Once again, it is pointless to launch an epoch-making debate on the topic of which books are better - paper or electronic. Some people care about the smell of ink-soaked pages and the atmosphere of a crisp binding.
And some people cannot see life without a smartphone or tablet with a bright screen, amazing detail and free access to literature.
It’s time to stop ranting and focus on the main thing - the catalog from the TOP 5 applications for reading books on iPhone and iPad:
iBouquiniste
A classic application for reading books with an interface that partially replicates Apple Books, a free library with books available in both Russian and English, and an impressive collection of supported formats - from FB2 to PDF, MOBI and ePub.
Among the advantages over competitors is the presence of books that allows sorting by author, date and current stage of reading (read, new), support for cloud storage, where you can add literature from a computer, and read from a smartphone or tablet, customize animation and sound of flipping pages.
The developers have not forgotten about modern technologies, for example, iBouquiniste is able to monitor the current position of the pupils and automatically turn the page at the first request of users. It will not be possible to find something similar from competitors even with a strong desire.
iBouquiniste is distributed free of charge, but with advertising, or for a fee, but without additional subscriptions and payments.
Client applications for online stores
iBooks
The application is pre-installed on all Apple smartphones, tablets and computers. Its functionality is sufficient for most users. That's why many iPhone owners don't bother looking for alternatives.
iBooks integrates Apple's online e-book store, which features thousands of books. True, mostly in English. If necessary, you can upload your books in EPUB and PDF.
The application has convenient text display settings: you can customize the page background, various font settings, activate automatic night mode, and add bookmarks.
An additional advantage of iBooks is the ability to voice EBUB books using the VoiceOver function. iOS devices provide acceptable speech synthesis quality, so you can easily turn an e-book from your library into an audiobook.
Books can be downloaded from the online store or independently by downloading them through the iPhone browser and selecting “Open in iBooks.” You can also add books to iBooks using iTunes over a wire or Wi-Fi.
iBooks Features
- free pre-installed solution
- simple user-friendly interface
- stable and smooth operation, beautiful animation
- convenient text display settings
- support for EPUB and PDF formats
- library synchronization on all Apple devices
- the ability to voice over e-books (with a “crutch” in the form of the Voice Over function)
iBooks on the App Store
Google Play Books
An alternative solution from Google, which largely copies the concept of iBooks. The application is free and offers the user a user-friendly interface, cool page turning animations and convenient cloud synchronization. New books can be downloaded from the Google Store. Here the situation with Russian-language content is much better than in the Apple online bookstore. Current new products appear quite quickly, although prices are steep: the electronic version of a book sometimes costs almost as much as the paper version.
In addition, books can be added by downloading them through a browser on an iPhone or through the service’s web interface. The new book will automatically appear in the “My Library” section. Just press the down arrow button and the book will download to your iPhone.
If you are firmly stuck in the Google ecosystem or use an iPhone along with an Android smartphone, then Google Play Books is your choice.
Features of Google Play Books
- free solution
- user-friendly interface
- all necessary text display settings
- good selection in online bookstore
- cloud synchronization (via Google Drive)
- cross-platform (access to the library from all your iOS and Android devices, as well as through any browser)
Google Play Books in the App Store
BookMate
Client application for a popular mobile service for reading books by subscription. BookMate is trying to be like a social network for bookworms. About a million books in different languages are available to readers in the online store. By subscribing, you will have access to the entire library. Without a subscription, you can read classics and public domain books for free.
In the summer of 2020, a section with audiobooks appeared, including in Russian. The strength of the service is thematic and personalized shelves, through which users can share their favorite books.
Books opened in the program are saved for offline reading. If necessary, you can add your books in EPUB format to the application. To do this, you need to download the book file from the Internet and select “Copy to BookMate” in the “Share” menu of your browser on your iPhone or iPad or add the book on your computer through the service’s web interface.
The reading module is implemented at the level of the best analogues. There are beautiful page turning animations, the ability to customize font display and background changes. In the “Advanced Settings” menu, you can fine-tune the display of text and the paging area, which left-handers will appreciate.
BookMate has managed to create a high-quality application for reading e-books with an emphasis on the social component. You can share your impressions of the books you read both in the application itself and through social networks, and create thematic shelves. In addition, you can follow what your friends or users you are interested in are reading and view the quotes and reviews they have saved.
Features of BookMate
- more of a service than a “reader”, but with the ability to download and read your books
- convenient text display settings
- support for EPUB and FB2 formats
- strong social component
- cross-platform (there are app versions for iOS, Android and Windows)
- ability to access the library through any browser
- ability to download and listen to audiobooks
BookMate on the App Store
Read! (LitRes)
A client application for the oldest service in RuNet for accessing e-books from mobile devices. The LitRes company cooperates with large Russian publishing houses, thanks to which electronic versions of fresh books appear in the catalog simultaneously with the release of paper versions. There is a unique feature - searching for a book in the LitRes catalog by its cover using a smartphone camera.
The reader module is similar in functionality to those of the applications listed above. All necessary functions for customizing text display have been implemented.
The strength of the “Read!” application - compatibility with most popular formats, including FB2, EPUB, MOBI, RTF, PDF, HTML and TXT.
You can view metadata, annotations, and reviews of the book from other users. New books can be added directly on the iPhone or through the web interface of the LitRes service.
Features of the “Read!” application
- an extensive library of books in Russian in the LitRes catalog
- flexible text display settings
- support for most popular formats
- cross-platform
- ability to access the library through any browser
- the ability to download books both through the iPhone application and through the service’s web interface
Kindle
Client application for the largest American online e-book store. The service catalog is interesting primarily for its literature in English.
The reading module is nothing special. But all the necessary settings are there. You can change the font, size, size and line alignment. Change screen brightness and background.
The strength of the application is the built-in dictionaries, which branded Kindle readers with electronic ink screens are famous for. The definition of the highlighted word can be found in the Oxford Dictionary, Wikipedia, or translated into another language. If you're learning a foreign language and were thinking of buying a Kindle reader just for the ability to quickly translate unfamiliar words, don't rush. The Kindle app for iPhone or iPad does the same thing.
The application shows the approximate time it will take to read the selected book.
The Amazon catalog contains a lot of Russian-language literature, however, unlike competing services, unfortunately, even the classics are only available for money. Only an excerpt can be downloaded for free.
You add your books in MOBI format to the device in the same way as to Kindle readers: by sending the file to a unique e-mail that you will receive after creating an Amazon account. Added books are displayed in the DOCS section.
Features of the KINDLE app
- MOBI format support
- integration with Amazon e-book store
- high-quality built-in dictionaries
- adding books by sending by e-mail
KINDLE on the App Store
PocketBook Reader
A virtual library of books for iPhone in a compact format with an informative interface that can be changed for maximum convenience and comfort (increase the font, reduce the spaces between lines, change the theme). Among the advantages is support for audiobooks and the function of voicing text using artificial intelligence.
The OPDS catalogues, from which they allow you to download literature for free, are also there. There will be no problems downloading content via iTunes - you can really read without any restrictions.
Google Play Books
One of the most common programs for reading books on Apple smartphones and tablets. The application allows you to read books by popular authors online completely free of charge, as well as save them for reading in the near future. It has an accessible and intuitive interface, a simple search mechanism and a built-in player for playing audiobooks. It functions even without a stable Internet connection, so it allows you to read your favorite books even while relaxing outdoors (for example, in the mountains or in the forest).
Which of these apps is right for you? To get an answer to this question, it is enough to analyze subjective preferences and wishes for cost, interface and functionality, and thereby narrow the circle of suitable “readers” to a minimum. And there it’s not far from the “very, very” application!
TotalReader Pro
An omnivorous tool for the iPhone, easily handling perhaps all known formats in the world. There is support for *java and the Apple software package - Numbers, Keynote, Pages - and the presence of FB2 and AZV, ePub and RTF. If there is a need to “read” some rare edition of a book, available in an unknown and unreadable format, then TotalReader will most likely cope with the task in exactly 5 seconds.
The interface is completely in order - you can change the design and add buttons to the quick access panel. One of the advantages is the ability to upload files from anywhere - via Wi-Fi, via FTP, and using cloud storage.
Aychitalka
But you can read it on an iPhone in another format, FB2 (Fiction Book). This is a specialized format for viewing books. iBooks is not suitable for this format alone. You will need "Aychitalka".
You can upload no more than 100 of your books and each book should not exceed 5 MB , these are the terms of use.
You can download the Aychitalka application in the App Store for free. The application only works with books in FB2 format.
All books loaded into the reader’s memory, regardless of the source, are automatically sorted and organized on a beautifully designed virtual bookshelf.
In addition to the ability to download books from external sources, the app also includes a digital store with paid and free content. This store hosts promotions during which you can download even global bestsellers for free.
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Bookmate
A service that works both free and by subscription, which provides access to an impressive library for reading books and audiobooks. Among the advantages over competitors described above are selections from authors and critics, atmospheric design, which is easy to change with themes and options.
The presence of an extensive toolkit that can use a sleep timer, and automatic transition to night mode, and even block the screen from rotating in landscape or portrait orientation.
One of the disadvantages of the application for iPhone is advertising, which can only be turned off for a fee, for 149 rubles per month (minimum!).
KyBooks
One of the best readers designed for owners of iOS devices. Supports almost all currently existing text formats. You can download it for free and, while using it, upgrade it to an improved version for a nominal fee.
Advantages of the application:
- flexible “internal” settings – that is, the ability to adjust the parameters of pages of books in electronic format, change font sizes and “play” with themes.
- accessibility and simplicity of the interface - the intuitiveness of the process of searching for books and saving them to the memory of your phone.
- the ability to read literature in foreign languages in the original.
How to read books on iPhone and iPad comfortably
Five convenient applications in which you can read texts from any source.
- Supported formats: FB2, EPUB, MOBI, DOC, DOCX, TXT, ZIP.
If you like the minimalism of the standard iBooks reader, but don't like fixed indents in texts and limited format support, you can try eBoox. This program is just as airy and easy to use, but it also reads FB2, MOBI and other popular file types not available in iBooks. In addition, eBoox gives you more control over the visual side of the text: adjust the indentation to suit your needs.
The only thing eBoox may be missing is synchronization of reading positions, bookmarks and other metadata between devices. The program is free.
Description of the program [edit | edit code]
This free book reading program also includes a built-in iBookStore where you can buy a book. Many of the books in it are free, and you can even read a little about the paid ones before you buy them. The program also allows you to read and save documents in .pda format, which can be saved directly from the Internet to your device. The program also supports synchronization with a computer via iTunes, and books must be in epub format. When reading a book, you can change the font, text size, highlighting and page color. The program offers three page color options:
- Standard mode
- Sepia
- Night mode
In the books themselves, you can create bookmarks and make selections with a “marker” with separate notes, the color of which can also be chosen. When opening the program, a white bookshelf with various books appears in front of the reader. When touched, the program opens the book. In the iPad version, the text is two pages long, as large as the iPad's screen allows. In the iPhone and iPod Touch versions, the text fills the entire screen as one page. In iBooks, you can't send books in epub format as an email attachment without using a computer.
What else do we recommend?
While we have sorted out the question of which book format is best suited for iPhone, we haven’t fully figured out the apps. If you didn't like the ones described above, you can try these:
- Bookmate , which doesn’t cost a penny, reads all formats, allows you to write notes in the margins and choose the appearance to your taste;
- Stanza is considered a universal reader, because it is suitable even for documentation or graphic files. It's also free;
- ShortBook is optimized for iPhone, but you'll have to pay about $5 for it;
The main thing is to follow the format of books for applications, and you can read them anywhere!
Oleg Tsegelnik
Hello. I am the founder and owner of the Apps4Life project. It all started as a hobby, and now it’s a big (relatively) project that helps you choose applications and play games. Every day I use 10+ apps, play a couple of games, and talk about it.
How to download files for iBooks?
To download new books for iBooks via iTunes you need to take a couple of simple steps:
- go to iTunes on your computer, go to the “Books” section;
- after going to the library, you need to drag the selected files to the iTunes tab. If this does not happen automatically, then use the manual method;
- then synchronize the gadget with your PC, select iTunes;
- go to the “Books” section and click “File Synchronization”;
- select all the books or just the ones you need by highlighting them in the field;
- After transferring, click on “Done” so that the files can be read on your phone;
fb2 format for Apple
Fb2 is considered the main alternative to the formats described above, but for it you need to download the reader separately. Since iBooks does not support this formatting for files. We recommend downloading AiTalka, which has a similar appearance, controls and navigation.
There is another way out: you can convert the Fb2 format to ePub through an online service or built-in program. But it’s better to download several e-readers to read books in different formats so that you are prepared for any situation.
iBooks for iPhone – ePub
Let us definitely highlight that it is better to download books for iPhone through iBooks, and the main reason for this is that it was Apple that developed it. iBooks is also considered a “golden classic” because it was built into the first phone operating systems and did not require additional downloads. The application works with the following reading formats:
- ePub;
- PDF;
In the first case, books on your phone will look like real books, bound in paper, with the ability to turn each page. You can download files through the iBookStore or a computer with iTunes. At worst, a regular browser on your phone will do, but make sure that the iPhone book format is in ePub. You can then read through iBooks or a similar program.
Documents, schedules, contracts and other technical files are often downloaded in PDF format. After all, it will not be possible to read and leaf through a book normally in this form.
Where can I download the required book formats for iPhone?
Despite the fact that there are many sites on the Internet that provide the opportunity to download books in PDF and ePUB format, you can only use some of them. Firstly, many sites only provide paid registration or payment for downloading. In such cases, it is best to use trusted web stores such as liters.ru or book24.ru. It is worth noting that when you register on these sites you will receive a discount on your first purchase. It is also possible to purchase and download books using “Thank you” bonus points from Sberbank.
In addition to these pleasant bonuses, all sites provide discounts through secret words and promotional codes. You can receive them via email.
However, it is possible to download books in the format required for iPhone for free. But you need to clearly understand that this is a violation of copyright! To download books for free, you can use the site fb2-epub.ru.
In what format to download a book on iPhone
Thanks to smartphones, users have the opportunity to read literature at any convenient moment: high-quality displays, compact sizes and access to millions of e-books only contribute to a comfortable immersion in the world invented by the author. It’s easy to start reading works on your iPhone - just download a file of a suitable format to it.
