After several years as a Kindle fan, I’ve abandoned ship.
Last month, Amazon announced it was removing a feature that allowed users to download their Kindle books to their PC, whether to backup those books or use a tool like Calibre to read them on a non-Kindle device. With this feature gone, the only way to read Kindle books is now on a Wi-Fi-connected Kindle or the Kindle app.
This announcement sparked frustration for a lot of readers, prompting many (myself included) to take a closer look at the Kindle’s closest rival, Kobo. If you’re also considering making the switch, you might be skeptical about whether or not it’s really worth it or whether Kobo ereaders can truly compare to a Kindle.
I switched to a Kobo ereader for a week to find out. My experience left me absolutely certain which ereader I’ll be using from now on.
Why I left Kindle (and you should, too)
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Amazon’s change to its ebook downloading rules might not sound like a big deal. After all, if you’re buying ebooks on Amazon, you’re probably planning to read them on a Kindle or in the app anyway. However, this move cements the reality that when you buy a Kindle ebook, you don’t actually own it because Amazon can change or remove that title from your library at any point and you can’t read it outside Amazon’s ecosystem.
Amazon has already made use of this control in the past. Back in 2009, Amazon removed copies of 1984 from Kindle devices after discovering an independent seller didn’t have the proper authorization to sell the ebook. Of course, the people who bought it had no way of knowing that. Amazon and publishers also can (and have) changed the content and covers of Kindle ebooks without giving readers any option to choose which version of the book they want.
Seeing Amazon remove the one feature that could allow users to control access to the ebooks they’ve purchased didn’t sit well with me. My Kindle was getting a bit old and battered around the edges anyway, so I decided it was time to make the leap to Kobo.
What Kobo does better (and worse) than Kindle
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Like Amazon, Rakuten offers a range of Kobo ereaders, from the basic Clara BW to the feature-packed Libra Colour. I prefer small, light ereaders and didn’t really need a color display, so I went with the basic Kobo Clara BW (black and white). It’s effectively the Kobo equivalent of the Kindle Paperwhite.
The most inconvenient part of making the switch was actually getting my Kobo. Thanks to Prime, you can order a Kindle and potentially have it that day. While Kobo ereaders are available on Amazon, it seemed a bit counterintuitive to buy one there so I ordered directly from Rakuten. The shipping took about a week from the time I placed my order to when my ereader arrived.
The build quality of the Kobo Clara BW feels really solid, noticeably moreso than my Kindle (2022 All-New Kindle). The plastic on the Clara is visibly more textured, which makes it easier to hold. It doesn’t look as “minimalistic” as the smooth case on the Kindle, but it’s much more practical. I also like that the Kobo has its power button on the back instead of on the edges like the Kindle. The placement of the power button on the bottom edge of my Kindle made it easy to press on accident.
Unfortunately, since Kobo ereaders aren’t as popular as Kindles, there are far fewer options for cases and accessories. I wasn’t looking for anything fancy, so I just got the basic clear plastic Clara case. However, if you like to deck out your ereader with a stylish or unique case, you probably won’t have as many to choose from.
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The reading experience on the Kobo is fantastic. The interface is very straightforward and only took a few minutes for me to get used to. I especially love that the Home screen on my Clara isn’t full of shop recommendations like my Home screen on my Kindle. You can access the Kobo store and buy ebooks from the Clara, but the advertising isn’t right in your face, which is a relief.
One thing that initially threw me off that I ended up appreciating is the way Kobo counts pages. For instance, if I’m on “page 8 out of 16” in a chapter on my Kobo, each “page” is one swipe of my screen. In contrast, Kindle doesn’t adjust page numbers for your device and display settings so you can be on “page 8” for several swipes of your screen. I prefer the way my page number is displayed on Kobo because it makes it much easier to gauge how close I am to the end of a chapter.
So far, I like the Kobo store better than the Kindle store. Even just in my first week of using my Kobo, I’ve found over a dozen titles from my wishlist on sale for $5 or less. Of course, ebooks go on sale on Kindle, as well, but I’ve noticed more significant and frequent discounts on Kobo.
As an added bonus, Rakuten still allows you to download and export your Kobo ebooks to other devices, at least at the time of writing. You also don’t need to pay to remove lockscreen ads like on the Kindle (that’s right, there are no lockscreen ads on Kobo).
Do I regret switching to Kobo?
I haven’t picked up my Kindle in over a week, and frankly, I forgot where it was for a few days. That’s how content I am reading on my Kobo.
The battery life and the quality of the E-ink display on my Kobo are just as good, if not better than, my Kindle, and Kobo still supports downloading and exporting your ebooks, so your library isn’t locked into one ecosystem or device. The Kobo UI is less cluttered with shop recommendations, includes more fonts, and has a more convenient page-counting system. Basic features like highlighting, adding notes, or looking up definitions for words all work just as smoothly as they do on Kindle.
Of course, making the switch might not be for everyone, especially if you have a large Kindle library you’re no longer able to export. However, if your Kindle is due for an upgrade, you’re looking to leave the Amazon ecosystem, or you’re shopping for your first ereader, I highly recommend giving Kobo a shot. The drawbacks compared to Amazon are few and relatively small and the pricing is virtually identical.
I’ve had a great experience with my Kobo so far and can safely say it will be my ereader of choice for the foreseeable future. So long, Kindle.