Beebom StaffWhile there are dedicated tablets like Kindle to read ebooks, it doesn’t mean that you need to spend hundreds of dollars on a tablet to enjoy reading them. In fact, reading them on your Windows machine gives you a similar reading experience. It is even better if you own a convertible or 2-in-1 Windows machine, as you can hold them in one hand and read Epubs just like you would read them on a dedicated tablet. The only thing that you need for reading is a good Epub reader app. While there are a number of Epub apps available for Windows, not all of them are made equally. That’s why we are bringing you a list of the top 15 best Epub readers that you can use on your Windows PC.
Best Windows Epub Readers to Use in 2023
Here, we have curated the best Epub readers for a range of Windows versions including Windows 11, Windows 10, all the way down to Windows XP. For quick navigation, you can click on the link below to move to the corresponding program. Apart from that, if you are interested in learning about Epub readers then you can go through our explainer below.
What is an Epub Reader?
In simple terms, a PC Epub Reader is a program that can open and process e-books (a digital version of a physical book). It’s a file format just like PDF, but XML-based so it has wide compatibility with programs from different platforms. In summation, an Epub reader is a program that allows you to read digital books on your computer, smartphone or any other electronic device.
How to Open Epub Files on Windows 10?
The process to open Epub files on Windows 11/Windows 10 is similar to opening a PDF file. The older Edge browser supported the Epub files but the new Edge Browser that’s based-on-Chromium cannot open it. So, you will need to install an app to open the Epub files.
List of Top Epub Readers for Windows
1. Calibre
Calibre is one of the oldest and the best Epub readers for your Windows 11 machine. The app is packed with features allowing you to do things like downloading Epubs, managing metadata, downloading covers for books, transferring books from one device to another, and even converting books from one format to another.
Calibre is not only good for reading normal Epub novels but also magazines, comics, and more. If you are looking for a good Epub reader for your Windows PC, Calibre is certainly the topmost contender for the job.
Supported Platforms: Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows Vista and Windows 7
Pros Cons Feature packed Outdated UI Allows you to fix the book metadata Slow loading speed Keyboard shortcut for looking up words Supports custom reading themes using CSS
Download: Free
2. Sumatra PDF Reader
While Calibre is pretty great and works for most people, but some have reported that book opening is a bit slow on Calibre and it has been a long-standing issue. So if you want an alternative just like Calibre, but with faster performance and modern features, the Sumatra PDF Reader has you covered as one of the best PDF editors and readers out there. It’s an extremely lightweight Epub reader that just works out of the box.
It supports bookmarks, background color change, automatic text scaling, tab support and much more. The best part is that it can even open large Epub files without breaking a sweat with correct indentation, tree-like chapters and more. I would say, if you are looking for a Windows 11/10 Epub reader that just works without any frills then Sumatra PDF Reader is the best pick.
Supported Platforms: Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, 8.1, Windows 7, Vista. and XP
Pros Cons Clutter-free user interface Doesn’t support annotations on EPUBs Good reading experience Doesn’t have advanced features like metadata editing Light application (comes under 5 MB) Super-fast loading time Supports comic book formats (CBZ and CBR)
Download: Free
3. Freda
Freda is one of my most favorite Epub readers for Windows just because of its looks. The app looks like a native Windows 11 app and makes Epubs really stand out when you read them on it. One of my favorite features of this app is its theming capabilities which allow users to customize the look and feel of the app to make it exactly how they like it.
Apart from supporting Epub, the app also supports a ton of other formats including Mobi, FB2, HTML, and TXT. The app also gives you access to more than 50,000 public domain classic books free of charge from Feedbooks, Gutenberg, and other online catalogs. You can also connect your cloud drives like OneDrive or Google Drive for downloading books stored there. If looks matter to you, do give Freda a try.
Supported Platforms: Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8.1 (ARM, x86, x64)
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Good reading experience with modern UI | Sometimes the app lags |
| Text to speech reading support | Doesn’t support older Windows operating systems |
| Support for annotations and bookmarks | |
| Fully customizable reading mode |
Download: Free with in-app purchases
4. Icecream Epub Reader
Icecream apps is an app studio which has developed some really fine apps for Windows PC and of all the apps that come from the studio, their Epub reader is my favorite. Not only their Epub reader looks good but it also brings a ton of features including full-screen mode support, exceptional search capabilities, easy page turning mechanics, reading progress tracking, support for multiple languages, and more.
Apart from all the above features, I also love the fact that the reader not only supports Epub format but also other major ebook formats including Mobi, FB2, and, more.
Supported Platforms: Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, , Windows 8.1 and Windows 7
Pros Cons Supports multiple file formats and languages All the good features are behind paywall Supports bookmarks and annotations Frequently asks you to upgrade to pro version Make search on Google and Wikipedia for selected text Good search feature
Download: Free, $19.95
5. Cover
Cover is primarily an app made for reading comic books on your Windows 11 PC, but since the app also supports Epub format, it has made its way on the list. The main reason why Cover is on the list is that since the app is made for comics, it is great for reading books that are image-heavy.
While all the other apps on the list can handle images, they can’t do it as well as Cover can. So, if you are into books that feature a ton of images, Cover will be good for you. On the other hand, if you are into comics and manga, there is no better app that you can get.
Supported Platforms: Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 8.1 (ARM, x86, x64)
Pros Cons Good reading experience Geared more towards comic book readers Excellent library management Only 25 books allowed in free version Reading mode is fully customizable
Download: Free with in-app purchases
6. Kobo
Like Kindle, Kobo is not only an ebook reader app but a service which also allows you to buy books from its store. However, unlike Kindle, which doesn’t support Epub formats, Kobo does support both Epub and Epub 3 formats. The app brings all the usual features that we have come to expect from an Epub reader including, search, bookmarks, progress tracking, theming, and more, making it one of the best epub readers for Windows 11 that you can find.
However, the biggest reason to get Kobo over other Epub readers is its store which allows you to browse and buy from over 5 million free and affordable eBooks, comics, and children’s books. So, if you want to be able to access and buy all the new ebooks that are released, this is one of the best epub readers for Windows that you can get.
Supported Platforms: Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8.1 (ARM, x86, x64)
Pros Cons Excellent reading modes which are easier on the eyes Makes it harder to manage imported books Modern UI No dictionary and note-taking features Makes it easy to access the bookmark Built-in store to buy ebooks
Download: Free
7. Nook
If you are into books, the chance that you have never heard of Barnes and Noble is pretty slim as it is the world’s largest bookseller. Barnes and Noble mainly is a chain of offline stores, however, Amazon’s success with its Kindle platform made the offline bookseller giant to launch its own online book service which is called Nook.
With Nook app, you are not only getting an app to read Epub books, but also a store to buy them, just like you do with Kobo.
When you sign up for the service, you get a 14-day trial period during which you can test out any book or news magazine that you want. After the trial period ends, you can buy the books or subscribe to magazines that you are interested in.
Other features of the app include the ability to customize your reading experience to view books with different fonts, line spacing, and themes, online sync across devices, access to thousands of classics, and more.
Supported Platforms: Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8.1
Pros Cons Excellent reading modes which are easier on the eyes Makes it harder to manage imported books Modern UI Books are expensive as compared to other sources Makes it easy to access the bookmark Built-in store to buy ebooks
Download: Free
8. Adobe Digital Editions
If there is one company which makes software for almost all form of creating and consuming creative content, it’s Adobe, and its Adobe Digital Editions is a great Epub reader for Windows PC which allows users to consume their favorite titles.
One of the best reasons for using Adobe Digital Editions is its support for EPUB 3 standard which gives users a richer reading experience by bringing support for right to left reading, dynamic image resizing without loss in clarity, interactive quizzes, better rendering of math formulas, and more.
Adobe Digital Editions also brings a ton of other convenient features like exceptional search capabilities, the ability to rent or borrow Epub version of books from your local and public libraries, multi-lingual support, bookmarking, highlighting, notes, and more. If you are looking for a full-fledged, Epub reading experience, Adobe Digital Edition is the right app to do that.
Supported Platforms: Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows Vista and Windows 7
Pros Cons Easily sync books across devices The reading mode is not user customizable Good book organization features Slow to load if you have a large library Good reading experience with support for EPUB 3 standard Need an Adobe account to use it Support for bookmarks, highlights, and notes Does not sync across devices
Download: Free
9. Bibliovore
Bibliovore is yet another great free Epub reader for your Windows machine. The app can be easily downloaded from the Windows app store and is completely free to download and use. I love this app because it brings fantastic organizational features allowing you to manage even a large library of books with ease.
The app also allows you to easily adjust font parameters, manage reading themes, edit book metadata, use day/night reading mode, and more. One of my favorite features of this app is that despite being free, it syncs all your books across devices using OneDrive. I think this is one of the best epub readers for Windows 10 that you can use right now.
Supported Platforms: Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8.1 (x86, x64)
Pros Cons Good reading expereince with support for themes Needs more customization features for fonts, spacing, etc. Good organization features Support for book metadata editing Groups books in a series
Download: Free
10. Bookviser
Bookviser is an Epub reader for Windows which wants to give you a reading experience that is similar to reading physical books. It does that by designing its UI in such a way that it looks like a real book. That said, if you are not fond of such a UI, you can easily get into the settings to get a more traditional Epub reader experience.
Just like Freda, Bookviser also allows you to download free classics from public catalogs including Feedbooks, Project Gutenberg, and Smashwords. Rest of the Epub reader features like progress tracking, theming, dictionary support and more can also be found here.
Supported Platforms: Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8.1 (ARM, x86, x64)
Pros Cons Simple and clean user interface Doesn’t allow you to edit book metadata Lets you adjust margin, font-type, spacing, and more Support for multiple page turning animations Support for book downloads from integrated public catalog
Download: Free
11. EpubReader
Another epub reader for Windows you can consider trying out is EpubReader which is the only paid app on the list. The app is a fairly simple app for reading Epub books on your Windows PC which also allows you to download books from preconfigured and personal sources, easily manage your book library, tracks reading progress, and more.
One of the biggest features of this app is that you can easily transfer your whole library onto either an SD Card or to OneDrive. EpubReader is a great app to manage a large library of books without eating any storage on your Windows PC.
Supported Platforms: Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8.1 (x86, x64)
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Supports external libraries (OneDrive and SD Card) | Takes time to load |
| Download books in the LIT, MOBI, FB2 and PDF formats and automatically convert them to ePub | |
| Customizable font, size, color and spacing |
Download: $2.49
12. Thorium Reader
Thorium Reader is a fantastic free epub reader app for Windows that brings a user-friendly interface with some highly intuitive features to make ebook reading on PC a delightful experience. With support for formats like epub3, Daisy and audiobooks, Thorium Reader is an open source app that allows you to organize ebooks conveniently in the library. You can reach the favorite section of your ebook or audiobook by navigating through the table of contents or the powerful search functionality. The interface is vibrant and you can choose between sepia and night themes as per your liking.
The epub reader app for Windows devices can read DRM-locked content, which is a great feature. Also, you get other important features like bookmarks, editing metatags, customizing content layout, annotations, bookmarks and that too without ads! While being a fairly new epub reader in the market, Thorium has an impressive set of features and its simple-to-use interface is its USP.
Supported Platforms: Windows 11, Windows 10 (x86, x64)
Pros Cons User interface is quite easy to get a hang of Text highlighting feature not available Special features for people with print disability and dyslexia
Download: Free
13. EPubor
Another Windows eBook reader app that you can check out, Epubor brings most of the features you’d want in an ePub reader app. The app supports all the popular eBook formats, including EPUB, MOBI, AZW, AZW3, PRC, TXT, HTMLZ, and others. It also comes with a bunch of customisation options. You can change the fonts and colors, highlight text, make notes, and even bookmark pages. Plus, the app supports both vertical and horizontal reading, making it more versatile.
Reading with EPubor is quite nice as well. The app remembers your last reading position, so you can pick up where you left off. It also brings a handy table of contents so you can navigate through long books more easily (I’m looking at you, Lord of The Rings); and based on the size of your screen, the app can even automatically switch between single-page view and double page view.
There are also a plethora of library management features within the app. You can easily import books, and once you have your library set up, you can search through it easily as well. The app supports searching for books by title, authors, ISBN, publisher, and more. Overall, EPubor is one of the best ePub readers for Windows 11 that you can get.
Supported platforms: Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, macOS
Pros Cons Supports almost every popular ebook format Doesn’t support encrypted ebooks Plenty of customisation options Easy to manage even large libraries of books
Download: Free trial; paid version starts at $4.99
14. Neat Reader
Neat Reader is an aptly named app, because this definitely is one of the best looking ePub readers for Windows (or for Mac, for that matter), that I have found thus far. The app comes with clean, intuitive interface that makes it much easier to use. Moreover, it supports almost every EPUB 2 and EPUB 3 standard out there, which means most of your books should be easily readable in the app.
Neat Reader also brings support for annotations, so if you like taking notes or highlighting important parts of a book, you can do so with it. You can also place bookmarks to mark important pages or things you want to come back to, and obviously, there’s a search feature as well.
Best of all, the app is completely free to use, forever. However, if you do feel up to paying for it, you can get additional features including 10GB cloud storage to store your ebooks across devices, export notes, and an ad-free experience while reading your book — which, by the way is important. I do not like the fact that there are ads in the free version of the app, because it takes away attention from the book, and that’s why this app is towards the bottom of our list. Apart from that particular issue, Neat Reader is definitely an ePub reader for Windows that I’d recommend you to try.
Supported platforms: Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, macOS, Android, iPhone, Web
Pros Cons Free to use Free version has ads Support for annotations, bookmarks, and more Data synchronisation only available in paid version Supports EPUB 2 and EPUB 3 formats Search feature is useful
Download: Free; paid version starts at $19.99/year or $49.99 for lifetime
15. Read Ebooks in the Command Line with Epy
If you feel more at home in the commandline rather than with a GUI, and you love showing off your favourite command prompt tricks to your friends, Epy is definitely the Windows 11 epub reader you should try. Technically a fork of the EPR repo, EPY brings support for ebooks in the EPUB, FictionBook (FB2), MOBI, and AZW3 formats. Moreover, it can even read ebooks from their URLs.
The command line program has plenty of features as well. It shows you the reading progress percentage, supports bookmarks, integrations with external dictionaries (such as dict, wkdict, etc), text to speech, and more. What’s more, installing it on Windows 11 is a breeze thanks to the standalone binary that’s readily available. You can even check out its GitHub repo (visit) to learn how it works, and even fork it to add features that you want to see in the app.
Supported platforms: All Windows versions
Pros Cons No customisation options Doesn’t have the kind of feature set you’d find in other epub readers Open source and completely free
Download: Free
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q. Which is the Best EPUB Reader?
In my opinion, Calibre is truly the best Windows Epub reader for most users. However, if you are looking for a modern Epub reader for Windows 11 then go for Freda.
- Q. What eReaders Can Read EPUB files?
While Kindle is a popular eReader device, it can’t read Epub files natively so keep that in mind. With Kindle out of the way, I would recommend Kobo Clara HD and Onyx Boox Note2 as ePub readers for Windows 11.
- Q. Is Epub Reader for Windows Free?
There are a number of Epub readers for Windows and most of them are free. I would recommend you to go through the list and find an Epub reader that fits your need.
- Q. Is Epub Reader for Windows Safe?
Yes. Epub Readers don’t pose a security threat unless downloaded from shady sources. Make sure to download programs from their official website.
- Q. How do I Install Epub Reader for Windows?
You just need to click on the link that is mentioned below each Epub reader and then move to the Download page. Here, depending on your OS version and architecture, download the setup file. After that, run the setup file to install the Epub reader. You can find the architecture of your machine by right-clicking on My Computer and opening “Properties”.
- Q. Does ePUB Reader for Windows Support Other File Types?
Yes. For example, Sumatra PDF Reader can read Epub, PDF, MOBI, FB2, CBZ, and multiple other file types.
Read Ebooks with Best Epub Readers for Windows PC
I am a fan of audiobooks and ebooks, as they allow you to carry your whole library with your where ever you go. One of the best parts about using Epub readers for reading ebooks is that you get thousands of classic titles for free. Do check these apps out and let us know which is your favorite Windows Epub reader. Also, if you want to suggest an app that should be on the list but isn’t, drop its name in the comments section below.
I tried Calibre and discovered that it wants to put all my epub files in one directory and does not include a File Open command. It also did not offer to take the .epub file extension. The program does not appear in the context menu open with command for epub files.
I understand other epub programs work the same way.
I organize my files and documents with Windows Explorer and the OS file system by subject and topic and want to store epub files with my other ones in my hierarchic classification system.
None of the reviews indicate what programs do like calibre or work with Windows explorer and shell file extensions.
What about OverDrive?
How do you keep that one intact? I downloaded it and it was great for months. Now, however, it won’t show me the books or download any new ones….so, I lost all the books I downloaded to OverDrive….What am I doing wrong?
They became a holding company – so their appplication now is ‘libby’ so if you download the app, just log in with your overdrive credentials.
my experience with freda has been great actually
I am using icecream pro for epub reader, its looks good actually i like that.
Forget Freda, cant open half the epubs, cant even directly open a bloody epub. never seen such garbage.
I downloaded Icecream Epub Reader. After barely a minute of first-time use, a nag-screen appeared asking me to upgrade. This screen has a 6-second timer, interrupting your reading experience for the whole 6 seconds, making this app completely unusable for me.
So I don’t consider this app to be a useful “free” app and in my opinion, this app should not be on this list as “free”.
Furthermore, this kind of practice makes I won’t even considering dishing out 30 bucks.
Freda does a serviceable job of displaying epub and ebook files, but it does a poor job of hyphenating words that it splits between lines. Does any reader app do a better job?
Yes, My experience with Freda has been bad. The format is lost in some books. Liberty, other epub reader works better but sometimes is unable to load books.
EPUBReader extension for Google Chrome browser is the best Epub reader (free extensions from Chrome Web store). The reason is very simple:
You may open any Epub book file from your computer and use Google Chrome browser AUTOMATIC TRANSLATION in your favorite language! Works perfectly!
You need to allow the EpubReader setting: “Allow access to file URLs”.
Use F11 (full screen) and left/right arrows to read the pages of automatically translated Epub book at full screen.
So far, the best ebook reader is Microsoft Edge which is dead now. and the other is kindle (although not work with epub format), which is not listed here
As you said yourself, Kindle is not for Epub, and that’s why it’s not listed in the article.
Adobe Digital Editions is running slow…what’s the problem?
With which of these programs do pop-up footnotes (Epub3) work correctly?
Everything here is through the Microsoft Store which is either going to push ads or make you pay not to see them which makes this entire article pretty much garbage.
Hi Rachit, your article is really obsolete now and must be updated. Calibre is a great ebook management application but not a good reading application (does not read EPUB3 files correctly). ADE is garbage. The Readium Viewer has been superceded by the free Thorium Reader from EDRLab and based on the Readium open-source initiative also. Fee like free without any in-app purchase.
Thanks for your input. We will update the article in the coming weeks.
thanks this is the best app easily!!
Have you seriously not visited ANY app-store previously?!? 90% of apps ARE FREE to download and to use/try and then you can CAN BUY more content etc. Lets not call it lying mkay.
Try building an app yourself and use 1000s of hours on it and then ask nothing for it.. 😉
I don’t like to read anything horizontal like the real books, so if there’s one that I can read Vertical please suggest it.
dude like… why isn’t this the norm? It is quite infuriating. You and I need to create the best, most accessible, vertical scroll epub reader.
Bookvisor SAYS it’s free here, but when you go to install it- SURPRISE – “+ Offers in-app purchases”
NOT NICE to lie
The free Icecream Epub Reader is not good as it advertises purchasing it PRO version every 5 minutes!
Offensive!
I’ve tried icecream, calibre, ADE, sumatrapdf, bibliovore, etc and freda is the best for me..
tried all and only Icecream epub reader stands out for me. i can customize it the way i prefer.
I recommend neat reader
Epubreader does not allow bookmarks!! Useless therefore.
IceCream reader is poorly designed with a confusing HUD and, worst of all, the base version does not even grant the full-screen mode. You have to pay 20$ for everything: the so-called “free-version” is basically a disguised DEMO. And it’s really offensive seeing that app listed at #2.
As for Freda, there are 2 versions: free (with ads) and “premium” (without ads). For 2$ it’s actually worth the price.
Generally speaking, it should be indicated if these programs/apps can open all e-books formats or not.
Despite the way IceCreamApps look and feel, every one of their apps behaves like this. Disappointing.
lol dude what are you dumb?
I got very worried when the first one Calibre inventor’s name was COVID. So stopped downloading. No a reassuring name.
It’s Kovid. And that’s reason you stopped? Really? Grow up.
FBReader is an absolute MUST on Android but their last Windows release was in 2010… I don’t usually pay for stuff if I don’t have to but FBReader is so awesome I got the pro version after using for a week or two (many years ago) just to support the dev for making such great software. He obviously doesn’t have time for Windows though…
Calibre is really too bloated to be #1. Archaic menu system, and it opens books in a new window, etc. I like Freda the best for Windows.
You also omitted FBReader, a “classic” program.
I am using Bluefire Ereader and it looks best
This one is definitely the best one I have used so far. Specially its App on iOS, since it’s no doubt the best option I have found as well.
It asks for Adobe Account, so this one can easily replace Adobe Digital Editions, since it will open .acsm files. Bluefire Reader also opens .epub and PDF files, allowing us to control PDF’s pages background from: Day (traditional white page), Sepia and Night (black page and white Font). On other formats, like .epub, besides from the background color, it’s possible to change Text Size, Margin Width and other advanced options.
I recommend Bluefire Reader 100%!
Does Bibliovore work offline?,…as in if you dont have an internet connection, can you open the book that you uploaded on it?
Yes, Bibliovore works offline no problem and a Great Reader it is too.
Microsoft Edge was the best epub reader until Microsoft decided to kill it.
The only good one I have found is Readium based on Chromium I think, available on Github for Windows & Mac.
I want PC version of Moon+ Reader Pro (PERIOD). Edge is the closest one to Moon+ in terms of rendering epub. But font size control is too less, it makes me frustrated. I don’t know why font steps is too less.
Microsoft Edge is the best epub reader right now, I tried opening epub file from 2018, only Microsoft Edge opened it correctly, other epub readers failed at showing it correctly.
Edge unfortunately lost e-reader abilities when it went to a Chromium base. But it was never much more than a basic e-reader.
The best modern ereader app for windows is Edge Browser. Edge doesn’t suck like IE sucked. Edge natively opens epub and pdf (and presumably mobi) files while also supporting note taking and cloud-based annotations.
I am using adobe digital editions , i dont know which is the best free epub reader . Any suggestions ?
Adobe Digital Editions é péssimo, já usei e desisti dele… Trava, trava, trava…
Como uso Windows 7, até agora não achei NENHUM leitor de ebook compatível, nem mesmo o Calibre: quando uso o Calibre, meu computador trava… Estou com falta de sorte… 🙁
Tenta o Kobo.
Why is Freda on this list? It is hopelessly slow. Painful to use. Shear agony.
I like Freda a lot better than Calibre. No real problems with speed but I haven’t tried most of the others here.
calibre is simply the best epub viewer for windows 7 if you are gonna use it just for reading epub files through its “ebook viewer”
as someone who uses Adobe Digital Editions, this particular app being listed as number 2 on the list totally discredits the author of this list. Adobe Digital Edition is complete utter garbage. period. DO. NOT. USE.
Agree it’s bad. Wonder why you are using it though.
Asking the real questions here lmao
Since they’re on an article about best epub readers, chances are they won’t be using it much longer!