This post is about the Kindle vs Kobo ecosystems. If you prefer video, you can watch the video below from my new Tony on Tech channel. This is a brand new channel so feedback is appreciated.
I recently ordered a new e-reader. The biggest decision was not so much which specific device to buy, but rather which ecosystem to marry into. Will the device I buy tie me to the Kindle ecosystem or the Kobo ecosystem? And which one is better?
Kindle vs Kobo
When you buy a device like the recently announced Kindle Oasis 3 or the Kindle Paperwhite 4, you essentially receive a fairly locked down device. EPUB files are not supported, and you’ll need to convert them to the MOBI format before being able to read them on your Kindle.
There are programs like Calibre to help you out with the process, but it’s still an extra step you must take and the results are not always perfect. On the plus side, you get access to Amazon’s huge catalog of books. Kobo has a giant catalog as well but it doesn’t quite match the Kindle Store.
Since Kobo offers devices that are more open, you’ll be able to buy EPUB from anywhere else on the web and read them on your Kobo device
Plenty of Books Available for Both
The catalog size is really not a major issue. Both will make most people happy. The bigger difference here is one of philosophy
It’s worth noting that Kobo books are mostly DRM EPUB, but nobody forbids you from buying DRM-free EPUB books (like my own) and reading them on your Kobo device.
A Tale of Two Countries
The differences I outlined so far are true regardless of where you live, but some important pros and cons are very much dependent on your location.
Kindle vs Kobo in the US
If you live in the US, the newest kindle devices will allow you to play audiobooks from Audible (.com) through Bluetooth headphones
Many of these titles are indie or
If you have Amazon Prime, you’ll also get access to Prime Reading which is a very small collection of Kindle books you get to read for free.
To date, there are about 1000 books in there, so don’t get too excited about it, but hey, if you’re already paying for Amazon Prime, you get them for free.
In the US, you also get to borrow and read on your Kindle, eBooks from the public library system through Overdrive. You can also lend and borrow ebooks from other Kindle users for up to 14 days.
Kindle vs Kobo Outside the US
Outside of the US, the story is quite a bit different. For example, in Canada, the Kindle catalog is smaller (including Kindle Unlimited), you can’t lend and borrow ebooks from friends, and you can’t borrow library ebooks on your Kindle e-reader.
Books tend to also be more expensive than their US counterpart, but in Canada, we are used to paying a premium for everything, except maple syrup and poutine. 🙂
The newest Kindle devices don’t currently support Audible.ca either. This point is particularly annoying when you consider how much Amazon has been pressuring Canadians to switch from the US site to the Canadian one.
Kobo’s Strengths
Kobo, being originally a Canadian company, fares much better in Canada, by allowing people to borrow ebooks from the public library through Overdrive directly from the device, making the process even smoother than the one experienced by American Kindle users.
Integration with the Pocket service is also great, as it allows you to read longer articles you stored in your Pocket account while browsing the web on your desktop.
The closest thing Kindle has to this is offered by a third-party service called Instapaper, but it’s not as seamless in my experience.
Nevertheless, if you are an American reader, Kindle is a no-brainer, unless you have ideological reasons against getting an Amazon device. This is why it is estimated that over 83% of ebook readers in the US are Kindles
Kobo is the second-largest player in America, and their partnership with Walmart will only help them out. But Amazon’s offering in the US is tough to beat unless you, again, take issue at the lack of open formats on the platform or really need a larger device, since Amazon discontinued e-ink devices with screens larger than 7″.
But if you are in Canada, the Kindle proposition starts to be a lot less appealing. To me, the lack of support for public libraries, in particular, is a major blow.
If you are an avid reader like I am, the cost of the device becomes almost irrelevant if you need to buy every book you read. And it’s not just me thinking this way. The majority of e-readers in the hands of Canadians are Kobo devices for a reason.
The Device I ordered
And that’s why I ordered a Kobo Forma, which is the equivalent of the Kindle Oasis 3, only it has an 8″ screen instead of the 7 inches of the Oasis.
It doesn’t support Bluetooth for audiobooks, but then again, in Canada, neither does the Oasis, and I listen to audiobooks on my phone while driving or at the gym, in any case.
One valid alternative would be to buy one of those Chinese Android tablets with e-ink displays, such as the Onyx Boox series.
Being Android devices, they will allow you to install both the Kindle and Kobo apps, as well as Overdrive, and any other regular Android app.
This way you could have the Kindle catalog and the ability to borrow library books, even in Canada. However, these devices tend to be quite a bit more expensive than even the top of the line Kindle or Kobo, they are not exactly bug-free, and perhaps they lose something by adding more capabilities
If you are looking for an e-reader, less might be more. Part of the beauty of a device like the Kindle and Kobo lies in their distraction-free nature. The devices are simply not capable of doing much else but reading.
With a full-fledged tablet, even with an e-ink screen, you’re way more likely to become distracted.
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THanks for the write up Antonio. I am torn because like you state above, I do have ideological reasons to not buy a Kindle ( i live in the US ), yet the convenience that it provides is enticing. Why I have changed my compute platform from Linux to Mac at home. Though it feels ‘wrong’ the simplicity of making ones life a little less complicated definitely has it’s merits.
I am still a bit torn on which of the two to go for but your description and breakdown of the pros and cons of both devices was excellent!
As a first time e-reader buyer I was thinking of the Kindle Paperwhite as here in Spain it is €130 cheaper than both Oasis and Forma but the inability to use Overdrive and smaller screen makes me doubt the purchase.
Do you have any opinion on the Kobo Libra H20?
Thanks again,
Ian
Thank you, Ian. I think the Kobo Libra H20 is a good bang for your buck, though I don’t have direct experience with it myself.
You can use overdrive anywhere. I borrow books from my library in Scotland even though I live in Paraguay. I have both Kindle and Kobo but find the 8″ inch screen on the Kobo much better.
Thanks for this article Antonio. I was pretty sure to get the Kindle Paperwhite but after watching your video clip and reading the article I will be going for a Kobo device (as a good Canadian). I primarily read in bed before going to sleep. Which device do you recommend?
Thanks, Jan. Forma if you want the slightly larger screen, otherwise Libra H20.
Hi Antonio,
Thanks for the detailed review. I was about to purchase a Kindle ereader, but felt like I might be missing out on a few options (Kobo allowing to borrow library books, online stores such as Chapters here in Canada). I was wondering if you had any insight on French content? I’m in the Montreal area, and like to read both French and English books. I shop on Renaud-Bray, Archambault for my French content. My hunch is that I’ll be more successful finding French books via Kobo vs. Kindle but I could be wrong.
Cheers,
Katherine
Thank you, Katherine. Kobo has currently 531,130 books in French. Kindle is supposed to have more (i.e., 800K+), but there are two caveats: 1) How many of these are available in the Canadian Kindle Store? 2) How many of these are low-quality self-published titles?
My recommendation would be for you to write down a list of 10 books in French that you want to read. Include some less popular titles in there, too. Then see how many of these are available on Kobo and how many on Amazon. And while you are there, you can also compare pricing. That should help you assess a little better which of the two would work best for your specific circumstances.
Excellent suggestion! I will give that a try. Thank you.
Thank you for this helpful comparison. As an established Amazon customer, it seems so convenient to pop into my account, order the ebook, and have it available on my devices. There are a couple things that, if I understand them, give me pause about their ecosystem.
Amazon seems intent on strongly guiding Kindle users, if not locking them in, to Amazon for ebook purchases. Of course they want to showcase their ecosystem, but I’d appreciate more flexibility.
Downloading ebooks for central storage on one’s PC doesn’t seem very well supported. It seems the model is that the user accesses the book on Amazon-controlled systems. I prefer my ebooks to be product I own (like music mp3 files), not a service I license. Kobo’s website says they allow downloads for at least some of their books. I wonder what the criteria is for whether a book can be downloaded. I know applications like Calibre can be used for this, but I’d appreciate an ecosystem more amenable to direct downloads.
Amazon collects a lot of data about users’ every interaction with the ebook. They says it’s to enhance their services. Be that as it may, any reading you do for medical or psychological conditions, political activism, etc., could potentially be discovered. I haven’t seen anything about what data Kobo collects.
I much agree that it’s more about the ecosystem than the devices. In Toronto, with the wonderful “tpl” public library available, I’ve been between the two stools of an already heavily-invested Android Kindle collection and Amazon’s failure to offer the same local library support for Kindle ereaders that it does in the US, and that Kobo does here. There is no e-ink reader that covers the bases as (very good) Android apps do, but at the expense of a weighty tablet, battery life, and outdoors reading. Apart from library loans the ebooks I read, including public domain classics, are generally available in either epub or mobi – never had to convert formats myself – and I’ve recently installed the Kobo Android app to consider if I’ll finally get an e-ink device.
Great review. I am still torn between both of them since I live in Canada. Do you think in Canada I can get a larger number of books for cheaper still?. Becasue I was wondering if things might have changed. Thank you
Thanks Antonio,
I previously had a Kobo Moni device about 8 years ago, it was having problems charging and the cost to repair was not feasible,
Your comparison between Kindle and Kobo, makes my decision easy because I live in Canada and enjoy downloading from Onedrive so I will get another Kobo.
Please tell me about the waterproof Kobo ereaders
Thanks so much…was going back and forth on a first purchase as I love to read and get library books. As I am in Canada, I will now definitely go with the Kobo!
Great article. I’m in the US, and I’m a heavy Amazon user. However, I don’t like investing so much into one company. I remember when Amazon only sold books? probably go with Kobo. This will be my first e- reader. Getting a couple on Monday to try out. I also love the Overdrive support on Kobo. Feels good to use a library in these times.
I prefer kobo as it supports ePub
I myself have a kindle. Got it used and locked out of Amazon. All I need is a usb cable to transfer books and I can convert any format I need online. Using project gutenberg, I’ve been reading a heap load of free classic books. Haven’t paid for a single book ever since I got my kindle about 4 years ago. Might go for a Kobo once this little kindle gives up, but it’s still strong.
My Amazon account was hacked into and I cancelled charges through my credit card company…long story short, Amazon closed my account and won’t allow me to open a new one…my Kindle has been shut down also. Thinking of a Kobo but confused about Overdrive thru my library…seems it only functions through Kindle and forces me to enter my Amazon login & pw which I no longer have. Can a Kobo borrow books in USA from a library without going through Amazon?