW, Clara Colour, Libra Colour and Elipsa 2E remain current, and Kobo’s 2026 updates were software features such as StoryGraph syncing.
Is a 2024 Kindle still worth buying? Yes, at the right price. The 2024 models have the same screen sizes, waterproofing and battery ratings on the Paperwhite, so a discounted 2024 model is a better deal than a full-price 2026 one if you don’t need the thinner design.
Kindle, Kobo or Android?
- Kindle: the simplest choice if you buy from Amazon or use Kindle Unlimited. The store is the biggest, but the system is closed.
- Kobo: the best choice for library borrowing and your own EPUB files, with built-in Libby and native support for comic files.
- Android (BOOX): runs every store’s app on one device, at a higher price and with shorter battery life, according to owners.
Our Kindle vs Kobo vs Boox comparison goes through the trade-offs in detail.
The best e-reader for your needs
- On a budget: our best cheap e-readers under $200 guide.
- Manga and comics: our best e-readers for manga and comics.
- School and textbooks: our best e-readers for students.
- Not sure you need one? Read whether cheap e-readers are worth it.
How to choose an e-reader
- Screen size: 6 inches fits a pocket, 7 inches is the sweet spot for most books and manga, and 10 to 11 inches suits PDFs and note-taking.
- Color or black and white: color helps with covers, comics and highlights, but color E Ink is darker and less sharp in color than in black and white.
- Waterproofing: the Paperwhite, Colorsoft and Kobo’s Clara and Libra models are waterproof. The entry Kindle and the Scribe don’t list it.
- Page-turn buttons: useful for one-handed reading. Among these picks, the Libra Colour and the Palma 2 Pro have them, and the 2026 Signature Editions support a page-turn cover sold separately.
- Library borrowing: Kobo has Libby built in. Kindles borrow through Libby in the US, and Android devices use the Libby app.
- File formats: Kobo and Android devices open EPUB and comic files directly. Kindles need Send to Kindle or a converter.
FAQs
Is Kindle or Kobo better?
Is the 2026 Kindle Paperwhite worth upgrading from the 2024 model?
Are color e-readers worth it?
Which e-readers work with Libby?
Can e-readers open EPUB files?
Sources (17)
- Amazon: Which Kindle to buy (2026 lineup), New Kindle lineup announcement, Kindle Paperwhite (2026) listing, Kindle Colorsoft (2026) listing, Kindle (2026) listing, Kindle Scribe listing, BOOX Palma 2 Pro listing
- Kobo: Kobo Libra Colour page, Kobo Clara BW page, Kobo Stylus 2, File formats Kobo supports, About the Libby app, What’s new with Kobo, summer 2026
- BOOX: Palma 2 Pro
- MobileRead owner threads: Libra Colour owner thread, Happy Boox users who used Kobos, Small e-reader showdown