1. Kindle

You don’t actually have to own a Kindle to have access to its library. Sift through over 3 million books, audiobooks, magazines and newspapers to add any of them to your library. Buy publications one by one or subscribe to Kindle eBook to get access to over 800,000 titles. You can customize the reader by adjusting background lighting, text size and text color. Interact with the book using smart lookup and even access Wikipedia articles on the characters, author or story. If you have the app downloaded on multiple devices you can access your library from anywhere.

Download it here for Apple.

Download it here for Android.

Pros:

• Read a sample of any book before you buy
• Adjust reader settings
• Research on Wikipedia inside a book

Cons:

• Have to pay for certain books
• PDFs don’t work very well
• Have to log into Amazon to use

2. Audible

If you watch YouTube videos or listen to podcasts, you’ve probably heard about Audible. It can get old hearing your favorite comedians and YouTubers talk about the app, but it really is a good way to access audiobooks. Reading can be fun but not everyone has time to sit down and spend time with a book so Audible gives you access to 150,000 books. Listen during your commute, a work out or while you’re eating lunch at work. While the app is free, you will have to buy each book but if you sign up you’ll get a free book. Listen to your book across different devices and never lose you place with bookmarks. With certain books you can read them or listen to them.

Download it here for Apple.

Download it here for Android.

Pros:

• Listen to books on different devices
• Access to 150,000 books
• Free book when you sign up

Cons:

• Have to purchase each book after your free one
• Must make an Audible account
• Newest update can sometimes lose your place

3. Nook

Some of you young kids won’t remember a place called Barnes & Nobel, a building where you can buy books. There are still a few brick and mortar stores around the country, but the company’s current moneymaker is the Nook. Just like Kindle, you don’t need the actual device to access the diverse library it has to offer. Browse through over 3 million titles most less than $9.99. Customize everything in the reader from text size to brightness. You can also add annotations like notes and highlighting.

Download it here for Apple.

Download it here for Android.

Pros:

• Access to 3 million books
• Customize reader for reading at night
• Mark certain lines or passages

Cons:

• Have to buy each title
• Hard to get out of full screen
• Can’t find the most recent titles

4. Wattpad

Find free books and discover new writers with Wattpad. You can comment on stories or communicate directly with writers and other readers. Vote on your favorite pieces to push it to the top of the site and app. Get access to classic books such as The Art of War, Romeo and Juliet and Pride and Prejudice or dive into the world of fan fiction. Unlike the other apps on the list, you can actually contribute to the library. Write up your own stories, upload them on your computer and share them with your friends and family. Now you can access Wattpad on your Apple Watch.

Download it here for Apple.

Download it here for Android.

Pros:

• Every piece is free
• Access to classic books
• Interact with writers and readers

Cons:

• Can be hard to browse through the many titles
• Difficult to find a response to a comment you wrote
• Sometimes new chapters don’t update right away

5. OverDrive

OverDrive brings the library right to your phone. Search for over 30,000 libraries around the country and have access to audiobooks and ebooks. If you have a library card from any library, you can access it’s collection from anywhere. OverDrive makes sure you don’t have any late fees, and will return the book automatically the day it is due even if you are done or not. You can place holds on items and sync your library between different devices. Borrow books anytime even when the library is closed. If the library doesn’t carry something you want, you can contact the librarians and request certain titles.

Download it here for Apple.

Download it here for Android.

Pros:

• Access libraries from all over the country
• Download books anytime of day
• App returns them automatically when they are due

Cons:

• Have to have library card to use
• Takes up a lot of room on your device
• A bit hard to navigate