5 of the most popular reading apps in 2026

For all those readers who don’t have the space to take many books with them when they leave the house, using an app, especially a popular app for reading, can be a good alternative. It may not be the same as reading a physical book, but they make reading on the go much easier, whether you like novels, comics, or magazines. And the right app makes it easy to access everything from a phone, tablet, or even one of the best e-readers that users swear by.

Although most reading apps may seem similar, especially to non-readers, each one is generally aimed at a specific audience of readers. They also offer different ways to access their books, including purchasing individual books, subscriptions that earn you perks, borrowing similar books from a traditional library, or being able to access audiobooks. Since the catalog of works available on each platform can vary, we’ve separated the most popular reading app options that you can use in 2026. So, if you want lots 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.

Although there are many Kindle competitors, this one 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, this is a good thing to lack distractions since the device doesn’t allow other apps to be installed. You can also download your previously purchased books for offline reading, so you don’t need to depend solely on the subscription or your purchases.

In addition to the traditional store, where you can buy e-books sold on Amazon, you also have access to Kindle Unlimited, a subscription service which brings together a wide selection of books, magazines and other comics. Although the catalog does not contain all the books sold by Amazon itself; only a third of its catalog.

Kindle also offers several great and exclusive features, especially if you want to read on your own phone or tablet instead of the e-reader. You can also change font size, spacing and margins, as well as look up words via the app’s built-in dictionary, all while keeping your current page in sync between devices.

Libby is one of the best free reading apps you can find in 2026, which is why it is so popular. There might be some wait between your next reading, 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 (provided you have a library card). Requiring a library card is much better than requiring a credit card because it means you can borrow e-books and audiobooks without paying any fees. In this age of book banning and declining literacy, it is crucial to support public libraries.

However, because you are viewing books in a library, copies of each title are limited. So, wait times and limited time to read. For those who don’t want to pay another monthly subscription, Libby is amazing and one of the cheapest alternatives to Kindle. And because the app’s catalog is similar to what you’ll find in public libraries, it’s possible to read some bestsellers that you would normally pay for on other apps, like “A Song of Ice and Fire” and many other options, although this may 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, allowing you to start reading anywhere.

Hoopla is very similar to Libby, where the user must access a library card to unlock the catalog, but it has a few additional benefits. One of them is that it doesn’t force users to wait weeks to access the most popular ebooks, audiobooks, or other content. The app works with a payment system funded by the participating library. Although you don’t need to wait, each user is limited in what they can borrow from the Hoopla catalog.

The limit varies between participating libraries, but is between four and ten books. On the other hand, Hoopla’s catalog is varied and includes comics, manga and some films. In fact, if you also like listening to audiobooks, Hoopla is one of the cheaper options compared to Audible, with no additional fees if you have a library card. Another advantage is the availability of the application, since it is available not only in the United States but also in Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

For anyone who wants to read something different, not one of the traditionally published books that everyone knows, Wattpad is perfect. It has a catalog created by the writing community itself and not by the publishers, since anyone can publish their content there for free. So you can get an almost endless collection of original stories or even fanfiction about your favorite characters. This open-door model of Wattpad has already produced several major hits, including “The Kissing Booth” and “After,” which debuted on the platform before becoming hit films.

On the other hand, this also means that the content usually varies a lot, since there is no editorial curation behind it. Additionally, the app has a Premium subscription for anyone who wants ad-free browsing or wants to unlock 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 the stories of your choice.

Kobo is the Kindle’s main competitor. The device and application stand out for moving 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 great feature is the native integration with Libby, which allows you to borrow books from public libraries directly through the same app, without the need to switch between platforms.

Additionally, 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 similar path to Kindle Unlimited, but with some important differences. Instead of a single plan, Kobo Plus is split into separate options for eBooks and audiobooks, or a combination of both formats. This flexibility is one of the biggest differences of the service. In terms of e-readers, Kobo is one of the best Kindle alternatives you can find.

To find the most popular reading apps of 2026, we analyzed the position of each in the book rankings on the App Store and Google Play, the total number of downloads and the volume of reviews received, because a large and active installed base is a good sign of popularity among users. We also took market share into account, where available, since services like Amazon dominate e-book sales even without topping the weekly rankings.

For this reason, pre-installed apps, such as Apple Books and Google Play Books, have been ignored, as there is no way to measure how many people actually choose to use them willingly. We also haven’t limited “reading” to e-books and audiobooks sold by publishers, since borrowing options at libraries, such as Libby and Hoopla, or even in communities like Wattpad, can be equally popular ways of reading today, so we’ve made room for that variety.