There is fresh movement around Prime Day is the perfect time to buy an e-reader — these 3 Kindle alternatives…, and the story is worth a closer look.
We pulled together what is known so far and what it could mean for the people following it.
If you’re taking to Amazon over Prime Video to buy the best e-reader, the Kindle will likely be the first product you see recommended.
After all, the Amazon Kindle has the home-team advantage when sold on the retailer’s own storefront. And that’s not to mention how it’s the ubiquitous e-book reader, with Amazon holding onto a roughly 68% share of the market.
Because of that, it’s easy to forget that there are plenty of other options available to e-reader buyers, from several major and many smaller brands.
There are alternatives to the base Kindle for people who want to read on the go, productivity slates to replace the Kindle Scribe, and color e-readers, so you don’t need to rely on the Colorsoft.
If you’re open to buying non-Kindle e-readers, I have three great alternatives you should check out over Prime Day.
Before we look at some rivals, why shouldn’t you buy the Amazon Kindle?
Well, you could, and that’d be a solid decision. There’s a reason these e-readers are popular. They’re inexpensive, easy to use, and long-lasting (even if Amazon recently began killing old Kindles).
But they’re not for everyone. For one, you’re locked into Amazon’s software ecosystem, encouraged to get books only from its library. There are ways to sideload your own texts, but it’s not that convenient.
Kindles also sometimes miss unique features that other e-readers offer. They also have a more limited range of accessories than some rivals. You don’t see Amazon launching accessories that change the way E Ink devices work.
For these reasons and many more, Kindle rivals are getting more popular.
If you want something similar to the base Kindle, let me introduce you to two e-readers that cost a bit more but get you more for your money.
The Kobo Clara BW is a $160 e-reader while the Kobo Clara Colour costs a bit more at $180. They’re largely the same device, but with the key difference that the latter has a color display (and a British English spelling, oddly).
Both of these tablets take the simple Kindle approach: a pure reading experience, with software that’ll get you into your books as quickly as possible.
They’re also similar in size and weight; you’re getting a 6-inch screen whichever you pick.
But while Amazon centers on its apps, primarily the Kindle store but also Audible and Goodreads, Kobo gives you access to its own options, like the Kobo store. This includes a fairly affordable all-you-can-read book borrowing service.
Kobo also lets you use Overdrive, from Libby, so you can download e-books from your local library.
Onyx’s Boox is perhaps best known for its productivity slates — I’ve written about how I used one on a movie shoot — but now and then it releases standard e-readers to rival the Kindle.
Case in point: the Book Go 6, which we tested in 2024. Our review was mixed, but a solid discount on its $150 MSRP would more than make up for that.
Sure, it’s a little older than the alternatives on this list, but a second-gen model is currently up for pre-order, so it’d be the perfect time for Onyx to jettison some old stock.
This is slightly weaker than the Kindle and other rivals, but it comes with more storage space and a good-looking screen. Onyx’s Go line is designed for travelers, so it’s compact and great for long journeys.
I enjoy using Boox because the operating system is so open. Sure, you can use Onyx’s reading apps, but more so than other e-readers, it feels like you’re welcome to add your own books and documents.
Case in point: the Go 6 runs on Android 11, so you can technically get loads of apps from the Play Store. The weak processing power doesn’t mean you should, but you can.
The new Go 6 is a powerful yet pocketable e-reader with a 6-inch Carta 1300 screen and a bevy of hardware features for an enjoyable reading experience. It also has Android OS with Google Play Store access so you can download apps you prefer, and you also get 10GB of free cloud storage if microSD card expansion of the 32GB onboard storage isn’t your style. For $150 there’s a lot to like here.
If you’re in the market for a Kindle Scribe-alike, which you can use for note-taking or drawing, let me draw your attention to the Remarkable Paper Pro.
Plenty of my fellow tech reviewers recommend the Paper Pro as their go-to note-taking device. I’m always seeing it at product launches and briefings.
The Remarkable Paper Pro has 64GB storage, which is loads more than the other options on this list, and a large, colorful 11.8-inch display.
It comes with a stylus and, by all accounts, it offers the smoothest handwriting experience of any e-reader.
The catch? After an April 2025 price hike, the device costs $630, so it’s certainly not cheap. The Kindle Scribe starts at $400, and while that’s for a 16GB model, it’s still a lower cost of entry for this kind of gadget.
Still, we’re talking about the Remarkable Paper Pro in the context of Prime Day, and so it’d be great to see a discount on the device.
It launched in 2024, after all, so it’s primed for one, and hopefully we’ll see it go below its $580 original price.
These three won’t be the only e-readers discounted via Prime Day, and I’m also expecting to see discounts on the glut of mini e-readers that have launched recently, like this one, which attaches to the back of your phone. But for Kindle-alikes, these three should be at the top of your wish list.
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