Amazon’s latest price increase makes shopping beyond the Kindle lineup more compelling than it was a week ago. The base 16GB Kindle now costs $149.99, the 16GB Paperwhite is $199.99, and the 16GB Colorsoft has climbed to $289.99.
That does not automatically make every Kindle alternative cheaper. Some cost more than Amazon’s entry-level reader, but they can offer advantages Kindle does not, including built-in library borrowing, native EPUB support, physical page-turn buttons, handwritten notes, repairable hardware, or access to several ebook-store apps on one device.
Amazon’s latest Kindle price increases are therefore only one part of the decision. I compared current alternatives by price, display, ebook-store access, library borrowing, note-taking, file support, and how tightly each device locks buyers into one store.
Best Kindle alternatives at a glance
| E-reader | Best for | Official price | Display | Library borrowing | Note-taking | Openness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kobo Clara BW | Best overall | $139.99 sale; $159.99 list | 6-inch monochrome | Built-in OverDrive/Libby in supported markets | No stylus | High |
| Kobo Clara Colour | Lower-cost color | $159.99 sale; $179.99 list | 6-inch color | Built-in OverDrive/Libby in supported markets | No stylus | High |
| Kobo Libra Colour | Page buttons and notes | $259.99 | 7-inch color | Built-in OverDrive/Libby in supported markets | Optional Kobo Stylus 2 | High |
| BOOX Go 7 | Multiple ebook stores | $249.99 | 7-inch monochrome | Through compatible Android apps | Optional InkSense stylus | Very high |
| NOOK GlowLight 4 | Barnes & Noble readers | $149.99 | 6-inch monochrome | Adobe DRM/ADE support | No stylus | Medium |
Kobo was running a $20 promotion on both Clara models when checked on August 26, so those sale prices may not last. Their regular list prices are $159.99 for the Clara BW and $179.99 for the Clara Colour.
Here is where each alternative makes the strongest case.
Kobo Clara BW: Best overall Kindle alternative
The Kobo Clara BW is the easiest recommendation for someone who wants a…