# Apple Books review, pricing and alternatives

Source: https://listme.name/software/apple-books
Website: https://www.apple.com/apple-books/

Apple's built-in app for ebooks and audiobooks

Apple Books is Apple's app for reading ebooks and listening to audiobooks on iPhone, iPad and Mac. The app is free and has no subscription, and books are priced individually. Apple says thousands of free ebooks and audiobooks are available.

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.

- Free | iOS, iPadOS, macOS
- Price: Free app with no subscription; books priced individually
- Checked: 2026-10-10

## 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

## Rankings

- #2 of 10 in [best Ebook reader apps](https://listme.name/best/ebook-reader-apps), score 88.0: 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.

## Alternatives

- [Kindle](https://listme.name/software/kindle), score 90.0
- [Readest](https://listme.name/software/readest), score 86.5
- [KOReader](https://listme.name/software/koreader), score 85.0
- [Libby](https://listme.name/software/libby), score 84.5
- [calibre](https://listme.name/software/calibre), score 83.0
- [Thorium Reader](https://listme.name/software/thorium-reader), score 80.0
- [Foliate](https://listme.name/software/foliate), score 79.0
- [FBReader](https://listme.name/software/fbreader), score 78.5