Apple Books
Apple's built-in app for ebooks and audiobooks
- #2 of 10 in best ebook reader apps
- Free
- Free to use
- iOS, iPadOSmacOS
Ranked 2 of 10 in best ebook reader apps
Free app with no subscription, offline reading and audiobook playback on iPhone, iPad and Mac. It works only on Apple devices, and books are priced one at a time.
Best for Apple users who buy ebooks and audiobooks from Apple
About Apple Books
Apple Books reads ebooks and plays audiobooks on iPhone, iPad and Mac, . Apple's page says books can be downloaded for offline reading, and the app works with CarPlay and Apple Vision Pro. Apple's support answers say the app is free and has no subscription.
Books are priced one at a time, and the app also offers free titles. Apple Books is closed source, and it works only on Apple devices, which makes it a simple choice for people who buy from Apple's store. Readers who want to load their own EPUB or PDF files across platforms may prefer KOReader, Readest or Calibre.
Key features
- Ebooks and audiobooks
- Offline reading
- Apple device sync
- CarPlay support
Strengths
- Free app with no subscription
- Offline reading and audiobook playback
- Works across iPhone, iPad and Mac
Limits
- Works only on Apple devices
- Closed source, so the code cannot be checked
Where Apple Books ranks
How Apple Books compares
| Product | Score | Price | Platforms | Phone app |
|---|---|---|---|---|
#1 Kindle | 90.0 | Free | iOS, iPadOSAndroidmacOSWindows | Yes |
| #2Apple Books | 88.0 | Free | iOS, iPadOSmacOS | Yes |
#3 Readest | 86.5 | Free and open source | macOSWindowsLinuxAndroidiOSWeb | Yes |
#4 KOReader | 85.0 | Free and open source | AndroidLinux | Yes |
#5 Libby | 84.5 | Free | iOSAndroidWeb | Yes |
The full comparison table for best ebook reader apps has all 10 products.
Alternatives to Apple Books
All 9 alternatives
Questions about Apple Books
- Is Apple Books free?
- Apple Books can be used without paying: Free app with no subscription; books priced individually. Check the vendor’s pricing page for current limits.
- Is Apple Books open source?
- No. Apple Books is proprietary software; its source code is not public.
- Which platforms does Apple Books support?
- Apple Books is available on: iOS, iPadOS, macOS.
- What is Apple Books best for?
- Apple users who buy ebooks and audiobooks from Apple. In our ranking of ebook reader apps it is number 2 of 10 with a score of 88.0.
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