The 5 best e-readers for 2024

Still reading hardbacks and paperbacks? Reconsider.

The latest e-readers offer an easy-to-read display that can be seen -- glare-free -- in almost any lighting situation, even direct sunlight. They also come with enough internal storage to hold thousands of top-selling e-books at once. Many are extremely compact, waterproof and allow you to delve into your favorite books from just about anywhere. Most of the latest e-readers can even play podcasts or audiobooks. 

This roundup of the best e-readers for 2024 includes our top picks of the most powerful dedicated e-readers, as well as options that allow you to handwrite or draw on the screen using a stylus, as well as annotate the e-books you're reading. One of the top picks from our in-house tech experts also features a full-color display. It can handle many functions you'd expect from an Android tablet. To learn more about these and other popular e-readers, be sure to check out our e-readers hub, which offers everything you need to know.

Our top e-reader picks for 2024

Whatever you're looking for out an a new e-reader -- an easy-to-see and glare-free display; a compact, lightweight and waterproof design; or extra-long battery life -- this roundup showcases our top picks for the best e-reader options available right now.

• Best e-reader overall: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition
• Best budget e-reader: Amazon Kindle
• Best e-reader for note-taking: Amazon Kindle Scribe
• Best e-reader with a full-color e-ink display: Boox Tab Ultra C Pro
• Best e-reader for accessing free e-books from a library: Kobo Sage

Best e-reader overall: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition

Display Size: 6.8 inches | Display Resolution: 300 pixels per inch | Screen Lighting: 17 LEDs offer auto adjusting or manually adjustable warm light  | Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.9 x 0.32 inches | Weight: 7.3 ounces | Storage Capacity: 32GB | Primary E-Bookstore Compatibility: Kindle eBook Store, Kindle Unlimited, Audible | Battery Life: Up to 10 weeks | Special Features: Wireless charging, comes in three colors (black, agave green and denim blue), auto-adjusting screen brightness and contrast

As its name suggests, the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature edition is a slightly more feature-packed edition of the popular Kindle Paperwhite e-reader. This version supports wireless charging using any Qi-compatible charger, or it can be charged via a wired USB Type-C connection. 

The display's brightness and contrast are auto-adjusting, based on the ambient light around you. But you can manually adjust the brightness and color temperature of the display to accommodate your preferences. And this version of the Kindle is waterproof. Plus, it can serve as an audio player for audiobooks or podcasts. Since they are no internal speakers, you'll need to pair the device with your choice of wireless headphones or earbuds (sold separately).

This e-reader also comes with a three-month trial subscription to Kindle Unlimited. This service offers access to more than four million e-books, audiobooks and related content. After that, the monthly fee is $11.99. However, you can also buy e-books or audiobooks individually from the Kindle store directly from the device when it's connected to the Internet via Wi-Fi. Just reading e-books or listen to downloaded doesn't require an Internet connection.

Best budget e-reader: Amazon Kindle

Display Size: 6 inches | Display Resolution: 300 pixels per inch | Screen Lighting: 4 LEDs | Dimensions: 6.2 x 4.3 x 0.32 inches | Weight: 5.56 ounces | Storage Capacity: 16GB | Primary E-Bookstore Compatibility: Kindle eBook Store, Kindle Unlimited, Audible | Battery Life: Up to 6 weeks | Special Features: Glare-free display shows 16 levels of grayscale 

Especially when it goes on sale, the Amazon Kindle is the least expensive Kindle e-reader in Amazon's lineup. It offers a six-inch display, but it's not as sharp as a Paperwhite display, especially in direct sunlight. And in dark areas, it only offers four non-adjustable LEDs. But the 16GB of internal storage is enough to store thousands of e-books or hundreds of audiobooks. This Kindle can also play audiobooks or podcasts. Without a built in speaker, you'll need to pair the device with wireless headphones or earbuds to listen to any audio content.

Unlike the Kindle Paperwhite e-readers, this model is not waterproof, but it does offer a compact and easy-to-hold design. It comes with a three-month trial subscription to Amazon's Kindle Unlimited, which provides unlimited access to more than four million e-books and audiobooks. The device also works seamlessly with an Audible subscription for listening to audiobooks and podcasts. 

If you like to buy your content one title at a time, this can be done directly from the Kindle -- when it's connected to Wi-Fi -- by accessing the Kindle store. Once content is loaded into the device, however, no ongoing Internet connection is needed. You can easily read on an airplane, cruise ship, or anywhere Wi-Fi service is not offered.

Best e-reader for note taking: Amazon Kindle Scribe

Display Size: 10.2 inches | Display Resolution: 300 ppi | Screen Lighting: Front light uses 35 LEDs | Dimensions: 9.0 x 7.7 x0.22 inches | Weight: 15.03 ounces (Scribe), 0.49 ounces (Basic stylus) | Storage Capacity: 16GB, 32GB, 64GB | Primary E-Bookstore Compatibility: Kindle eBook Store, Kindle Unlimited, Audible | Battery Life: Up to 12 weeks | Special Features: Handwrite or draw on the display using a stylus, choose the amount of storage you need at the time of purchase 

The Amazon Kindle Scribe is a full-featured e-book reader and audiobook and podcast player, but it also offers another cool feature that other Kindles don't. It's a digital notepad. You can handwrite or draw directly on the display using a stylus. Using the note-taking app, you can create custom digital notebooks and then fill them up with individual pages containing thoughts or sketches. These notes are stored within the Scribe, but can easily be shared when the e-reader is connected to the internet via Wi-Fi.

As you're reading, you can annotate the content of e-books with handwritten notes, or annotate PDF files transferred to the Scribe using the Internet-based Send-to-Kindle feature. A basic stylus comes with the Scribe, but a "Premium Pen" can be purchased separately ($60). The benefit of the Premium Pen is that the top serves as a digital eraser (just like on a pencil). Either model attaches to the side of the Scribe using magnets. A three-month trial subscription to the Kindle Unlimited service is included, as is a USB Type-C charging cable. 

The Scribe uses a manually adjustable e-ink display that can be viewed in any lighting situation, including direct sunlight. In a dark room, the 35 integrated LEDs brighten the screen, so can easily see the display. With the Scribe, you get all of the features of a Kindle e-reader combined with useful note-taking tools.

Best e-reader with a full-color e-ink display: Boox Tab Ultra C Pro

Display Size: 10.3 inches (Color ePaper) | Display Resolution: 1,240 x 930 pixels (color), 2,094 x 1,860 pixels (B&W) | Screen Lighting: Adjustable front light | Dimensions: 8.9 x 7.3 x 0.26 inches | Weight: 15.9 ounces | Storage Capacity: 128GB | Primary E-Bookstore Compatibility: Supports any Android-compatible e-bookstore app, including Kindle, Nook and Kobo | Battery Life: Up to 4 weeks | Special Features: Runs Android 12, Supports 24+ file formats, Built-in microSD card slot, Dual speakers and microphones built-in, Comes with Boox Pen2 Pro stylus, Converts handwriting to text

Boox is one of the first companies to create e-readers and Android tablets with full-color e-paper displays. An e-paper display is basically e-ink tech, but with full color, so the screen can be viewed (glare free) in almost any lighting situation. The device's battery lasts for weeks, not mere hours, like a traditional tablet.

You can either think of the Boox Tab Ultra C Pro as an e-reader on steroids with a full-color display, or as an Android-based tablet with somewhat limited functionality. While the device runs Android 12 and has a powerful processor, the refresh rate and resolution of the unit's color e-paper display can't handle detailed, full-color photos or smooth video content. As an e-reader, it works with any e-reader app on the Google Play Store, including Amazon Kindle, B&N Nook, Rakuten Kobo, or Libby (for borrowing e-books from a public library).

With its dual stereo speakers and internet connectivity, the Boox Tab Ultra C Pro can also play audiobooks or podcasts and stream music. In addition to including a stylus that allows you to handwrite or draw directly on the Tab Ultra C Pro's display, optional accessories include a detachable keyboard with a built-in trackpad. This upgrades the device even more, letting you handle word processing, web surfing or email. 

Reading full-color e-books, newspapers and magazines is a pleasure. The tablet is also extremely customizable. We love that it can be used as a more compact digital note taking device (compared to the Scribe). It can even automatically transcribe your handwritten notes into editable text. Like the iPad, the Boox Tab Ultra C Pro has a split-screen mode, so you can run two apps at once. This makes multitasking easy. 

Yes, the Boox Tab Ultra C Pro is expensive, but it can serve as a powerful e-reader, note-taking tool and perform many (but not all) tasks that a traditional Android-based tablet can do. The screen is large and easy to read. The colors displayed using the e-paper display, however, are not remarkably vibrant.

Best e-reader for accessing free e-books from a library: Kobo Sage

Display Size: 8-inches (e-ink) | Display Resolution: 1,440 x 1,920 pixels | Screen Lighting: Adjustable ComfortLight Pro | Dimensions: 7.14 x 6.32 x 0.3 inches | Weight: 8.49 ounces | Storage Capacity: 32GB | Primary E-Bookstore Compatibility: Kobo e-bookstore and Libby | Battery Life: Up to 4 weeks | Special Features: Waterproof (IPX8 rated), Supports 15+ file formats

The Kobo Sage is another feature-packed e-reader. It can also play audiobooks and podcasts and can serve as a versatile digital notebook. It's more compact than the Scribe, but the Sage still handles handwritten notes using the optional Kobo Stylus. Even better: Unlike the Scribe, the Sage is waterproof. 

The e-ink display is glare-free and can be viewed clearly in any light -- from direct sunlight to a dark room. It's also designed to reduce eyestrain and allow for more comfortable reading and writing.

While avid readers have access to the Kobo store and can purchase e-books or audiobooks individually, you can also subscribe to Kobo Plus Read for $7.99 per month to get unlimited access to more than 1.5 million e-books. For $9 per month, the subscription plan offers unlimited access to Kobo's e-book and audiobook library (which contains more than 150,000 titles).

What we really like about the Kobo Sage is that it works easily and seamlessly with OverDrive's Libby service. So, when the Sage is connected to the internet via Wi-Fi, you can borrow e-books and audiobooks for free from your local public library.

8 things to consider when choosing an e-reader

While many e-readers look the same from the outside, it's the technology inside -- display, internal storage, and other capabilities -- that set each of them apart. Here's what to look for when choosing an e-reader that'll best meet your needs, reading habits and budget.

• Display size: This determines how much on-screen real estate you have to read e-books and perform other tasks when using the e-reader.
• Display type: All of the e-readers in this roundup feature an e-ink, Paperwhite, or e-paper display. All are glare resistant, so they can be viewed in any lighting situation, including direct sunlight. These display types also use very little battery power, so the battery life of a typical e-reader is upwards of four weeks (or longer), not mere hours (like what you'd experience while using a traditional tablet). The goal of an e-ink, Paperwhite, or e-paper display is to showcase text in a way that replicates the printed pages from a traditional book as closely as possible. Another benefit of these display types of that they're much easier on the eyes, so they don't cause eye strain even or fatigue during extended reading sessions.
• Internal storage: This determines how many e-books, audiobooks and other files you can store within the device. Even the e-readers with just 8GB or 16GB of storage can hold thousands of e-books or hundreds of audiobooks. However, if you're using an e-reader that also serves as a digital notepad, you'll want more storage to store all of your notes and related files.
• Audiobook and podcast playing: All of the e-readers in this roundup are able to play audiobooks and podcasts, although not all of them have built-in speakers. For the best listening experience, you'll want to use a pair of wireless, noise-cancelling headphones or earbuds with your e-reader.
• Note taking and other features: E-readers, like the Kindle Scribe, Kobo Sage and Boox Tab Ultra C Pro, can be used as a digital notebook. This means you can handwrite or draw directly on the device's display using a pen-shaped stylus. In most cases, the note taking app(s) available permit you to create custom-named digital notebooks. Each notebook can contain any number of pages. Your only limitation is the amount of storage space in the device. However, these e-readers also support cloud-based services, so you can automatically sync or backup your notes in the cloud, share them with your own computer(s) and mobile devices, or share them with other people.
• Durability and waterproof rating: While many of the best e-readers are waterproof, meaning you can read in the bathtub, at the pool, or at the beach and not have to worry about damaging the device if it gets wet, this is not the case for all e-models. And while they're designed to be rather durable, to protect your e-reader's display when it's being stored or transported, we highly recommend purchasing an optional case or cover for the device.
• E-book and content selection: Every e-reader gives you easy access to one or more online e-bookstores. Most of these e-bookstores also have a subscription service. For a flat monthly fee, you get unlimited access to a vast library of e-books and audiobooks. But keep in mind, most e-readers are compatible with Overdrive's Libby service, which allows you to borrow e-books and audiobooks from your local public library for free. Some e-reader brands, like Kobo, make accessing Libby directly from your Wi-Fi connected e-reader easier than others. All e-readers also support the industry standard .epub file format and display PDF files. 
• Physical Size and Weight: Some popular e-readers, like the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature edition, are designed to be about the same size and weight as a traditional paperback. The e-readers that can also serve as a digital notepad are a bit larger to provide plenty of writing space. The physical size and weight of the e-reader determines how comfortable it is to hold in your hands during extended reading or writing sessions.