For any readers who don’t have the space to carry numerous books with them when they leave home, using an app, especially a popular app for reading, can be a good alternative. It might not be the same as reading a physical book, but they do make it so much easier to read on the go, whether you enjoy novels, comic books, or magazines. And the right app makes it easy to access everything from a phone, tablet, or even one of the best e-readers users swear by.
While most reading apps can seem similar, especially to non-readers, each one usually serves a specific audience of readers. They also offer different ways to access their books, including buying individual books, subscriptions that net you perks, borrowing books similar to a traditional library, or the option to access audiobooks. Since the catalog of works available on each platform can vary, we separated the most popular reading app options you can use in 2026. So, if you want a lot of variety, free options, or even various features, there are plenty of popular apps that can help you keep your reading habits up to date.
Kindle
Although there are numerous Kindle competitors, it still remains one of the best options for anyone who wants access to millions of books at once. It has one of the best ecosystems among reading apps. If you use a Kindle, rather than just the app on your phone or tablet, it’s good for lacking distractions since the device doesn’t allow the installation of other apps. You can also download your previously purchased books to read offline, so you don’t only need to depend on the subscription or your purchases.
In addition to the traditional store, where you can buy the e-books sold on Amazon, you also get access to Kindle Unlimited, a subscription service that brings together a large selection of books, magazines, and other comics. Although the catalog does not contain every book sold by Amazon itself; just a third of its catalog.
Kindle also offers several cool features that are exclusive, especially if you want to read on your own phone or tablet instead of the e-reader. You can also change the font size, spacing, and margins, and also look up words through the built-in dictionary the app has, while it still keeps your current page synced between devices.
Libby
Libby is one of the best free reading apps that you can find in 2026, which is why it’s so popular. There could be some waiting between your next read, but if you get multiple library cards, the wait times won’t be terrible. The app connects you to the digital collection of many public libraries across the United States (as long as you have a library card). Requiring a library card is significantly better than requiring a credit card because it means you get to borrow ebooks and audiobooks without paying a fee. In this time of book bans and declining literacy, supporting public libraries is crucial.
However, because you’re checking out books from a library, there are limited copies of each title. Thus, the wait times and a limited time to read. For those who don’t want to pay for another monthly subscription, Libby is amazing and one of the cheapest alternatives to Kindle. And since the app’s catalog is similar to what you will find in public libraries, it’s possible to read some best-sellers that you’d normally have to pay for on other apps, such as “A Song of Ice and Fire” and many other options, though it can be limited.
Libby also lets you share your borrowed books with a Kindle e-reader if you have one, so you don’t have to read on your phone or tablet. The app is available on Android, iPhone, iPad, and web, letting you start your reading anywhere.
Hoopla
Hoopla is very similar to Libby, where the user needs access to a library card to unlock the catalog, but it has some additional advantages. One of them is that it does not make users wait weeks in line to access the most popular ebooks, audiobooks, or other content. The app works with a payment system funded by the participating library. While you do not need to wait, each user is limited in what they can borrow from the Hoopla catalog.
The limit varies between participating libraries, but it’s something between four and 10 books. On the other hand, Hoopla’s catalog is varied and includes comics, manga, and some movies. In fact, if you also like listening to audiobooks, Hoopla is one of the cheapest options compared to Audible, at no extra cost if you have a library card. Another benefit is the app’s availability, since it’s available not only in the U.S. but also in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Wattpad
For anyone who wants to read something different, that isn’t the traditionally published books everyone is familiar with, Wattpad is perfect. It has a catalog created by the writing community itself and not by publishers, since anyone can publish their content on it for free. So, you can get an almost infinite collection of original stories or even fanfiction about your favorite characters. This open-door model from Wattpad has already produced several major hits, including “The Kissing Booth” and “After,” which started on the platform before becoming successful movies.
On the other hand, this also means the content usually varies a lot, since there is no editorial curation behind it. Moreover, the app has a Premium subscription for anyone who wants ad-free navigation or wants to unlock some exclusive stories from the platform. Prices start at $5 for the most basic plan, where you get access to a monthly bundle of 5 Wattpad Originals stories, or Premium+ at $7.50, which gives you 200 coins to unlock stories of your choice.
Kobo is Kindle’s main competitor. Both the device and the app stand out because they move away from Amazon’s closed ecosystem, offering native support for the EPUB format and more freedom to import your own files, without depending exclusively on the brand’s own store, something Kindle does not allow so easily. Another strong feature is the native integration with Libby, which lets you borrow books from public libraries directly through the same app, without needing to switch between platforms.
Moreover, just like Kindle users can sync their progress with Goodreads (since Amazon owns both), Kobo has partnered with StoryGraph, a book-tracking app, allowing users to sync their Kobo reading progress with it. In the subscription part, Kobo Plus follows a path similar to Kindle Unlimited, but with some important differences. Instead of a single plan, Kobo Plus is divided into separate options for eBooks and audiobooks, or a combo of both formats. This flexibility is one of the service’s biggest differences. In terms of e-readers, Kobo is one of the best Kindle alternatives you can find.
How we choose the most popular reading apps in 2026
To find the most popular reading apps of 2026, we analyzed each one’s position in the book charts on the App Store and Google Play, the total downloads, and the volume of reviews received, since a large and active installed base is a good sign of popularity among users. We also considered market share, when available, since services like Amazon dominate e-book sales even without leading the weekly charts.
For that reason, pre-installed apps, such as Apple Books and Google Play Books, were ignored, since there is no way to measure how many people actually choose to use them of free will. We also did not limit “reading” to e-books and audiobooks sold by publishers, since library borrowing options, such as Libby and Hoopla, or even communities like Wattpad can be equally popular ways to read today, so we made room for this variety.
