You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on a tablet to enjoy reading ebooks, even if there are specialized tablets like the Kindle for doing so. In actuality, the reading experience is comparable when you read them on a Windows computer. Owning a convertible or 2-in-1 Windows computer is even better since you can read Epubs with it in one hand, exactly like you would on a tablet. All you really need to read is a decent Epub reader program. Although there are several Epub applications for Windows, not all of them are created equal. For this reason, we have compiled a list of the top 15 Epub readers for Windows computers.
The Greatest Windows Epub Readers for 2023
The top Epub readers for a variety of Windows OSs, from Windows XP to Windows 11, have been carefully selected and assembled here. To go quickly, click the link below to access the relevant program. Aside from that, you may read our explanation below if you’re interested in knowing more about Epub readers.
An Epub Reader: What Is It?
To put it simply, an application that can open and process e-books—a digital copy of a physical book—is known as a PC Epub Reader. It’s a file format similar to PDF, but because it’s XML-based, a variety of apps from different platforms may use it. To put it briefly, an Epub reader is an application that lets you use your computer, smartphone, or any other electronic device to read digital books.
How Do Windows 10 Epub Files Open?
On Windows 11/Windows 10, opening an Epub file is comparable to opening a PDF file. Although the current Edge browser, which is based on Chrome, cannot access Epub files, the prior Edge browser could. For the Epub files to open, you will thus need to install an app.
Top Windows Epub Readers List
1. Calibre
One of the greatest and most established Epub readers available for Windows 11 is Calibre. With its many capabilities, the software lets you do things like download Epubs, manage metadata, download book covers, move books across devices, and even convert books between different formats.
Calibre works well for reading periodicals, comics, and other content in addition to standard Epub books. Considered the best option for an Epub reader on a Windows computer, Calibre is unquestionably Calibre.
Download: Free
2. Sumatra PDF Reader
Although Calibre is a terrific program and works well for most users, some have complained that it has a long-standing problem with books opening slowly. For those seeking a Calibre substitute that offers enhanced speed and contemporary functionality, the Sumatra PDF Reader is among the top PDF editors and readers available. It is a fully functional Epub reader that is incredibly lightweight.
Bookmarks, automatic text resizing, tab support, background color changing, and many more features are supported. The finest thing is that it can easily open huge Epub files with proper indentation, chapters that resemble trees, and other features. Sumatra PDF Reader is, in my opinion, the greatest option if you’re searching for a Windows 11/10 Epub reader that merely functions without any extra features.
Download: Free
3. Freda
Just by virtue of its appearance, Freda is one of my all-time favorite Epub readers for Windows. When you read Epubs on it, the app truly helps them shine out because it seems like a genuine Windows 11 software. The ability for users to personalize the app’s appearance and feel to make it precisely as they want it is one of my favorite features.
The program supports a ton of different formats in addition to Epub, such as Mobi, FB2, HTML, and TXT. Moreover, the app provides free access to over 50,000 classic public domain publications from Feedbooks, Gutenberg, and other online libraries. Additionally, you may download books from your cloud drives—such as Google Drive or OneDrive—by connecting them. If appearances are important to you, consider Freda.
Download: Free with in-app purchases
4. Icecream Epub Reader
Icecream programs is an app company that creates some extremely good Windows PC programs. Their Epub reader is my favorite software that the firm has created. Their Epub reader is not only aesthetically pleasing, but it also offers an abundance of features, such as support for full-screen mode, outstanding search capabilities, simple page turning mechanisms, reading progress monitoring, multilingual compatibility, and more.
In addition to the aforementioned characteristics, I really like that the reader supports not just the Epub format but also a number of other popular ebook formats, such as Mobi and FB2.
Download: Free, $19.95
5. Cover
Cover is a software designed mostly for reading comic books on a Windows 11 PC; yet, it has managed to make it onto the list since it also supports the Epub format. Cover is on the list mostly because, while being designed for comics, it works well for reading books with plenty of images.
Although every other software on the list has the ability to manage photos, none of them can do it as well as Cover. Therefore, Cover is a great choice for you if you enjoy reading books with lots of photographs. However, if you enjoy manga and comics, there isn’t a finer software out there.
Download: Free with in-app purchases
6. Kobo
Similar to Kindle, Kobo is a service that lets you purchase books from its store in addition to being an ebook reading software. Kobo, on the other hand, supports both Epub and Epub 3 formats, in contrast to Kindle, which does not. This software is among the best epub readers for Windows 11 since it has all the standard capabilities we have come to expect from an epub reader, such as search, bookmarks, progress tracking, theming, and more.
But the main selling point of Kobo compared to other Epub readers is its shop, where you can peruse and purchase more than 5 million inexpensive, free eBooks, comic books, and children’s books. Thus, this is one of the greatest epub readers for Windows that you can have if you want to be able to access and purchase all of the new ebooks that are released.
Download: Free
7. Nook
Being the biggest bookshop in the world, it is unlikely that anyone who enjoys reading has never heard of Barnes & Noble. The largest chain of brick-and-mortar bookstores in the world, Barnes and Noble, launched its own online book service, Nook, as a result to Amazon’s success with its Kindle platform.
Similar to Kobo, you get a shop to purchase Epub books along with an app to read them using the Nook app.
You may test out any book or news magazine you choose during the 14-day trial period that comes with signing up for the program. You can purchase the books or subscribe to the publications you want when the trial time expires.
The software offers additional capabilities including online device syncing, access to thousands of classics, and the opportunity to personalize your reading experience by viewing books with multiple fonts, line spacing, and themes.
Download: Free
8. Adobe Digital Editions
Adobe is a corporation that produces software for practically every type of creative material creation and consumption. Its Adobe Digital Editions is an excellent Epub reader for Windows PCs that lets people enjoy their favorite titles.
Adobe Digital Editions’s support for the EPUB 3 standard is one of the nicest things about it. It allows for dynamic picture scaling without sacrificing clarity, interactive quizzes, improved depiction of math formulae, and much more, all of which enhance the reading experience for users.
Numerous other useful features are also included in Adobe Digital Editions, including outstanding search capabilities, the option to rent or borrow Epub versions of books from public and local libraries, multilingual support, bookmarking, highlighting, notes, and much more. The best app for reading Epubs in its entirety is Adobe Digital Edition, which you should use.
Download: Free
