Kobo e-readers: which Kobo ebook reader is the best for 2024?

It's time to review the Kobo e-readers that can be found 2024 before making a purchase!

There are several models of Kobo ebook readers with different screen sizes, different prices (more or less expensive) and various options for reading digital books.

This guide will help you before making a purchase to find the best Kobo e-reader. Kobo official website: https://www.kobo.com/us/en

Comparison chart of the best Kobo e-readers

To start this guide, we've put together a comparison chart that shows you the differences between the Kobo e-readers available in 2024.

eReader : Kobo Clara BW vs Kobo Clara Colour vs Kobo Libra Colour vs Kobo Elipsa 2E vs Kobo Sage

	Kobo Clara BW	Kobo Clara Colour	Kobo Libra Colour	Kobo Elipsa 2E	Kobo Sage
Image
Screen size	6"	6"	7"	10.3"	8"
Resolution	1448 x 1072 pixels	1448 x 1072 pixels (Black and White), 724 x 536 (color)	150 PPI for Color / 300 PPI for B&W	1872 x 1404 pixels	1440 x 1920 pixels
Color	No	Yes (E Ink Kaleido 3)	Yes	No	No
Backlight	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Waterproof	Yes	Yes	IPX8	No	Yes
Storage	16 Go	16 Go	32 GB	32 GB	32 GB
Pen / Stylus	No	No	Yes (optional)	Yes	No
SD card	No	No	No
Ebook formats	EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR	EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR	EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR	EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR	EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR
Blue light filter	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Other	Can read audio books from Kobo with Bluetooth speaker or headset.	Most affordable color e-reader with a new Kaleido 3 electronic ink screen.	Kaleido 3 color screen, Bluetooth, Kobo audio Books	A bit expensive	Can read audio book from the Kobo library (bluetooth connection).
Review	Best value for the money in the Kobo e-readers lineup. New e ink Carta 1300 screen ! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	Best value for the money in the Kobo color e-readers lineup ⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐	Too expensive, the Kobo Libra 2 may be a better alternative ⭐⭐⭐
Link (where to buy?)	Check on Amazon.com - Official website Kobo.com	Check Price - Official website Kobo.com	Check on Amazon.com - Official website Kobo.com	Check the price on amazon.com - Official website Kobo.com	Check the price on amazon.com - Official website Kobo.com

Kobo Libra Colour

The Kobo Libra Colour is a new color e-reader with a 7" screen (Kaleido 3).

It will be released in may 2024.

Kobo Clara Colour

The Kobo Clara Colour is a new color e-reader with a 6" screen (Kaleido 3).

It will be released in may 2024.

Kobo Clara BW

The Kobo Clara BW e-reader is the newest addition to the spring 2024 lineup. It has a great 6-inch screen with e ink display (electric ink is very good for the eye) and a new Carta 1300 black and white screen.

Kobo offers a new reader with a 6-inch HD screen, in a compact, waterproof format, a good battery life and designed in recycled plastic.

As a bonus, we get the ability to listen to audiobooks through Bluetooth connectivity. It is fully compatible with Overdrive if you want to borrow ebooks from your library. 

The reading experience is great and it has the best e ink screen you can get for a 6-inch screen. 

Kobo Sage

The Kobo Sage is one of the newest ebook reader from the brand that replaces the Kobo Forma. This Kobo device has page-turn buttons like the Libra 2.

It has a very large screen of 8 inches, 32 GB of storage, Bluetooth and compatibility with the Kobo pen to make annotations more easily. It is compatible with Overdrive and the Kobo Plus ebook subscribtion (like other e-readers on this page). 

The only downside is that its price might turn you off. It is also a a good alternative to the Kindle Oasis if you don't like Amazon. 

Kobo Elipsa 2E

The Kobo Elipsa 2E is the new e-reader with a 10.3-inch screen signed Kobo (it is also a new last year).

It comes with a stylus for everything that is note taking just like the Kindle Scribe. 

It is a digital device that is also geared towards professional use and promises increased productivity thanks to an efficient character recognition system.

Old Kobo e-readers

Here are some Kobo e-reader models that you can still find at a good price, but which are no longer manufactured and marketed by the Kobo brand.

Kobo Clara 2E

The Kobo Clara 2E e-reader is the old model that has been replaced by a better and more affodable Kobo Clara BW e-reader. It has a great 6-inch screen with e ink display (electric ink is very good for the eye).

Kobo offers a new reader with a 6-inch HD screen, in a compact, waterproof format, a good battery life and designed in recycled plastic.

As a bonus, we get the ability to listen to audiobooks through Bluetooth connectivity. It is fully compatible with Overdrive. 

Kobo Libra 2

This is a Kobo ebook reader with a 7-inch e ink Carta 1200 screen, 32 GB of storage and Bluetooth connectivity to connect headphones and enjoy your audiobooks. It has a great design with page-turn buttons on the left of the display. 

So it's a very serious e-reader and probably one of the best of the Kobo brand. It is a direct competitor to the Kindle Paperwhite and a very good alternative to the Kindle brand. You can also borrow ebooks from your library with the Overdrive service. 

Kobo Nia E-reader

Kobo launched in July 2020 a new entry-level e-reader at $99,99: the Kobo Nia.

The Kobo Nia is the cheapest Kobo e-reader and you will find a 6-inch e ink touch screen with lighting.

It is therefore the ideal Kobo e-reader to start reading ebooks at a lower cost but I find it is a little older and, maybe a simple Kindle is better for the job if you want a very afforable e-reader. 

What is the best Kobo ereader in 2024?

We have just made the tour of the Kobo readers currently available (except special offers or reconditioned).

For the moment, there is no doubt that the Kobo Libra Colour is the best Kobo e-reader for 2024. It has advantages over the Kobo Clara Colour:

• a larger 7-inch screen, more beautiful and waterproof
• it is proposed at an interesting price (for a larger format reader)
• 32 GB of storage
• Bluetooth for listening to audio books
• More modern hardware

FAQ about Kobo e-readers

Kobo Store

When you buy a Kobo e-reader, you get access to the Kobo Store, a large online bookstore.

It is directly integrated in your e-reader. You only need to connect to the Internet (via a Wifi connection) to download the ebooks you want.

For the vast majority of books and comics, you can even download excerpts of a few pages to check if the story or the style of the book interests you.

Then you can download the rest and receive the book in less than 2 minutes. So you can start reading your ebooks immediately without having to order from a website or go to a bookstore.

Moreover, Kobo ebooks are on average cheaper than the paper books you find in bookstores.

Compatibility with Overdrive

Overdrive is a digital distribution platform used by libraries and educational institutions to provide access to ebooks, audiobooks, and other digital media.

It allows users to borrow digital content remotely, eliminating the need to physically visit a library.

So you can use a Kobo e-reader to get ebooks with Overdrive.

Link: Overdrive

Kobo Plus?

Kobo Plus is a subscription service offered by Kobo.

Kobo Plus functions similarly to other subscription-based platforms for ebooks, providing users with access to a library of ebooks for a monthly fee.

All Kobo devices are compatible with Kobo Plus.

Link: Kobo Plus

Does the Kobo e-reader read EPUB files?

This is one of the most frequently asked questions.

Yes, Kobo e-readers (all models) read EPUB format ebooks perfectly.

If you have purchased DRM-free ebooks, it will read them without any special operation.

However, if your EPUB ebooks are protected by Adobe DRM, then you will need to set up your Adobe Digital Edition account on the e-reader to make it work.

Can the Kobo e-reader read PDF files?

Yes, Kobo e-readers can read PDF files.

However, the reading is far from perfect. So here are the two cases to distinguish :

• if the PDF contains only text, it can still be done
• if the PDF has images, a complex layout or a lot of color, it will not be ideal

For these reasons, I recommend the use of a touch tablet to read PDF files, even if it is still possible on a Kobo e-reader.

What are the file formats read by a Kobo e-reader?

We've seen that the Kobo e-reader can read EPUB and PDF. Here are the other file formats that are supported:

• EPUB,
• EPUB3,
• PDF,
• MOBI,
• JPEG,
• GIF,
• PNG,
• BMP,
• TIFF,
• TXT,
• HTML,
• RTF,
• CBZ,
• CBR.

You can learn how to transfer EPUB ebooks with this guide How do I transfer an EPUB to my Kobo?.

Kobo and Kindle e-reader: what's the difference?

There is another brand of e-reader that has a range of models just as varied: it is Kindle and its e-readers produced by Amazon.

There is one big difference between the two brands, and that is in the support of file formats:

• Kobo reads Epub digital books by default but does not read Kindle files sold by Amazon
• Kindle does not read Epub ebooks by default (you need special software to do so) but reads Kindle files sold by Amazon

You can read more on this article : Kobo vs Kindle in 2024: comparison of e-reader brands

Can a Kobo e-reader read comics?

Photo: a comic book on the Kobo Libra 2 e-reader

Kobo e-readers are compatible with PDF, CBR and CBZ formats - the latter two are intended for comics.

However, due to the lack of color screen, a Kobo e-reader is not necessarily well suited for reading comics.

It will be possible to enjoy mangas even if it will not be ideal.

If you want to read manga, you'll need an e-reader with a larger screen like the Libra Colour, Elipsa 2E or Sage.

How to put an ebook on my Kobo e-reader?

You have a Kobo e-reader and ebook files on your computer?

Then you have several solutions to send an ebook file to your e-reader:

• use a digital book management software like the Calibre software
• Connect your e-reader to your computer and place your file on your Kobo e-reader as you would on a USB stick
• Download books you've already purchased from Kobo
• The books you buy from Kobo on your e-reader are saved on the Kobo Cloud.

You can then retrieve them. To do this, you need to connect your e-reader to a Wifi network.

Then go to the "My books" section on your e-reader. You will then see all the purchases you have made and you will be able to download the ebooks on your Kobo e-reader.

How do I fix my Kobo account?

Sometimes your Kobo account doesn't work properly and you can't download your books.

In this case, you can repair your account by going to the settings and then :

• go to "technical information"
• next to Repair your Kobo account, press Repair

If you still have a problem, you can disconnect and start a new connection to your Kobo account by following this procedure:

• go to settings
• go to accounts
• in Kobo press Sign out

How to buy a Kobo e-reader for less?

If you are tempted by a Kobo e-reader but are a little short of cash, you can always wait for a promotion.

Several times a year, there are discounts of several dozen euros on some Kobo e-reader models - usually on the Kobo.com or Amazon.com website.

How do I fix a frozen Kobo e-reader?

You have a problem and your Kobo e-reader is freezed or stuck.

The symptom is often the following: the reading machine gets stuck on a blank page.

In this case, you have several solutions to try to unblock your Kobo e-reader: How do you unlock a frozen Kobo e-Reader? (frozen screen).