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Kindle vs Kobo: which e-reader should you buy?

Amazon's new 2026 Kindle Paperwhite against Kobo's Libra Colour, plus the best budget and color models from each. The hardware is close; where you get your books decides it.

Updated November 2026How we compared

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The short answer

Buy a Kindle if your books come from Amazon. Amazon's store is bigger, its deals and recommendations are better, Kindle Unlimited has far more titles than Kobo Plus, and Audible works on the device. The new 2026 Kindle Paperwhite is the one to get.

Buy a Kobo if you borrow from the library or buy books elsewhere. Kobos have library borrowing (OverDrive/Libby) built in, read EPUB files without conversion, have no lock-screen ads, and the Libra Colour adds physical page buttons and stylus support that Kindles at this size don't have.

Kindle Paperwhite on Amazon Kobo Libra Colour on Amazon

Head to head

	Kindle Paperwhite (2026)	Kobo Libra Colour
Screen	7-inch, black and white, 300ppi	7-inch color E Ink (300ppi text, 150ppi color)
Waterproof	Yes (IPX8)	Yes (IPX8)
Page-turn buttons	No (add-on cover for Signature Edition only)	Yes, built in
Library books	US only, sent from the Libby app or website	Built in (OverDrive/Libby)
EPUB files	Via Send to Kindle, converted to Kindle format	Native, drag and drop over USB
Subscription	Kindle Unlimited (bigger catalog)	Kobo Plus (smaller catalog)
Lock-screen ads	Yes, unless you pay to remove them	None
Stylus	No (Kindle Scribe only)	Yes (Kobo Stylus 2, sold separately)
Price tier	Mid-range	Mid-range

Kindle Paperwhite battery is rated at up to 12 weeks. Both brands make cheaper 6-inch models, covered below.

Where your books come from decides it

Kindle books use Amazon's DRM and stay tied to Amazon's devices and apps; Kobo store books use Adobe DRM, which other e-readers can also open. Kobo reads EPUB, the format most other bookstores sell, natively, while Kindles accept EPUBs only through Send to Kindle, which converts them. For library books, Kobo is clearly better: you sign in with your library card on the device and borrowed books appear next to your purchases. On a Kindle you borrow in the Libby app or website and send the loan to your Kindle, and that only works in the US.

Amazon's store is still better

T3's Libra Colour review found Kobo's store weaker for browsing and discovery, and its sales less frequent, than Amazon's. Kindle Unlimited also has a much larger catalog than Kobo Plus. If you read lots of comics or manga in color, The eBook Reader found Kobo's color content selection far thinner than Amazon's, which makes the Kindle Colorsoft the better color reader for most people despite similar screens.

Hardware: Kobo gives you more for the money

At the 7-inch size, the Libra Colour has physical page buttons, a color screen and stylus support, and never shows ads. The Paperwhite has a sharper black-and-white screen and longer battery, and Amazon's 2026 redesign made it thinner and lighter. Physical buttons on a Kindle now mean the Signature Edition plus Amazon's new Page Turn Cover, or the separate Kindle Click remote. One caution: Kobo hasn't released a new e-reader since 2024, though it has hinted that something new is coming.

Which one should you buy?

Buy the Kindle Paperwhite (2026) if

You buy books on Amazon or use Kindle Unlimited
You listen to Audible
You want the sharpest text and longest battery

Check price on Amazon

Buy the Kobo Libra Colour if

You borrow library books
You buy EPUBs from other stores
You want page buttons, color or a stylus without ads

Check price on Amazon

On a budget

The Kindle (2026) is the smaller, cheaper Kindle with a sharp 6-inch screen, but it isn't waterproof and its battery is shorter. The Kobo Clara BW is the equivalent Kobo and it is waterproof, with built-in library borrowing. For color on a Kindle, the Kindle Colorsoft (2026) has the bigger color comic store.

Kindle (2026) on Amazon Kobo Clara BW on Amazon Kindle Colorsoft on Amazon

Questions people ask

Is Kindle or Kobo better?

Kindle is better if you buy from Amazon, use Kindle Unlimited or listen on Audible. Kobo is better if you borrow library books, buy EPUBs from other stores, or want page buttons and no ads.

Can a Kobo read Kindle books?

Not books bought from Amazon, which use Amazon's DRM. A Kobo reads EPUB, PDF and comic files plus books from the Kobo store, and you can borrow library books on it.

Which is better for library books?

Kobo. OverDrive/Libby is built into the device, so you borrow and read without a phone. Kindle library loans work only in the US and go through the Libby app or website.

Do Kobo e-readers have ads?

No. Cheaper Kindles show lock-screen ads unless you pay to remove them; Kobos never do.

Should I wait for a new Kobo?

Kobo's current models came out in 2024, and the company has teased something new without announcing details. If you need an e-reader now, the current Kobos are still good buys.